• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.483-494
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• 2007

The properties of fracture system on road-cut slopes along the Busan-Ulsan express way under construction are investigated and analyzed. Fracture spacing distributions show log-normal form with extension fractures and negative exponential form with shear fractures. Straight line segments in log-log plots of cumulative fracture length indicate a power-law scaling with exponents of -1.13 in site 1, -1.01 in site 2 and -1.52 in site 3. It is likely that the stability and strength of rock mass are the lowest in site 1 as judged from the analyses of spacing, density and inter-section of fractures in three sites. In contrast, the highest efficiency of the fracture network for conducting fluid flow is seen in site 3 where the largest cluster occupies 73% through the window map. Based on the field survey data, this study modified weighting values of the RMR system using a multiple regression analysis method. The analysis result suggests a modified weighting values of the RMR parameters as follows; 18 for the intact strength of rock; 61 for RQD; 2 for spacing of discontinuities; 2 for the condition of discontinuities; and 17 for ground water.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.561-577
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• 2021

The compacted bentonite buffer in a geological repository for high-level radioactive waste disposal is saturated due to groundwater inflow. Saturation of the bentonite buffer results in bentonite swelling and bentonite penetration into the rock discontinuities present around the disposal hole. The penetrated bentonite is exposed to groundwater flow and can be eroded out of the repository, resulting in bentonite mass loss which can affect the physical integrity of the engineered barrier system. Hence, the evaluation of buffer-rock interactions and coupled behavior due to groundwater inflow and bentonite penetration is necessary to ensure long-term disposal safety. In this study, the effects of the bentonite penetration and swelling on the physical properties of jointed rock mass were evaluated using the quasi-static resonant column test. Jointed rock specimens with bentonite penetration were manufactured using Gyeongju bentonite and hollow cylindrical granite rock discs obtained from the KAERI underground research tunnel. The effects of vertical stress and saturation were assessed using the P-wave and S-wave velocities for intact rock, jointed rock and jointed rock with bentonite penetration specimens. The joint normal and joint shear stiffnesses of each joint condition were inferred from the wave velocity results assuming an equivalent continuum. The joint normal and joint shear stiffnesses obtained from this study can be used as input factors for future numerical analysis on the performance evaluation of geological waste disposal considering rock discontinuities.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.469-485
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• 2016

The failure of rock mass around deep tunnel, different from shallow tunnel largely affected by discontinuities, is dominated by magnitudes and directions of stresses, and the failures dominated by stresses can be divided into ductile and brittle features according to the conditions of stresses and the characteristics of rock mass. It is important to know the range and the depth of the V-shaped notch type failure resulted from the brittle failure, such as spalling, slabbing and rock burst, because they are the main factors for the design of excavation and support of deep tunnels. The main features of brittle failure are that it consists of cohesion loss and friction mobilization according to the stress condition, and is progressive. In this paper, a three-dimensional numerical model has been developed in order to simulate the brittle behavior of rock mass around deep tunnel by introducing the bi-linear failure envelope cut off, elastic-elastoplastic coupling and gradual spread of elastoplastic regions. By performing a series of numerical analyses, it is shown that the depths of failure estimated by this model coincide with an empirical relation from a case study.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.13-28
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• 1994

Hydrogeologic characteristics of crystalline rock including discontinuities is defined by the hydraulic data from the in situ test and by analytical method. Methodology and procedure of the in situ test are used in accordance with test purpose, site condition and characteristics of host rock Hydraulic conductivities in crystalline rock including discontinuifies such as fractured zone and joint, are defined by packer test and slug test. The results indicate Hvorslev' s theory of ground water flow in NX borehole, that the shorter of test interval is, the higher hydraulic conductivity is. This is an indicafion of the fact that the hydraulic rneasured were governed by scale effect of test interval, even at same borehole. According to the result of packer tests in two boreholes, it is understood that hydraulic conductivifies show variations according to the effect of as order of tests. In the comparison of hydraulic conductivifies from both of open borehole tests, the results are relatively well correrated in values. The hydraulic conductivity in the test intervals induding hydrogeologically significant discontinuity shows relatively higher value of hydraulic conductivity in vertical distribution of full depth.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.115-128
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• 2006

The structural anisotropy and heterogeneity of rock mass, caused by discontinuities and weak zones, have a great influence on the deformation behavior of a tunnel. A tunnel construction in these complex ground conditions is very difficult. No matter how excellent a geological investigation is, local uncertainties of rock mass conditions still remain. Under these uncertain circumstances, an accurate forecast of the ground conditions ahead of the advancing tunnel face is indispensable to a safe and economic tunnel construction. This paper presents the effect of anisotropy and heterogeneity of the rock masses to be excavated by numerical analysis. The influences of distance from weak zone, the size or dimension, the different stiffness and the orientation of weak zones are analysed by 3-D finite element analysis. By analysing these numerical results, the tunnel behavior due to excavation can be well understood and the prediction of rock mass condition ahead of the tunnel face can be possible.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Rock Mechanics Conference
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• 2000.09a
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• pp.147-154
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• 2000

The influence of the mined-out caves on the stability of the high speed railway tunnel was investigated with a series of geological logging and in-situ tests on the one hand, and with the rock mass classification using the multiple regression analysis on the other hand. The rock mass in this area can be classified as 'fair', and the condition of the discontinuities plays the most important role in the classification of the rock mass. The results of the analysis obtained by the FLAC showed that the western part of the tunnel locating at 50m above the mine cavities could be affected by subsidence associated with a considerable deformation, the magnitude of which might depend on the properties of the rock mass. Key word : multi regression analysis, subsidence, mine cavities

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2001

Up to now single large cavern was excavated for each undergroud hydraulic powerhouse in Korea. But the Yangyang underground hydraulic powerhouse consists of two large caverns; a powerhouse cavern and main transformer cavern. In this carte, the structural stability of the caverns, especially the rock pillar formed between two large caverns, should be guaranteed to be sound to make the caverns permanently sustainable. In this research, the Distinct Element Method(DEM) was used to analyze the structural stability of two caverns and the rock pillar. The Barton-Bandis joint model was used as a constitutive model. The moot significant parameters such as in-site stress, JRC of in-situ natural joints, and spatial distribution characteristics of discontinuities were acquired through field investigation. In addition, two different cases; 1) with no support system and 2) with a support system, were analysed to optimize a support system and to investigate reinforcing effects of a support system. The results of analysis horizontal displacement and joint shear displacement proved to be reduced with the support system. The relaxed zone in the rock pilar also proved to be reduced in conjunction with the support system. Having a support system in place provided the fact that the non zero minimum principal stresses were still acting in the rock pillar so that the pillar was not under uniaxial compressive condition but under triaxial compressive condition. The structural stability f an approximately 36 m wide rock pillar between two large caverns was assured with the appropriate support system.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.503-516
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• 2012

Rock mass rating (RMR) is the key factor when designing the appropriate support pattern of tunnel projects. Borehole drilling is usually performed along the tunnel route in order to determine the rock mass rating to be used for tunnel design. The rock mass rating at the non-boring region between boreholes is usually assessed through geophysical surveys such as electrical prospecting, seismic prospecting, etc. Many studies were carried out to find out the correlation between electrical resistivity and rock mass rating. However, most researches were aimed at obtaining the relationship between the two parameters utilizing experimental results obtained from laboratory tests or electrical prospectings. In this paper, efforts were made to analyze and obtain relationships between the electrical resistivity obtained from in-situ electrical resistivity logging data and the rock mass rating. Correlation studies using field data showed that the electrical resistivity is highly correlated with the rock mass rating with the determination coefficient more than 90%. The correlation analysis was also carried out between RMR classification parameters and the electrical resistivity. It was shown that the correlation between the condition of discontinuities and the electrical resistivity was very high with the determination coefficient more than 80%; that between the groundwater condition and the electrical resistivity was very low with the determination coefficient less than 57%.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 2009

We report an implementation of the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey at a site that corresponds to a ruined castle. The objective of the survey was to characterise buried archaeological structures such as walls and tiles in Van Khan Tooril's Ruin, Mongolia, by 2D and 3D GPR techniques. GPR datasets were acquired in an area 10mby 9 m, with 10 cm line spacing. Two datasets were collected, using GPR with 500MHz and 800MHz frequency antennas. In this paper, we report the use of instantaneous parameters to detect archaeological targets such as tile, brick, and masonry by polarimetric GPR. Radar polarimetry is an advanced technology for extraction of target scattering characteristics. It gives us much more information about the size, shape, orientation, and surface condition of radar targets. We focused our interpretation on the strongest reflections. The image is enhanced by the use of instantaneous parameters. Judging by the shape and the width of the reflections, it is clear that moderate to high intensity response in instantaneous amplitude corresponds to brick and tiles. The instantaneous phase map gave information about the location of the targets, which appeared as discontinuities in the signal. In order to increase our ability to interpret these archaeological targets, we compared the GPR datasets acquired in two orthogonal survey directions. A good correlation is observed for the alignments of reflections when we compare the two datasets. However, more reflections appear in the north-south survey direction than in the west-east direction. This is due to the electric field orientation, which is in the horizontal plane for north-south survey directions and the horizontally polarised component of the backscattered high energy is recorded.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.5-19
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• 2019

Considering the natural phenomenon in which steep slopes ($65^{\circ}{\sim}85^{\circ}$) consisting of rock mass remain stable for decades, slopes steeper than 1:0.5 (the standard of slope angle for blast rock) may be applied in geotechnical conditions which are similar to those above at the design and initial construction stages. In the process of analysing the stability of a good to fair continuum rock slope that can be designed as a steep slope, a general method of estimating rock mass strength properties from design practice perspective was required. Practical and genealized engineering methods of determining the properties of a rock mass are important for a good continuum rock slope that can be designed as a steep slope. The Genealized Hoek-Brown (H-B) failure criterion and GSI (Geological Strength Index), which were revised and supplemented by Hoek et al. (2002), were assessed as rock mass characterization systems fully taking into account the effects of discontinuities, and were widely utilized as a method for calculating equivalent Mohr-Coulomb shear strength (balancing the areas) according to stress changes. The concept of calculating equivalent M-C shear strength according to the change of confining stress range was proposed, and on a slope, the equivalent shear strength changes sensitively with changes in the maximum confining stress (${{\sigma}^{\prime}}_{3max}$ or normal stress), making it difficult to use it in practical design. In this study, the method of estimating the strength properties (an iso-angle division method) that can be applied universally within the maximum confining stress range for a good to fair continuum rock mass slope is proposed by applying the H-B failure criterion. In order to assess the validity and applicability of the proposed method of estimating the shear strength (A), the rock slope, which is a study object, was selected as the type of rock (igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary) on the steep slope near the existing working design site. It is compared and analyzed with the equivalent M-C shear strength (balancing the areas) proposed by Hoek. The equivalent M-C shear strength of the balancing the areas method and iso-angle division method was estimated using the RocLab program (geotechnical properties calculation software based on the H-B failure criterion (2002)) by using the basic data of the laboratory rock triaxial compression test at the existing working design site and the face mapping of discontinuities on the rock slope of study area. The calculated equivalent M-C shear strength of the balancing the areas method was interlinked to show very large or small cohesion and internal friction angles (generally, greater than $45^{\circ}$). The equivalent M-C shear strength of the iso-angle division is in-between the equivalent M-C shear properties of the balancing the areas, and the internal friction angles show a range of $30^{\circ}$ to $42^{\circ}$. We compared and analyzed the shear strength (A) of the iso-angle division method at the study area with the shear strength (B) of the existing working design site with similar or the same grade RMR each other. The application of the proposed iso-angle division method was indirectly evaluated through the results of the stability analysis (limit equilibrium analysis and finite element analysis) applied with these the strength properties. The difference between A and B of the shear strength is about 10%. LEM results (in wet condition) showed that Fs (A) = 14.08~58.22 (average 32.9) and Fs (B) = 18.39~60.04 (average 32.2), which were similar in accordance with the same rock types. As a result of FEM, displacement (A) = 0.13~0.65 mm (average 0.27 mm) and displacement (B) = 0.14~1.07 mm (average 0.37 mm). Using the GSI and Hoek-Brown failure criterion, the significant result could be identified in the application evaluation. Therefore, the strength properties of rock mass estimated by the iso-angle division method could be applied with practical shear strength.