• Computers and Concrete
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.93-104
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• 2013

The use of rock wool waste, an industrial by-product, in cement-based composites has positive effects on the environment because it reduces the problems associated rock wool disposal. The experiments in this study tested cement-based composites using various rock wool waste contents (10, 20, 30 and 40% by weight of cement) as a partial replacement for Portland cement in mortars. The pozzolanic strength activity test, flow test, compressive strength test, dry shrinkage test, absorption test, initial surface absorption test and scanning electron microscope observations were conducted to evaluate the properties of cement-based composites. Test results demonstrate that the pozzolanic strength activity index for rock wool waste specimens is 103% after 91 days. The inclusion of rock wool waste in cement-based composites decreases its dry shrinkage and initial surface absorption, and increases its compressive strength. These improved properties are the result of the dense structure achieved by the filling effect and pozzolanic reactions of the rock wool waste. The addition of 30% and 10% rock wool wastes to cement is the optimal amount based on the results of compressive strength and initial surface absorption for a w/cm of 0.35 and 0.55, respectively. Therefore, it is feasible to utilize rock wool waste as a partial replacement of cement in cement-based composites.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.139-153
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• 1995

Engineering characteristics of granitic rock masses in Geoje island were estimated by investigating the mechanical and hydraulic properties of core samples drilled in - situ. Since the effect of in -situ stresses could not be considered, some of the engineering properties estimated through rock mass classification were quite different from the in - situ tested results. Based on the results of rock mass classification, borehole tests, and laboratory test the empirical parameters for the design of underground structure were assessed. Though some number of fractured zones were found, granitic rock mass in the southern part of Geoje island showed fairly good quality and the excavating conditions were expected to be suitable for the construction of large scale underground facilities.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2008.03a
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• pp.211-219
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• 2008

The hazard warning levels are necessary for the rational design and safety construction of underground space, as mountain and urban tunnel. Sakurai provided the hazard warning levels for assessing the stability of tunnels using the critical strain of rock mass, which is defined as a ratio between uni-axial compressive strength and the Young's modulus. The concept of critical strain guidelines is introduced in this study for the assessment of tunnel safety during excavation. Moreover, in this paper, the critical strain properties of sedimentary rock in Korea has investigated and analysed in detail by Lab. test, as the uniaxial compression tests. Finally, critical strain properties of sedimentary rock is discussed the relationship of failure strain values, uniaxial compression strengths and Young's modulus.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.261-270
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• 2019

Because the estimation of the tensile strength is very important in any geotechnical project, many attempts have been made to determine. But the immediate determination of the tensile strength is usually difficult owing to well-shaped specimens, time-consuming, expensive and sometimes unreliable. In this study, engineering properties of several ultramafic rock samples were measured to assess the correlations between the Brazilian Tensile Strength (BTS) and degree of serpentinization, physical, dynamic and mechanical characteristics. For this purpose, a comprehensive laboratory testing program was conducted after collecting thirty-two peridotite and fifty-one serpentinite rock samples, taken from central Greece, in accordance with ASTM and ISRM standards. In addition, a representative number of them were subjected to petrographic studies and the obtained results were statistically described and analysed. Simple and multiple regression analyses were used to investigate the relationships between the Brazilian Tensile Strength and the other measured properties. Thus, empirical equations were developed and they showed that all of the properties are well correlated with Brazilian Tensile Strength. The curves with the $45^{\circ}$ line (y = x) were extracted for evaluating the validity degree of concluded empirical equations which approved approximately close relationships between Brazilian Tensile Strength and the measured properties.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.569-587
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• 2014

Triaxial compression creep tests were performed on salt rock samples using cyclic confining pressure with a static axial pressure. The test results show that, up to a certain time, changes in the confining pressure have little influence on creep properties of salt rock, and the axial creep curve is smooth. After this point, the axial creep curve clearly fluctuates with the confining pressure, and is approximately a straight line both when the confining pressure decreases and when it increases within one cycle period. The slope of these lines differs: it is greater when the confining pressure decreases than when it increases. In accordance with rheology model theory, axial creep equations were deduced for Maxwell and Kelvin models under cyclic loading. These were combined to establish an axial creep equation for the Burgers model. We supposed that damage evolution follows an exponential law during creep process and replaced the apparent stress in creep equation for the Burgers model with the effective stress, the axial creep damage equation for the Burgers model was obtained. The model suitability was verified using creep test results for salt rock. The fitting curves are in excellent agreement with the test curves, so the proposed model can well reflect the creep behavior of salt rock under low-frequency cyclic loading. In particular, it reflects the fluctuations in creep deformation and creep rate as the confining pressure increasing and decreasing under different cycle periods.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.461-473
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• 2020

Natural rock mass contains defects of different shapes, usually filled with inclusions such as clay or gravel. The presence of inclusions affects the failure characteristics and mechanical properties of rock mass. In this study, the strength and failure characteristics of rock with inclusions were studied using the particle flow code under uniaxial compression. The results show that the presence of inclusions not only improves the mechanical properties of rock with defects but also increases the bearing capacity of rock. Circular inclusion has the most obvious effect on improving model strength. The inclusions affect the stress distribution, development of initial crack, change in crack propagation characteristics, and failure mode of rock. In defect models, concentration area of the maximum tensile stress is generated at the top and bottom of defect, and the maximum compressive stress is distributed on the left and right sides of defect. In filled models, the tensile stress and compressive stress are uniformly distributed. Failing mode of defect models is mainly tensile failure, while that of filled models is mainly shear failure.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.184-193
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• 1998

In order to dispose radioactive wastes safely, it is needed to understand the mechanical, thermal, fluid behavior of rockmass and physico-chemical interactions between rockmass and water. Also, the knowledge about mechanical and hydraulic properties of rocks is required to predict and to model many conditions of geological structure, underground in-situ stress, folding, hot water interaction, intrusion of magma, plate tectonics etc. This study is based on researches about rock mechanics issues associated with a waste disposal in deep rockmass. This paper includes the mechanical and hydraulic behavior of rocks in varying temperature conditions, thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling analysis in rock mass and deformation behavior of discontinuous rocks. The mechanical properties were measured with Interaken rock mechanics testing systems and hydraulic properties were measured with transient pulse permeability measuring systems. In all results, rock properties were sensitive to temperature variation.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.25-38
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• 2024

Laboratory tests of accelerated artificial weathering compared the effects of seawater and acidified distilled water on rock weathering. The experiments simulated chemical and physical weathering of five different types of volcanic rock by applying 45 freeze-thaw cycles using seawater and acidified distilled water (pH 3), both at 70℃. The physical properties and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of the rocks were measured after 15 and 45 cycles of artificial weathering. Most of degradation of physical properties appeared within the first 15 cycles, and acidified distilled water had a greater effect than seawater. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistically evaluated the differences in UCS of the different rock types during the tests. The rate of UCS reduction after 45 cycles was similar across the samples, being independent of the rock type and the trend of changes in physical properties. In contrast to the changes in the physical properties, the UCS was more affected by seawater than by acidified distilled water.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1998.05a
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• pp.3-34
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• 1998

The stability condition of rock slopes is greatly affected by the geometry and strength parameters of discontinuities in the rock masses. Rock slopes Involving movement of rock blocks on discontinuities are failed by one or combination of the three basic failure modes-plane, wedge, and toppling. In rock mechanics, practically all the parameters such as the joint set characteristics, the rock strength properties, and the loading conditions are always subject to a degree of uncertainty. Therefore, a reasonable assessment of the rock slope stability has to include the excavation of the multi-failure modes, the consideration of uncertainties of discontinuity characteristics, and the decision on stabilization measures with favorable cost conditions. This study was performed to provide a new numerical model of the deterministic analysis, reliability analysis, and reliability-based optimization for rock slope stability. The sensitivity analysis was carried out to verify proposed method and developed program; the parameters needed for sensitivity analysis are design variables, the variability of discontinuity properties (orientation and strength of discontinuities), the loading conditions, and rock slope geometry properties. The design variables to be optimized by the reliability-based optimization include the cutting angle, the support pressure, and the slope direction. The variability in orientations and friction angle of discontinuities, which can not be considered in the deterministic analysis, has a greatly influenced on the rock slope stability. The stability of rock slopes considering three basic failure modes is more influenced by the selection of slope direction than any other design variables. When either plane or wedge failure is dominant, the support system is more useful than the excavation as a stabilization method. However, the excavation method is more suitable when toppling failure is dominant. The case study shows that the developed reliability-based optimization model can reasonably assess the stability of rock slopes and reduce the construction cost.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.227-236
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• 2020

Non-destructive exploration using elastic waves has been widely used to characterize rock mass properties. Wave propagation in jointed rock masses is significantly governed by the characteristics and orientation of discontinuities. The relationship between spatial heterogeneity (i.e., joint spacing) and wavelength for elastic waves propagating through jointed rock masses have been investigated previously. Discontinuous rock masses can be considered as an equivalent continuum material when the wavelength of the propagating elastic wave exceeds the spatial heterogeneity. However, it is unclear how stress-dependent long-wavelength elastic waves propagate through a repetitive rock-joint system with multiple joints. A preliminary numerical simulation was performed in in this study to investigate long-wavelength elastic wave propagation in regularly jointed rock masses using the three-dimensional distinct element code program. First, experimental studies using the quasi-static resonant column (QSRC) testing device are performed on regularly jointed disc column specimens for three different materials (acetal, aluminum, and gneiss). The P- and S-wave velocities of the specimens are obtained under various normal stress levels. The normal and shear joint stiffness are calculated from the experimental results using an equivalent continuum model and used as input parameters for numerical analysis. The spatial and temporal sizes are carefully selected to guarantee a stable numerical simulation. Based on the calibrated jointed rock model, the numerical and experimental results are compared.