• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

This study deals with the case that was the field application of the microseismic monitoring techniques for the stability monitoring in a domestic mine. The usefulness and limitations of the microseismic techniques were examined through analyzing the microseismic monitored data. The target limestone mine adopted a hybrid room-and-pillar mining method to improve the extraction ratio. The accelerometers were installed in each vertical pillar within the test bed which has the horizontal cross-section $50m{\times}50m$. The measured signals were divided into 4 types; blasting induced signal, drilling induced signal, damage induced signal, and electric noise. The stability analysis was performed based on the measured damage induced signals. After the blasting in the mining section close to the test bed, the damage of the pillar was increased and rockfall near the test bed could be estimated from monitored microseismic data. It was possible to assess the pillar stability from the changes of daily monitored data and the proposed safety criteria from the accumulated monitored data. However, there was a difficulty to determine the 3D microseismic source positions due to the 2D local sensor arrays. Also, it was needed to use real-time monitoring methods in domestic mines. By complementing the problems encountered in the mine application and comparing microseismic monitored data with mining operations, the microseismic monitoring technique can be used as a better safety method.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.518-525
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• 2011

In this study, the natural ventilation pressure resulting from the large altitude difference which is a characteristic of high radioactive waste repository and the caloric value of the heat emitted by wastes was calculated and based on the results, natural ventilation quantities were calculated. A high radioactive waste repository can be considered as being operated through closed cycle thermodynamic processes similar to those of thermal engines. The heat produced by the heating of high radioactive wastes in the underground repository is added to the surrounding air, and the air goes up through the upcast vertical shaft due to the added heat while working on its surroundings. Part of the heat added by the work done by the air can be temporarily changed into mechanical energy to promote the air flow. Therefore, if a sustained and powerful heat source exists in the repository, the heat source will naturally enable continued cyclic flows of air. Based on this assumption, the quantity of natural ventilation made during the disposal of high radioactive wastes in a deep geological layer was mathematically calculated and based on the results, natural ventilation pressure of $74{\sim}183$Pa made by the stack effect was identified along with the resultant natural ventilation quantity of $92.5{\sim}147.7m^3/s$. The result of an analysis by CFD was $82{\sim}143m^3/s$ which was very similar to the results obtained by the mathematical method.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.403-411
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• 2012

In recent, the using of the hydraulic filling method has increased on the underground reinforcement of the abandoned mine in Korea, however it is the lack of research on the efficient filling method. In this study, tank model tests and field tests were conducted for development of tip device for filling efficiency improvements on the hydraulic filling method. In tank model experiments, the filling efficiency was evaluated according to the form and angle of the nozzle on tip device in the same condition. Then tip device model designed by tank model tests was applied to the field experiment. As a result, the amount of filling of nozzle $90^{\circ}$ tube is increased by approximately 18% compared to the common vertical injection pipe. The angle of repose was $30.82^{\circ}$. Filling hole spacing in the field is usually designed from 5m up to 10m assumed to be $40^{\circ}$ of the angle of repose. According to the results of this study, it is possible that the filling hole spacing expands at least 10m up to 15m applied to be $30^{\circ}{\sim}35^{\circ}$ of the angle of repose. Therefore, it is expected to be economical and efficient mine filling.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.432-439
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• 2009

For more reliable estimation of seismic source, attenuation properties and dynamic ground property, site amplification function should be considered. Among various estimation methods, this study used the Nakamura's method (1989) for estimating site amplification characteristics. This method was originally applied to the surface waves of background noise and therefore there are some limitations in applying to general wave energy. However, recently this method has been extended and applied to the S wave energy successfully. This study applied the method to S wave and Coda wave energy, which is equivalent to the backscattered S wave energy. We used more than 60 observed ground motions from 5 earthquakes which were occurred recently, with magnitude range from 3.6 to 5.1. Each station showed characteristic site amplification property in low-, high- and resonance frequencies. Some of the stations showed as high as 4 times of site amplification in the range of specific frequencies, which may imply abnormal small scale geologic strata below the station or development of various trapped modes in the basin structure. Moreover, removal of site amplification can give us more reliable seismic source and attenuation parameters, addition to the seismic hazard estimation.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.373-387
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• 2009

Considering the current construction technology and research status of deep repository tunnels for radioactive waste disposal, it is inevitable to use cementitious materials in spite of serious concern about their long-term environmental stability. Thus, it is an emerging task to develop low pH cementitious materials. This study reviews the state of the technology on low pH cements developed in Sweden, Switzerland, France, and Japan as well as in Finland which is constructing a real deep repository site for high-level radioactive waste disposal. Considering the physical and chemical stability of bentonite which acts as a buffer material, a low pH cement limits to $pH{\leq}11$ and pozzolan-type admixtures are used to lower the pH of cement. To attain this pH requirement, silica fume, which is one of the most promising admixtures, should occupy at least 40 wt% of total dry materials in cement and the Ca/Si ratio should be maintained below 0.8 in cement. Additionally, selective super-plasticizer needs to be used because a high amount of water is demanded from the use of a large amount of silica fume.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.13-30
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• 2013

Increase of pore fluid pressure resulting from injection of $CO_2$ may reactivate pre-existing faults, and the induced seismic activities can raise the safety issues such as seal integrity, restoration of storage capacity, and, in the worst case, removal of previously injected $CO_2$. Thus, fault stability and potential for $CO_2$ leakage need to be assessed at the stage of site selection and planning of injection pressure, based on the results of large-scale site investigations and numerical modeling for various scenarios. In this report, studies on the assessment of fault stability during injection of $CO_2$ were reviewed. The seismic activities associated with an artificial injection of fluids or a release of naturally trapped high-pressure fluids were first examined, and then site investigation methods for the magnitude and orientation of in situ stresses, the distribution and change of pore fluid pressure, and the location of faults were generally summarized. Recent research cases on possibility estimation of fault reactivation, prediction of seismic magnitude, and modeling of $CO_2$ leakage through a reactivated fault were presented.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2013

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technology coupled with underground carbon dioxide sequestration is introduced. $CO_2$ can be injected into an oil reservoir in order to enhance oil production rate and $CO_2$ EOR can be turned into CCS in a long term sense. Coupling $CO_2$ EOR with CCS may secure a large scale and consistent $CO_2$ source for EOR, and the $CO_2$ EOR can bring an additional economic benefit for CCS, since the benefit from enhanced oil production by $CO_2$ EOR will compensate costs for CCS implementation. In this paper, we introduced the characteristics of $CO_2$ EOR technology and its market prospect, and reviewed the Weyburn $CO_2$ EOR project which is the first large-scale $CO_2$ EOR case utilizing an anthropogenic $CO_2$ source. We also introduced geotechnical elements for a successful and economical implementation of $CO_2$ EOR with CCS and they were a miscroseismic monitoring during and after injection of $CO_2$, and determination of minimum miscible pressure (MMP) and maximum injection pressure (MIP) of $CO_2$.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.493-505
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• 2013

This numerical study investigates seismicity and fault slip induced by fluid injection in deep geothermal reservoir with pre-existing fractures and fault. Particle Flow Code 2D is used with additionally implemented hydro-mechanical coupled fluid flow algorithm and acoustic emission moment tensor inversion algorithm. The output of the model includes spatio-temporal evolution of induced seismicity (hypocenter locations and magnitudes) and fault deformation (failure and slip) in relation to fluid pressure distribution. The model is applied to a case of fluid injection with constant rates changing in three steps using different fluid characters, i.e. the viscosity, and different injection locations. In fractured reservoir, spatio-temporal distribution of the induced seismicity differs significantly depending on the viscosity of the fracturing fluid. In a fractured reservoir, injection of low viscosity fluid results in larger volume of induced seismicity cloud as the fluid can migrate easily to the reservoir and cause large number and magnitude of induced seismicity in the post-shut-in period. In a faulted reservoir, fault deformation (co-seismic failure and aseismic slip) can occur by a small perturbation of fracturing fluid (<0.1 MPa) can be induced when the injection location is set close to the fault. The presented numerical model technique can practically be used in geothermal industry to predict the induced seismicity pattern and magnitude distribution resulting from hydraulic stimulation of geothermal reservoirs prior to actual injection operation.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.480-492
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• 2013

After the introduction of geothermal power generation technology based on engineering reservoir creation that can be applied on non-volcanic region, industrial need for studies on the efficient and economic execution of costly deep-depth drilling work becomes manifest increasingly. However, since it is very difficult to predict duration and cost of boring work with acceptable reliability because of many uncertain events during the execution, efficient and organized work management for drilling is not easily achievable. Especially, the round trip that discretely occurs because of the abrasion of bit takes more time as the depth goes deeper and it has a great impact on the work performance. Therefore, a technology that can simulate the occurrence timing and depth of round trip in advance and therefore optimize them is essentially required. This study divided the abrasion state of bit into eight steps for simulation cases and developed a forecast algorithm, i.e., TOSA which can analyze the depth and timing of round trip occurrence. A methodology that can divide a unit section for simulation has been suggested; while the Bourgoyne and Young model has been used for the forecast of drilling rates and bit abrasion extent by section. Lastly, the designed algorithm has been systemized for the convenience of the user.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.217-229
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• 2017

This study focuses on the improvement of the working environment in domestic collieries where temperature is increasing due to heat of the earth that is caused by the long-term mining. In order to improve the working environment of the mine, a ventilation evaluation was carried out for Hwasoon Mining Industry. In order to increase the ventilation efficiency of the mine, numerical analysis of the effect on temperature was carried out by using climsim, a temperature prediction program. The analysis shows that A coal mine needs $6,152m^3/min$ for in-flow ventilation rate but the total input air flowrate is $4,710m^3/min$, $1,442m^3/min$ of in-flow ventilation rate shortage. The 93 m hypothetical ventilation shaft from -395 ML to -488 ML could result about $3^{\circ}C$ temperature drop in the coal mine of -488 ML far. As a result of predicting the $CO_2$ concentration at -523 ML development using artificial neural network, the emission of $CO_2$ increased as the amount of coal and coal bed thickness increased. The factors that have the greatest effect on the amount of $CO_2$ emissions were coal layer thickness and coal mining. And, as the air quantity increases, it has a great effect on the decrease of carbon dioxide concentration.