• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.47-65
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• 2018

Frost shattering has traditionally been considered as one of the most effective process in rock weathering. Each slab specimens of five or six rhyolite, basalt and tuff was prepared and put in freeze-thaw cycles and repeated 300 times in the temperature of $-25^{\circ}C$ to $+30^{\circ}C$ and their weathering patterns and products were analyzed by surface observation, particle size, XRD and thin section. As the result, some changes were observed in weathering patterns and weathering products. Rock shattering was more active in waterlogging rather than atmospheric conditions, but there are many differences depending on the type of rock. Rhyolite is hardly weathered by 300 times freeze-thaw cycles and generates the least amount of weathering products. Weathering of Basalt is limited to the surface layer where water can be absorbed, and produces a few amount of platy-shape debris. Tuff are separated by blocky structure which the particles are aggregated along their edges rather than enlarged existing cracks/joins or generated new joints.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.499-510
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• 2015

Artificial accelerated weathering test evaluated rocks from near the circuit road of Ulleungdo island, approximately 120 km from east of the Korean Peninsula. The tests subjected rock specimens to conditions based on the climate of the island. The specimens (such as basaltic breccia, trachyte, volcanic breccia) were preliminarily classified using a TAS diagram (XRF data) and based on the constituent minerals (XRD data); they were further classified by weathering degree according to their absorption ratios. During the artificial accelerated weathering, the absorption ratio of most of the specimens increased, but the point-load strength did not decrease in most cases, except for the volcanic breccia. The greater initial absorption ratio of trachyte rock specimen in comparison with the other specimens led to a greater increase of its absorption ratio during the artificial accelerated weathering test. The volcanic breccia specimens showed the greatest increase of absorption ratio and the biggest reduction ratio of the point- load strength during the tests. These results could aid prediction of the weathering rate of rocks in Ulleungdo island subjected to weathering processes; trachyte which appears to accelerate with time, and volcanic breccia whose mechanical strength can largely decrease in a relative short period of time. Proper measures therefore appear necessary for the prevention of natural disaster such as rock fall and landslide around the circuit road.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.42-56
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• 2023

In deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW), the natural barrier must physically support the disposal facility and delay the movement of radionuclides for at least hundreds of thousands of years. To evaluate the long-term geological evolution of the natural barriers, it is essential to analyze the long-term behavior of rock joints, including the frictional healing behavior. This study aimed to experimentally analyze the frictional healing behavior of rock joints under hydro-mechanical (H-M) conditions through the slide-hold-slide (SHS) test. The SHS tests were performed under mechanical and H-M conditions for joint specimens of different roughness. In the H-M conditions, the frictional healing rate tended to increase, which was more evident in the specimens with large roughness. In addition, it was confirmed that the effect of the hydro-mechanical conditions was more significant when the effective normal stress acting on the joint surface was small. These results are expected to be used as fundamental data to understand the frictional healing behavior of rock joints in the natural barriers.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

An experimental technique for determining the spalling strength of rock-like materials under a high strain rate is developed. It is observed that the spalling strength of a specimen can be determined by only knowing the wavelength, loading peak value and length of the first spallation of an incident wave under a specific loading waveform. Using this method in combination with a split-Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) and other experimental devices, the spalling strength of granite specimens under a high strain rate is tested. Comparisons with other experimental results show that the new measuring method can accurately calculate the dynamic tensile strength of rock materials under a high strain rate.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2009

Due to the enormous amount of fills required, broken rock-fine grain soil mixtures have been increasingly used in the construction of high-fill foundations for airports, railways and highways in the mountain areas of western China. However, the compressibility behavior of those broken rock-fine grain soil mixtures remains unknown, which impose great uncertainties for the performance of those high-fill foundations. In this research, the mixture of broken limestone and a fine grain soil, Douposi soil, is studied. Large oedometer tests have been performed on specimens with different soil content. This research reveals the significant influence of fine grains on the compressibility of the mixture, including immediate settlement, creep, as well as wetting deformation.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.215-225
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• 2019

The mechanical behavior of rock is essential to estimate the capacity and long-term stability of $CO_2$ storage in deep saline aquifers. As the depth of reservoir increases, the pressure and temperature that applied on the rock increase. To answer the question of how the confining pressure and temperature influence the mechanical behavior of reservoir rock, triaxial compression experiments were carried out on brine-saturated sandstone at elevated temperature. The triaxial compressive strength of brine-saturated sandstone was observed to decrease with increasing testing temperature, and the temperature weakening effect in strength enhanced with the increase of confining pressure. Sandstone specimens showed single fracture failures under triaxial compression. Three typical regions around the main fracture were identified: fracture band, damaged zone and undamaged zone. A function was proposed to describe the evolution of acoustic emission count under loading. Finally, the mechanism of elevated temperature causing the reduction of strength of brine-saturated sandstone was discussed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.181-195
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• 2022

Roughness and joint inclination angle are the important factors that affect the strength and deformation characteristics of jointed rock mass. In this paper, 3D printer has been employed to make molds firstly, and casting the jointed specimens with different joint roughness coefficient (JRC), and different joint inclination angle (α). Conventional triaxial compression tests were carried out on the jointed specimens, and the influence of JRC on the strength and deformation parameters was analyzed. At the same time, acoustic emission (AE) testing system has been adopted to reveal the AE characteristic of the jointed specimens in the process of triaxial compression. Finally, the morphological of the joint surface was observed by digital three-dimensional video microscopy system, and the relationship between the peak strength and JRC under different confining pressures has been discussed. The results indicate that the existence of joint results in a significant reduction in the strength of the joint specimen, JRC also has great influence on the morphology, quantity and spatial distribution characteristics of cracks. With the increase of JRC, the triaxial compressive strength increase, and the specimen will change from brittle failure to ductile failure.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.52-63
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• 2009

This is a study on large-scale rock joint roughness measurements using LIDAR (light detection and ranging) and the Split-FX point cloud processing software. The large-scale rock Joint Roughness Coefficient (JRC) is calculated using the maximum amplitude of joint asperities over the profile length on large-scale Joint surfaces of rock. As the profile length increases, JRC decreases due to scale-effects of rock specimens and is non-stationary. Also JRC shows anisotropy depending on the profile direction. The profile direction is measured relative to either dip or strike of the large-scale joint.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.241-251
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• 2010

The polar region is in the limelight for an academic worth as well as plenty of natural resources. The study on the polar region was reviewed for better understanding of the polar region and its rock properties. The antarctica has a windy and dry climate along with the lowest temperature on the earth. The thermal distribution according to depth in the area was reported: The freezing-thawing process was repeated in shallow depth, and the temperature falls down below zero under the specific depth. There is a great temperature difference between the atmosphere and rock. A research reported for the degree of weathering of the antarctic slope by using Schmidt hammer and Taffoni test. The rock specimens weathered by repeated freezing-thawing process were tested of the shore hardness and uniaxial compressive strength: The rock strength gradually decreased as the freezing-thawing process was repeated. The comprehensive mechanical properties of the polar region rocks and the relationship between the laboratory weathering test result and the real rock property change in the site remain as future research topics.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.350-363
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• 1999

The precision cyclic shear test system was established to investigate the mechanical characteristics of rough rock joints under cyclic loading conditions. Laboratory cyclic shear tests were conducted for saw-cut joints and artificial rough rock joints using Hwangdeung granite and Yeosan marble. Surface roughness and aperture characteristics of specimens were examined by measuring surface topography using the laser profilometer. Peak shear strength, phase difference during loading and unloading, and anisotropic shear behavior were investigated throughout the cyclic shear test results. These features and their subsequent variations in each loading cycle are significantly dependent upon the second order asperities and the strength of intact rock. It was observed that degradation of asperities for rough rock joints under cyclic shear loading followed the exponential degradation laws of asperity angle and that the mechanism for asperity degradation would be different depending upon the normal stress level, roughness of joint surface and the loading stage.