• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.285-293
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• 2021

The construction of underground structures such as power supply lines, communication lines, utility tunnels has significantly increased worldwide for improving urban aesthetics ensuring citizen safety, and efficient use of underground space. Those underground structures are usually constructed along with vertical cylindrical shafts to facilitate their construction and maintenance. When constructing a vertical shaft through the open-cut method, the walls are mostly designed to be flexible, allowing a certain level of displacement. The earth pressure applied to the flexible walls acts as an external force and its accurate estimation is essential for reasonable and economical structure design. The earth pressure applied to the flexible wall is closely interrelated to the displacement of the surrounding ground. This study simulated stepwise excavation for constructing a cylindrical vertical shaft through a centrifugal model experiment. One quadrant of the axisymmetric vertical shaft and the ground were modeled, and ground excavation was simulated by shrinking the vertical shaft. The deformation occurring on the entire ground during the excavation was continuously evaluated through digital image analysis. The digital image analysis evaluated complex ground deformation which varied with wall displacement, distance from the wall, and ground depth. When the ground deformation data accumulate through the method used in this study, they can be used for developing shaft wall models in future for analyzing the earth pressure acting on them.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.357-371
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• 2023

In cable tunnel construction using TBM, the vertical shaft is an essential structure for entrance and exit of TBM equipment and power lines. Since a shaft penetrates the ground vertically, it often encounters rock mass. Blasting or rock splitting methods, which are mainly used to the rock excavation, cause public complaints due to the noise, vibration and road occupation. Therefore, mechanical excavation using vertical shaft excavation machine are considered as an alternative to the conventional methods. However, at the current level of technology, the vertical excavation machine has limitation in its performance when applied for high strength rock with a compressive strength of more than 120 MPa. In this study, the potential utilization of waterjet technology as an excavation assistance method was investigated to improve mechanical excavation performance in the hard rock formations. Rock cutting experiments were conducted to verify the cutting performance of the abrasive waterjet. Based on the experimental result, it was found that ensuring excavation performance with respect to changing in ground conditions can be achieved by adjusting waterjet parameters such as standoff distance, traverse speed and water pressure. In addition, based on the relationship between excavation performance, uniaxial compressive strength and RQD, it was suggested that excavation performance could be improved by artificially creating joints using the abrasive waterjet. It is expected that these research results can be utilized as fundamental data for the introduction of vertical shaft excavation machines in the future.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.717-729
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• 2018

Considering the stability of the ground in the process of excavation design is essential because there is a risk of basal heave due to the load of the surrounding ground during the vertical excavation. However, calculation of the factor of safety for basal heave should be performed with two-dimensional equation, and the equation cannot reflect three-dimensional shape of vertical excavation. In this study, an equation for factor of safety for the basal heave was proposed with considering the effect of three-dimensional shape. It is confirmed that the equation can more appropriately reflect the basal heave stability 3D circular vertical excavation than the existing equation. Using the equation proposed in this study, it is possible to derive an appropriate factor of safety according to the 3D excavation shape during the circular vertical shaft excavation.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2022

When constructing a cylindrical vertical shaft through the open-cut method, the walls are generally designed to be temporary flexible walls that allow a certain level of displacement. The earth pressure applied to the flexible walls acts as an external force and its accurate estimation is essential for reasonable and economical structure design. The earth pressure applied to the flexible wall is closely interrelated to the plastic deformation of the surrounding ground. This study simulated a stepwise excavation for constructing a cylindrical vertical shaft through a centrifugal model test and evaluated the continuous deformation behaviors of the surrounding ground through digital image analysis.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.129-144
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• 2010

The earth pressure acting on the vertical shaft is less than that acting on the retaining wall due to three dimensional arching effect. Thus, it might be essential to estimate the earth pressure actually acting on the shaft when designing the vertical shaft. In this paper, large-sized model tests were conducted as Part II of companion papers to verify the newly suggested earth pressure equation proposed by Kim et al. (2009: Part I of companion papers) that can be used when designing the vertical shaft in cohesionless soils as well as in c-$\phi$ soils and multi-layered soils. The newly developed model test apparatus was designed to be able to simulate staged shaft excavation. Model tests were performed by varying the radius of vertical shaft in dry soil. Moreover, tests on c-$\phi$ soils and on multi-layered soils were also performed; in order to induce apparent cohesion to the cohesionless soil, we add some water to the dry soil to make the soil partially-saturated before depositing by raining method. Experimental results showed a load transfer from excavated ground to non-excavated zone below dredging level due to arching effect when simulating staged excavation. It was also found that measured earth pressure was far smaller than estimated if excavation is done at once; the final earth pressure measured after performing staged excavation was larger and matched with that estimated from the newly proposed equation. Measured results in c-$\phi$ soils and in multi-layered soils showed reduction in earth pressures due to apparent cohesion effect and showed good matches with analytical results.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.153-167
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• 2024

Recently the ground settlement has been increasing in urban area according to development. And, this may attribute a groundwater level drawdown. This study presents an analysis of groundwater level drawdown for circular vertical shaft excavation of ｢◯◯◯◯ double track railway build transfer operate project｣. And, in-situ monitoring data and numerical analysis were compared. So, if we examine the groundwater level drawdown in design, ground conditions should be applied so that the site situation can be reflected. And, groundwater level should be considered a seasonal measurement in order to apply the appropriate groundwater level. It was confirmed a similar predicted value to groundwater level drawdown of in-situ monitoring data.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.227-234
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• 2013

The vertical shaft of a selective intake structure, which is constructed in a large reservoir, is required to be impermeable and to employ a grouting technology to prevent water inflow from the reservoir or surrounding ground. In this study, groundwater inflow is estimated using a numerical model for two cases (i.e., grouting or non-grouting cases at the exterior of a vertical shaft) and compared with data measured during an excavation at the construction site of a selective intake structure in the Soyang reservoir, Korea. Groundwater inflow is estimated to range from 444 to 754 $m^3/d$ in the case of non-grouting and from 58 to 95 $m^3/d$ in the case of grouting. The groundwater inflow measured in a vertical shaft, which ranges from 30 to 100 $m^3/d$, is similar to the simulated amount. It is recommended that before the excavation of a shaft, water inflow is estimated using a numerical model and a grouting test to ensure excavation stability and improve excavation efficiency.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.29-39
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• 2022

This study investigates the behavior of a circular vertical shaft wall in the absence and presence of a groundwater table. The effects of wall deflection, backfill settlement, and earth pressure distribution around the circular vertical shaft caused by sequential excavations were quantified. The vertical shaft was numerically simulated for different excavation depths of the bearing layer (weathered soil, weathered rock, soft rock) and transient and steady-state flows in the absence of a groundwater table. The backfill settlements and influential area were much larger under transient flow conditions than in steady-state flow. On the contrary, the horizontal wall deflection was much larger in steady state than in the transient state. Moreover, less settlement was induced as the excavation depth increased from weathered soil to weathered rock to the soft rock layer. Finally, the horizontal stresses under steady- and transient-state flow conditions were found to exceed Rankine's earth pressure. This effect was stronger in the deeper rock layers than in the shallow soil layers.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.173-194
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• 2017

Access shaft is of critical importance to the construction and operation of underground rock caverns. It usually has a relatively large cross-section and penetrates through fill materials, soil layers, and weathered rocks before reaching the caverns excavated in solid bedrock. In this paper, the design and construction of vertical shafts are reviewed in terms of diameter, depth, geological conditions, and support structure. Three shaft alternatives, namely alternative I: vertical shaft with spiral roads, alternative II: upper shaft with spiral roads & lower tunnels, alternative III: plain shaft, are proposed based on a simplified geological profile of the Jurong formation, Singapore. The advantages and limitations of the three types of shafts are discussed. The key issues relating to shaft design and construction, such as the shaft sinking, water control, support structure, are also discussed with a series of solutions provided, such as the sequential excavation, pre-grouting and diaphragm walls.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.183-195
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• 2018

Recently, the need for research on vertical shaft excavation is increasing with the increase of the demands for the underground and utility tunnels. As a part of the R&D project of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, CUT (center for utility tunnel) has developed "Ring cut method". "Ring cut method" is a method to improve the stability of the ground against the basal heave by excavator wall pre-penetration during vertical shaft excavation. In this study, the basal heave was simulated by centrifugal model test. The basal heave, ground subsidence, and ground deformation of surrounding ground were analyzed by soil plug effect from wall pre-penetration. It was found that the soil plug could control the basal heaving and ground subsidence, and verified that the 'Ring cut method' could be a good countermeasure for the ground stability against the basal heave.