• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.450-461
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• 2015

Extensive numerical experiments have been carried out to investigate effect of block size and fracture geometry on hydraulic characteristics of fractured rock masses based on connected pipe flow in DFN systems. Using two fracture sets, a total of 72 2-D fracture configurations were generated with different combinations of fracture size distribution and deterministic fracture density. The directional block conductivity including the theoretical block conductivity, principal conductivity tensor and average block conductivity for each generated fracture network system were calculated using the 2-D equivalent pipe network method. There exist significant effects of block size, orientation, density and size of fractures in a fractured rock mass on its hydraulic behavior. We have been further verified that it is more difficult to reach the REV size for the fluid flow network with decreasing intersection angle of two fracture sets, fracture plane density and fracture size distribution.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2016

A program code was developed to calculate block hydraulic conductivity of the 2-D DFN(discrete fracture network) system based on equivalent pipe network, and implemented to examine the effect of joint orientation distribution on the hydraulic characteristics of fractured rock masses through numerical experiments. A rock block of size $32m{\times}32m$ was used to generate the DFN systems using two joint sets with fixed input parameters of joint frequency and gamma distributed joint size, and various normal distributed joint trend. DFN blocks of size $20m{\times}20m$ were selected from center of the $32m{\times}32m$ blocks to avoid boundary effect. Twelve fluid flow directions were chosen every $30^{\circ}$ starting at $0^{\circ}$. The directional block conductivity including the theoretical block conductivity, principal conductivity tensor and average block conductivity were estimated for generated 180 2-D DFN blocks. The effect of joint orientation distribution on block hydraulic conductivity and chance for the equivalent continuum behavior of the 2-D DFN system were found to increase with the decrease of mean intersection angle of the two joint sets. The effect of variability of joint orientation on block hydraulic conductivity could not be ignored for the DFN having low intersection angle between two joint sets.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2019

In this study, the effects of fracture tensor component and first invariant on block hydraulic behaviors are evaluated in the 2-D DFN(discrete fracture network) systems. A series of regression analysis is performed between connected fracture tensor components and block hydraulic conductivities estimated at every $30^{\circ}$ hydraulic gradient directions for a total of 36 DFN systems having various joint density and size distribution. The directional block hydraulic conductivity seems to have strong relation with the fracture tensor component estimated in direction perpendicular to it. It is found that an equivalent continuum approach could be acceptable for the 2-D DFN systems under condition that the first invariant of fracture tensor is more than 2.0~2.5. The first invariant of fracture tensor seems highly correlated with average block hydraulic conductivity and can be used to evaluate hydraulic characteristics of the 2-D DFN systems. Also, a possibility of upscaling using the first invariant of fracture tensor for the DFN system is addressed through this study.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.100-108
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• 2017

As a measure of the combined effect of fracture geometry, the fabric tensor parameters could quantify the status of the connected fluid flow paths in discrete fracture network (DFN). The correlation analysis between fabric tensor parameters and hydraulic properties of the 2-D DFN was performed in this study. It is found that there exists a strong nonlinear relationship between the directional conductivity and the fabric tensor component estimated in the direction normal to the direction of hydraulic conductivity. The circular radial plots without significant variation of the first invariant ($F_0$) of fabric tensor for different sized 2-D DFN block are a necessary condition for treating representative element volume (REV) of a fractured rock mass. The relative error (ER) between the numerically calculated directional hydraulic conductivity and the theoretical directional hydraulic conductivity decreases with the increase in $F_0$. A strong functional relation seems to exist between the $F_0$ and the average block hydraulic conductivity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.597-604
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• 2001

In this study, the engineering characteristics of soil-bentonite mixed liner are investigated using the laboratory hydraulic conductivity and strength tests. The soil used for the liner is clayey silt in the site and the weathered granitic soil located near the waste landfill studied. Mixing ratio of the bentonite which satisfies the requirement of hydraulic conductivity is determined and the optimum mixing ratio of betonite is recommended for the landfill. After the mixed liner is constructed, the block samples of the constructed liner are obtained and the properties of interest satisfy the requirements of the liner of the landfill.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.34 no.4 s.117
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• pp.96-104
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• 2006

Impervious pavement is primary contributor to the malfunctioning of the urban water circulation system. The aim of this research is to provide basic information and data for new pavement materials and paving technology which could enhance the urban water circulation system. For the study purposes, physical properties of soils sampled from 16 stations were analyzed. The sampling spots were paved with grass block porous pavement material. The findings from the analysis are as follows. The hardness of soils under the pavement was $17{\sim}22mm$ for thoroughfare and $6{\sim}32mm$ for parking areas. The bulk density was $1.42{\sim}1.81g/cm^{3}$ for thoroughfare and $1.38{\sim}1.75g/cm^{3}$ for parking area. The solid phase ration was $46.9{\sim}62.5m^{3}/m^{3}$ for thoroughfare and $45.6{\sim}61.3m^{3}/m^{3}$ for parking area. The porosity was $37.5{\sim}53.1m^{3}/m^{3}$ for thoroughfare and $38.7{\sim}54.4m^{3}/m^{3}$ for parking area. The saturated hydraulic conductivity was $8{\sim}164mm/hr$ for thoroughfare and $14{\sim}201mm/hr$ for parking area. The saturated hydraulic conductivity of the H sample area (the area was completed three months ago) and that of the other area were compared. There was up to 80% decreases of the saturated hydraulic conductivity within one year after the completion of pavement. After the first year, decrease in the saturated hydraulic conductivity was modest. Also there are changes in both surface and under soil physical properties of the grass block porous pavement depending on compaction. The extent of change depends on the degree of compaction. All these factors are combined to influence the permeability of the soil under the pavements. The results of this suggest that it is required to develop a new pavement technology which ensures both the durability and porosity of the pavement to improve the water circulation system by applying Ecological Area Rate.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.61-71
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• 2017

The effects of joint density and size distribution on the hydrogeologic characteristics of jointed rock masses are addressed through numerical experiments based on the 2-D DFN (discrete fracture network) fluid flow analysis. Using two joint sets, a total of 51 2-D joint network system were generated with various joint density and size distribution. Twelve fluid flow directions were chosen every $30^{\circ}$ starting at $0^{\circ}$, and total of 612 $20m{\times}20m$ DFN blocks were prepared to calculate the directional block conductivity. Also, the theoretical block conductivity, principal conductivity tensor and average block conductivity for each generated joint network system were determined. The directional block conductivity and chance for the equivalent continuum behavior of the 2-D DFN system were found to increase with the increase of joint density or size distribution. However, the anisotropy of block hydraulic conductivity increases with the increase of density discrepancy between the joint sets, and the chance for the equivalent continuum behavior were found to decrease. The smaller the intersection angle of the two joint sets, the more the equivalent continuum behavior were affected by the change of joint density and size distribution. Even though the intersection angle is small enough that it is difficult to have equivalent continuum behavior, the chance for anisotropic equivalent continuum behavior increases as joint density or size distribution increases.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.41-57
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• 2022

A workflow is presented to estimate the size of a representative elementary volume and 3-D hydraulic conductivity tensor based on fluid flow analysis for a discrete fracture network (DFN). A case study is considered for a Cretaceous granitic rock mass at Gijang in Busan, Korea. The intensity and size of joints were calibrated using the first invariant of the fracture tensor for the 2-D DFN of the study area. Effective hydraulic apertures were obtained by analyzing the results of field packer tests. The representative elementary volume of the 2-D DFN was determined to be 20 m square by investigating the variations in the directional hydraulic conductivity for blocks of different sizes. The directional hydraulic conductivities calculated from the 2-D DFN exhibited strong anisotropy related to the hydraulic behavior of the study area. The 3-D hydraulic conductivity tensor for the fractured rock mass of the study area was estimated from the directional block conductivities of the 2-D DFN blocks generated for various directions in 3-D. The orientations of the principal components of the 3-D hydraulic conductivity tensor were found to be identical to those of delineated joint sets in the study area.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.13-25
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• 2000

A three-dimensional discrete fracture network model based on probabilistic characteristics of fracture geometry and transmissivity was designed to calculate the conductivity tensor and to estimate theanisotropy of conductivity. The conductivities, $K_p$, obtained from the numerical simulation of single-holepacker test corresponded well to those from the field tests. From this, it can be concluded that thefracture network model designed in this study can represent hydraulic characteristics of in-situ fractured rock mass. Block-scale conductivities, $K_b$, estimated from the modelling of steady-state flow through the REV-scale block were ranged between the arithmetic mean and harmonic mean of theconductivity estimates from packer tests. The conductivity along north-south direction was 1.4 timesgreater than that along the east-west direction. It was concluded that the anisotropy of conductivitywas insignificant. It was also found that there was a little correlation between $K_b$ and $K_p$. This would be to that the conductivities from the packer test simulation was strongly dependent on thetransmissivity and the number of fractures within the packer test intervals.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.198-209
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• 2002

To assess deep geological environment for the research and development of hish-level radioactive waste disposal, six boreholes of 3" in diameter were installed in two granitic areas. An areal extent of the rock block scale in the study sites was estimated by the lineament analysis from satellite images and shaded relief maps. The characterization of fracture system developed in rock block scale was carried out based on the acoustic televiewer logging in deep boreholes. In the Yuseong site, the granite rock mass was divided into the upper and lower zones at around -160m based on the probabilistic distribution characteristics of the geometric parameters such as orientation, fracture frequency, spacing and aperture size. Since the groundwater flow is dependent on the fracture system in a fractured rock mass, the correlation of the fracture frequency and cumulative aperture size to the hydraulic conductivity was also discussed.