• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.451-463
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• 2022

Whenever a mineshaft accidentally collapses, speedy risk assessment is both required and crucial. But onsite safety diagnosis by humans is reportedly difficult considering the additional risk of collapse of the unstable mineshaft. Generally, drones equipped with high-speed lidar sensors can be used for such inspection. However, the drone technology is restrictively applicable at very shallow depth, failing in mineshafts with depths of hundreds of meters because of the limit of wireless communication and turbulence inside the mineshaft. In previous study, a three-dimensional (3D) scanning system with a single channel lidar was fabricated and operated using towed cable in a mineshaft to a depth of 200 m. The rotation and pendulum movement errors of the measuring unit were compensated for by applying the data of inertial measuring unit and comparing the similarity between the scan data of the adjacent depths (Kim et al., 2020). However, the errors grew with scan depth. In this paper, a multi-channel lidar sensor to obtain a continuous cross-sectional image of the mineshaft from a winch system pulled from bottom upward. In this new approach, within overlapped region viewed by the multi-channel lidar, rotation error was compensated for by comparing the similarity between the scan data at the same depth. The fabricated system was applied to scan 0-165 m depth of the mineshaft with 180 m depth. The reconstructed image was depicted in a 3D graph for interpretation.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.353-362
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• 2022

The wet shotcrete refers to a method in which all materials are mixed and then supplied to the spraying device, compressed air is added to the nozzle, and the spraying speed is improved to spray on the target surface. In order to reproduce the amount of shotcrete used in the wet method in the field and the situation at the laboratory scale, it is essential to control the discharge amount of the equipment. In this study, in order to increase the reproducibility of field conditions at the laboratory scale, a flow control system for shotcrete mortar spraying equipment was developed and applied to the equipment. To verify the developed equipment, a discharge control test using water and mortar was performed. In the developed control system, the discharge was smoothly controlled according to the user input value for the mono pump, but the discharge was not properly controlled according to the input value for the screw pump because of a reducer. When a speed reducer is attached, it is necessary to adjust the operation rate of the screw pump close to the target flow rate by increasing the operation rate of the screw pump while lowering the operation rate of the mono pump.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.568-585
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• 2022

In the present study, we proposed a numerical method for simulating thermally induced fracture slip using a grain-based distinct element model (GBDEM). As a part of DECOVALEX-2023, the thermo-mechanical loading test on a saw-cut rock fracture conducted at the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology was simulated. In the numerical model, the rock sample including a saw-cut fracture was represented as a group of random Voronoi polyhedra. Then, the coupled thermo-mechanical behavior of grains and their interfaces was calculated using 3DEC. The key concerns focused on the temperature evolution, thermally induced principal stress increment, and fracture normal and shear displacements under thermo-mechanical loading. The comparisons between laboratory experimental results and the numerical results revealed that the numerical model reasonably captured the heat transfer and heat loss characteristics of the rock specimen, the horizontal stress increment due to constrained displacement, and the progressive shear failure of the fracture. However, the onset of the fracture slip and the magnitudes of stress increment and fracture displacement showed discrepancies between the numerical and experimental results. We expect the numerical model to be enhanced by continuing collaboration and interaction with other research teams of DECOVALEX-2023 Task G and validated in further study.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.530-548
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• 2022

The site selection process for deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste will be conducted in stages, and 103 evaluation parameters related to site selection have been proposed. In the field of rock mechanics and rock engineering, there are 33 evaluation parameters for intact rock, joint and rock mass, and they are applied in the basic and detailed investigation stages. In this report, uniaxial compressive strength, in-situ stress, joint distribution, and rock mass classification were selected as the main evaluation parameters, and among them, uniaxial compressive strength and in situ stress were selected as key evaluation parameters. Statistical techniques or regression analysis were performed for granite in Wonju and Chuncheon to evaluate the distribution range for the selected key evaluation parameters. The average of the uniaxial compressive strength in the Wonju area estimated through the posterior distribution is about 171 MPa, and about 123 MPa in the Chuncheon area. The maximum in situ stress acting in the Wonju area was less than 30 MPa and less than 40 MPa in the Chuncheon area. The direction of the maximum horizontal stress calculated by regression analysis was 101° in Wonju, and in the case of Chuncheon, it was 95°, respectiviely.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.298-311
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• 2022

Some problems, such as aging workers, a decreased population due to a low birth rate, and shortage of skilled workers, are rising in construction sites. Therefore research for smart construction technology that can be improved for productivity, safety, and quality has been recently developed with government support by replacing traditional construction technology with advanced digital technology. In particular, the motor grader that mainly performs road surface flattening is a construction machine that requires the application of automation technology for repetitive construction. It is predicted that the construction period will be shortened if the construction automation technology such as trajectory tracking, automation work, and remote control technology is applied. In this study, we introduce the hardware and software architecture of the smart motor grader to apply unmanned and automation technology and then analyze the traditional earthwork method of the motor grader. We suggested the application plans for the path pattern and blade control method of the smart motor grader based on this. In addition, we verified the performance of waypoint-based path-following depending on scenarios and the blade control's performance through tests.

• 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.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.29-41
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• 2023

The brittleness of rocks plays an important role in determining the fragmentation and failure behavior of rock. However, there is still no standard method to evaluate the brittleness of rock, and previous studies have suggested the several definitions for estimation of brittleness of rock. Even in the process of mechanical rock excavation and drilling, the brittleness of rock is considered as an important property for evaluating the excavation efficiency of mechanical excavators or boreability of rock. The previous studies have been carried out to investigate the correlation between different brittleness of rock and cutting efficiency and boreability of rock. This study introduced a method for calculating the brittleness of rock from punch penetration test, and analyzed the correlation between the brittleness of rock calculated by the uniaxial compressive and Brazilian tensile strengths and that from punch penetration test. From the results of correlation analysis, the relationship between various brittleness was confirmed, and it was found that PSI and BI₃ showed a good correlation with the strength-based brittleness index. In addition, the results indicated that B₃ and B₄ are suitable to represent the brittleness of rock in the field of mechanical rock excavation.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.57-69
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• 2023

In this study, we simulated induced seismicity in the Groningen natural gas reservoir using 2D hydro-mechanical coupled discrete element modelling (DEM). The code used is PFC2D (Particle Flow Code 2D), a commercial software developed by Itasca, and in order to apply to this study we further developed 1)initialization of inhomogeneous reservoir pressure distribution, 2)a non-linear pressure-time history boundary condition, 3)local stress field monitoring logic. We generated a 2D reservoir model with a size of 40 × 50 km² and a complex fault system, and simulated years of pressure depletion with a time range between 1960 and 2020. We simulated fault system failure induced by pressure depletion and reproduced the spatiotemporal distribution of induced seismicity and assessed its failure mechanism. Also, we estimated the ground subsidence distribution and confirmed its similarity to the field measurements in the Groningen region. Through this study, we confirm the feasibility of the presented 2D hydro-mechanical coupled DEM in simulating the deformation of a complex fault system by hydro-mechanical coupled processes.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.228-243
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• 2023

Bentonite is widely recognized and utilized as a buffer material in high-level radioactive waste repositories, mainly due to its favorable characteristics such as swelling capability and low permeability. Bentonite buffers play an important role in ensuring the safe disposal of radioactive waste by providing a low permeability barrier and effectively preventing the migration of radionuclides into the surrounding rock. However, the long-term performance of bentonite buffers still remains a subject of ongoing research, and one of the main concerns is the erosion of the buffer induced by swelling and groundwater flow. The erosion of the bentonite buffer can significantly impact repository safety by compromising the integrity of buffer and leading to the formation of colloids that may facilitate the transport of radionuclides through groundwater, consequently elevating the risk of radionuclide migration. Therefore, it is very important to numerically quantify the erosion of bentonite buffer to evaluate the long-term performance of bentonite buffer, which is crucial for the safety assessment of high-level radioactive waste disposal. In this technical note, Two-region model is introduced, a proposed model to simulate the erosion behavior of bentonite based on a dynamic bentonite diffusion model, and quantitative evaluation is conducted for the bentonite buffer erosion with this model.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.17-30
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• 2009

Underground construction such as tunneling can induce damages on the surrounding rock mass, due to the stress concentration of in situ stresses and excessive energy input during construction sequence, such as blasting. The developed damage on the rock mass can have substantial influence on the mechanical and hydraulic behaviors of the rock masses around a tunnel. In this study, investigation on the generation of damage around an opening in a jointed rock model under biaxial compression condition was conducted. The joint dip angles employed are 30, 45, and 60 degrees to the horizontal, and the synthetic rock mass was made using early strength cement and water. From the biaxial compression test, initiation and propagation of tensile cracks at norm to the joint angle were found. The propagated tensile cracks eventually developed rock blocks, which were dislodged from the rock mass. Furthermore, the propagation process of the tensile cracks varies with joint angle: lower joint angle model shows more stable and progressive tensile crack propagation. The development of the tensile crack can be explained under the hypothesis that the rock segment encompassed by the joint set is subjected to the developing moment, which can be induced by the geometric irregularity around the opening in the rock model. The experiment results were simulated by using discrete element method PFC 2D. From the simulation, as has been observed from the test, a rock mass with lower joint angle produces wider damage region and rock block by tensile cracks. In addition, a rock model with lower joint angle shows progressive tensile cracks generation around the opening from the investigation of the interacted tensile cracks.