• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.69-79
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• 2019

This work presents an experimental study of the hydromechanical behavior of a natural swelling soil taken from Boumagueur region east of Algeria. Several pathological cases due to the soil shrinkage / swelling phenomenon were detected in this area. In a first part, the hydric behavior on drying-wetting paths was made, using the osmotic technics and saturated salts solutions to control suction. In The second part, using a new osmotic oedometer, the coupled behavior as a function of applied stresses and suction was investigated. It was shown that soil compressibility parameters was influenced by suction variations that an increase in suction is followed by a decrease in the virgin compression slope. On the other hand, the unloading slope of the oedometric curves was not obviously affected by the imposed suction. The decrease in suction strongly influences the apparent preconsolidation pressure, ie during swelling of the samples after wetting.

• Water Engineering Research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.123-138
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• 2001

An injection experiment was carried ut to investigate the pressure domain within which hydromechanical coupling influences considerably the hydrologic behavior of a granite rock mass. The resulting database is used for testing a numerical model dedicated to the analysis of such hydromechanical interactions. These measurements were performed in an open hole section, isolated from shallower zones by a packer set at a depth of 275 m and extending down to 840 m. They consisted in a series of flow meter injection tests, at increasing injection rates. Field results showed that conductive fractures from a dynamic and interdependent network, that individual fracture zones could not be adequately modeled as independent systems, that new fluid intakes zones appeared when pore pressure exceeded the minimum principal stress magnitude in that well, and that pore pressures much larger than this minimum stress could be further supported by the circulated fractures. These characteristics give rise to the question of the influence of the morphology of the natural fracture network in a rock mass under anisotropic stress conditions on the effects of hydromechanical couplings.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.61-68
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• 2009

This paper presents the numerical investigation for the hydraulic behavior of a fractured rock mass with a hydromechanical interaction which may be considered during the in-situ hydraulic injection test. These experiments consist in a series of flow meter injection tests for fractures existing along an open hole section installed in a borehole, and experimental results are applied for testing a numerical model developed to the analysis and prediction of such hydromechanical interactions. Field experimental results show that conductive fractures form a dynamic and interdependent network, that individual fractures cannot be adequately modeled as independent systems, that new fluid intaking zones generate when pore pressure exceeds the minimum principal stress magnitude in that borehole, and that pore pressures much larger than this minimum stress can be further supported by the circulated fractures. In this study, these characteristics are investigated numerically how to influence the morphology of the natural fracture network in a rock mass by using a discrete fracture ntework model.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.45-52
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• 2022

Because discontinuity in the rock mass and contact of soil-structure interaction exhibits coupled thermal-hydromechanical (THM) behavior, it is necessary to develop an interface element based on the full governing equations. In this study, we derive force equilibrium, fluid continuity, and energy equilibrium equations for the interface element. Additionally, we present a stiffness matrix of the elastoplastic mechanical model for the interface element. The developed interface element uses six nodes for displacement and four nodes for water pressure and temperature in a two-dimensional analysis. The fully coupled THM analysis for fluid injection into a fault can model the complicated evolution of injection pressure due to decreasing effective stress in the fault and thermal contraction of the surrounding rock mass. However, the result of hydromechanical analysis ignoring thermal phenomena overestimates hydromechanical variables.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.245-253
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• 2001

To investigate the effects of hydromechanical and textural characteristics of sediment deposits on the cultivation of Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum surface and sub-surface core sediments were collected seasonally in Gomso tidal flat. Grain size distribution were analyzed to investigate the annual variation of sediment texture. In winter unimodal distribution of grain size with the peak at $5\phi$ is dominant However, during the summer sediment texture become a little bit coarser and grain size distribution shows the peaks at $4\~5 \phi$. Optimum sediment texture for the cultivation of manila clam, R. philippinarum was found to be sandy silt in which mean Brain size was between 4 and $5 \phi$ with the sand content less than $50\%$ and clay content of $5\~10\%$. Mechanical and hydrological characteristics of sediment deposits were also studied in the laboratory and the results were applied to the numerical simulation for the behavior of surface sediment subjected to the cyclic loading from sea-water level change. Results of numerical simulation illustrate that the permeability of sediment had to be maintained in the range of $10^{-11}\sim10^{-12}m^2$ to ensure the proper sedimentological environment for the cultivation of manila clam, R. philippinarum. The deposits of virtually impermeable mud layer, with the threshold thickness of 4 cm, would be very hazardous to clam habitat.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.255-267
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• 2001

A comparison study is performed to understand the coupling behavior of the thermal, hydraulic, and mechanical interactions in the vicinity of an underground radwaste repository, assumed to be located at a depth of 500 m, within a granitic rock mass with a 58$^{\circ}$ dipping fault passing through the roof-wall intersection of the repository cavern. The two dimensional universal distinct element code, UDEC is used for the analysis. The model includes a granitic rock meas, a canister with PWR spent fuels surrounded by the compacted bentonite inside a deposition hole, and the mixed bentonite backfilled in the rest of the space within a repository cavern. The coupling behavior of hydromechanical, thermomechanical, and thermohydromechanical interaction has been studied and compared. The effect of the time-dependent decaying heat, from the radioactive materials in PWR spent fuels, on the repository and its surroundings has been studied. A steady state flow algorithm is used for the hydraulic analysis.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.74 no.2
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• pp.283-296
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• 2020

The coupled hydro-mechanical loading conditions commonly occur in the geothermal and petroleum engineering projects, which is significantly important influence on the stability of rock masses. In this article, the influence of flaw inclination angle of fracture behaviors in rock-like materials subjected to both mechanical loads and internal hydraulic pressures is experimentally studied using the 3-D X-ray computed tomography combined with 3-D reconstruction techniques. Triaxial compression experiments under confining pressure of 8.0 MPa are first conducted for intact rock-like specimens using a rock mechanics testing system. Four pre-flawed rock-like specimens containing a single open flaw with different inclination angle under the coupled hydro-mechanical loading conditions are carried out. Then, the broken pre-flawed rock-like specimens are analyzed using a 3-D X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning system. Subsequently, the internal damage behaviors of failed pre-flawed rock-like specimens are evaluated by the 3-D reconstruction techniques, according to the horizontal and vertical cross-sectional CT images. The present experimental does not only focus on the mechanical responses, but also pays attentions to the internal fracture characteristics of rock-like materials under the coupled hydro-mechanical loading conditions. The conclusion remarks are significant for predicting the rock instability in geothermal and unconventional petroleum engineering.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.175-181
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• 2017

This paper presents the results of an investigation into the effect of forced temperature change cycles on physical and mechanical properties of sand and weathered granite soil. The effect of forced temperature change cycles on the particle arrangement and the thermal conductivity was first investigated. A series of triaxial compression tests on the soils were also performed to look into the effect of temperature change cycles on the stress-strain-strength behavior.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2021

In cold regions, the integrity of the infrastructures built on weak soils can be extensively damaged by weathering actions due to the cyclic freezing and thawing. This damage can be mitigated by exploiting soil stabilization techniques. Generally, ordinary Portland cement (OPC) is the most commonly used binding material for investigating the chemo-hydromechanical behavior. However, due to the environmental issue of OPC producing a significant amount of carbon dioxide emission, calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement can be used as one of the eco-sustainable alternatives. Although recently several studies have examined the strength development of CSA treated sand, no research has been concerned about CSA cement-stabilized sand affected by cyclic freeze and thaw. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive laboratory work to assess the effect of the cyclic freeze-thaw action on strength and durability of CSA cement-treated sand. For this purpose, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) tests were performed on the stabilized soil specimens cured for 7 and 14 days which are subjected to 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 freeze-thaw cycles. The test results show that the strength and durability index of the samples decrease with the increase of the freeze-thaw cycles. The loss of the strength and durability considerably decreases for all soil samples subjected to the freeze-thaw cycles. Overall, the use of CSA as a stabilizer for sandy soils would be an eco-friendly option to achieve sufficient strength and durability against the freeze-thaw action in cold regions.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.468-479
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• 2019

It is essential to comprehend coupled hydro-mechanical behavior to utilize subsurface for the recent demand for underground space usage. In this study, we developed a new simulator for numerical simulation as a tool for researching to consider the various domestic field and subsurface conditions. To develop the new module, we combined OpenGeoSys, one of the scientific software package that handles fluid mechanics (H), thermodynamics (T), and rock and soil mechanics (M) in the subsurface with FLAC3D, one of the commercial software for geotechnical engineering problems reinforced. In this simulator development, we design OpenGeoSys as a master and FLAC3D as a slave via a file-based sequential coupling. We have chosen Terzaghi's consolidation problem related to single-phase fluid flow at a saturated condition as a benchmark model to verify the proposed module. The comparative results between the analytical solution and numerical analysis showed a good agreement.