• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2020

In structures excavated in rock mass, load progressively increases to a level and remains constant during the construction. Rocks display different elastic properties such as E_i and ʋ under different loading conditions and this requires to use the true values of elastic properties for the design of safe structures in rock. Also, rocks will undergo horizontal and vertical deformations depending on the amount of load applied. However, under constant loads, values of E_i and ʋ will vary in time and induce variations in the behavior of the rock mass. In some empirical equations in which deformation modulus of the rock mass is taken into consideration, elastic parameters of intact rock become functions in the equation. Hence, the use of time dependent elastic properties determined under constant loading will yield more reliable results than when only constant elastic properties are used. As well known, rock material will play an important role in the deformation mechanism since the discontinuities will be closed due to the load. In this study, E_i and ʋ values of intact rocks were investigated under different constant loads for certain rocks with high deformation capabilities. The results indicated significant time dependent variations in elastic properties under constant loading conditions. E_i value obtained from deformability test was found to be higher than the E_i value obtained from the constant loading test. This implies that when static values of elastic properties are used, the material is defined as more elastic than the rock material itself. In fact, E_i and ʋ values embedded in empirical equations are not static. Hence, this workattempts to emerge a new understanding in designing of safer structures in rock mass by numerical methods. The use of time-dependent values of E_i and ʋ under different constant loads will yield more accurate results in numerical modeling analysis.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.215-228
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• 2004

Rock mass contains discontinuities such as faults and joints, and their mechanical properties and spatial distribution dominate the stability of rock mass. Because the deformation of rock mass occurs discontinuities in many cases. However in the case of poor quality rock mass under high stresses, the deformation along intact rock can also influence the structure's stability. In this study, two dimensional finite element program was developed with a rheological model to analyze the stability of the structure excavated in jointed rock mass. The “equivalent material” approach was used assuming intact rock, joints and rock bolts as visco-plastic materials. The program was verified by analysing an intact rock model, a jointed rock mass model and a reinforced jointed rock mass model. The displacement was examined in each model with changing the intact rock behaviour as elastic and visco-plastic. In the case of poor quality rock mass under high stresses, e assumption of visco-plastic behaviour of intact rock resulted in larger displacement than when assuming elastic behaviour for intact rock. Therefore it is recommended to add intact rock's visco-plastic behaviour to the existing model, which only assumes visco-plastic behaviour of joints and rock bolts.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2023

This study conducts uniaxial compression tests on intact and single crack-contained rocks to investigate the time-frequency domain characteristics of acoustic emission (AE) signals monitored during the deformation failure process. A processing approach, short-time Fourier transform (STFT), is performed to obtain the evolution characteristics of time-frequency domain of AE signals. The AE signal modes at different deformation stages of rocks are different. Five modes of AE signal are observed during the cracking process of rocks. The evolution characteristics of time-frequency domain of AE signals processed by STFT can be utilized to evaluate the damage process of rocks. The difference of time-frequency domain characteristics between intact and cracked rocks is comparatively analyzed. The distribution characteristics of frequency changing from a single band-shaped cluster to multiple band-shaped clusters can be regarded as an early warning information of damage and failure of rocks. Meanwhile, the attenuation of frequency enables the exploration of rock failure trends.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.108-115
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• 1997

Uniaxial and biaxial compressive tests were conducted on limestone specimens containing artificial joints and a circular hole to investigate the influence of inclination and number of joints on compressive strength and deformation behavior of rock with a circular hole. Under uniaxial and biaxial compressive condition, the inclination of joints showing the maximum and minimum strength were 0$^{\circ}$ and 30$^{\circ}$ respectively, which was independent of the number of joints. Under uniaxial compressive condition, relative maximum strength of rock with n=1 and 3 to intact rock with a circular hole were 12.5%~82.8% and 11.4~62.5% respectively, and under biaxial compressive condition, 18.2~91.0% and 17.0~87.5% respectively. The influence of the number of joints on the decrease of compressive strength was greater under uniaxial than under biaxial compressive condition. Under uniaxial and biaxial compressive condition, axial and lateral deformations of rock showed the least values where $\alpha$=30$^{\circ}$. Under uniaxial compressive condition, axial and lateral deformation at maximum strength of rock have the increasing tendency with increase the number of joints. But they have the decreasing tendency under biaxial compressive condition. Under uniaxial and biaxial compressive conditions, axial deformation of circular hole was greater than lateral deformation without respect to the number of joints and the inclination of joints.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.274-286
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• 1994

Direct shear tests were on ducted in a laboratory setting in order to investigate the shear strength and deformation behavior of rock joints. Also, the characteristics of acoustic emissions (AE) during shearing of rock joints were studied. The artificial rock joints were created by splitting the intact blocks of Hwangdeung granites and Iksan marbles. Joint roughness profiles were measured by a profile gage and then digitized by Image analyzer. Roughness profile indices(Rp) of the joints were calculated with these digitized data. Peak shear strength, residual shear strength, shear stiffness and maximum acoustic emission(AE) rate were investigated with joint roughness. The peak shear strenght, the residual shear strength and the shear stiffness were increased as roughness popfile index or normal stress increased in the shear tests of granites. In the tests of marble samples, the shear deformation characteristics were not directly affected by joint roughness. As the result of two directional shear tests, the shear characteristics were varied with shear direction. AE count rates were measured during the shear deformation and the AE signals in several stages of the deformation were analyzed in a frequency domain. The AE rate peaks coincided with the stress drops during the shear deformation of joint. The dominant frequencies of the AE signals were in the vicinity of 100 kHz fo rgranite sample and 900 kHz for marble samples. The distribution of amplitude was dispersed with increasing normal stress.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.723-738
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• 2017

Rock is a heterogeneous material, which introduces complexity in the analysis of rock slopes, since both the existing discontinuities within the rock mass and the intact rock contribute to the degradation of strength. Rock failure is often catastrophic due to the brittle nature of the material, involving the sliding along structural planes and the fracturing of rock bridge. This paper proposes an advanced discretization method of rock mass based on block theory. An in-house software, GeoSMA-3D, has been developed to generate the discrete fracture network (DFN) model, considering both measured and artificial joints. Measured joints are obtained from the photogrammetry analysis on the excavation face. Statistical tools then facilitate to derive artificial joints within the rock mass. Key blocks are searched to provide guidance on potential reinforcement measures. The discretized blocky system is subsequently implemented into a discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) code. Strength reduction technique is employed to analyze the stability of the slope, where the factor of safety can be obtained once excessive deformation of slope profile is observed. The combined analysis approach also provides the failure mode, which can be used to guide the choice of strengthening strategy if needed. Finally, an illustrated example is presented for the analysis of a rock slope of 20 m height inclined at $60^{\circ}$ using combined GeoSMA-3D and DDA calculation.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.655-664
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• 2007

The major geotechnical parameters employed in tunnel design are deformation modulus, Poisson's ratio, friction angle, cohesion, etc. Among these parameters, the deformation modulus is the most significant parameter in tunnel deformation. However, determination of the modulus for rock mass by means of tests is very difficult due to factors affecting including discontinuities and sample size, etc. Thus input values used in the numerical analysis are generally determined by empirical method. A numerical analysis on tunnel was conducted with geotechnical parameters determined through the geological field mapping, laboratory tests, and evaluation of boring data, and some discrepancy between the computed result and tunnel displacements measured was found. Thus, further analyses by changing the deformation modulus of rock mass were performed to determine a relationship between the modulus and computed displacement. Data from two tunnel sites were used to verify the applicability of the proposed method and a correlative equation between deformation modulus and tunnel displacement is proposed. The deformation modulus of rock mass was around 30-40% of young's modulus of intact rock in these cases.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.791-801
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• 2014

The effects of anchor on fractured specimens in splitting test are simulated by DDARF method, the results of which are compared with laboratory test results. They agree well with each other. The paper contents also use the laboratory model test. The main research objects are three kinds of specimens, namely intact specimens, jointed specimens and anchored-jointed specimens. The results showed that with the joint angle increased, the weakening effects of jointed rock mass are more obvious. At these points, the rock bolts' strengthening effects on the specimens have become more significant. There is a significant impact on the failure modes of rock mass by the joint and the anchorage.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.593-600
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• 2016

To understand the mechanical properties of rock masses and intact rock in Korea, data from 4,280 in situ and laboratory tests from 107 tunnels on general national roads were analyzed. The mechanical properties (unit weight, cohesion, friction angle, modulus of deformation, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength, coefficient of permeability, and specific gravity) were analyzed by rock types and strength of rock in each rock type. The results of analysis, the mean specific gravity was highest in gneiss. The coefficient of permeability and Poisson's ratio show the highest mean values in granite and metamorphic rock, respectively. In addition, the unit weight, cohesion and friction angle in sedimentary rock, modulus of deformation, Young's modulus, uniaxial compressive strength and tensile strength in volcanic rock have the highest mean values. The values for each mechanical property showed wide ranges by the heterogeneity and anisotropy of rock masses in spite of detailed analysis by rock type and classification of rocks according to the strength.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.257-268
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• 2005

In situ rock mass is generally heterogeneous and discontinuous, with varying degrees of strength along the planes of weakness. The planes of weakness such as joints, faults, cracks and bedding planes, control the strength and deformation characteristics of the rock mass. Subsequently, the stability of underground opening depends upon the spatial distribution of discontinuities and their mechanical properties in relation with geometrical shape of openins as well as the mechanical properties of intact rock materials. Understanding the behaviour of a discontinuous rock mass remains a key issue for improving excavation design in hiかy stressed environments. Although recent advances in rock mechanics have provided guidelines for the design of underground opening in isotropic rock mass, prediction and control of deformation in discontinuous rock masses are still unclear. In this study, parametric study was performed to investigate the plastic zone size, stress distribution and deformation behavior around underground opening in a discontinuous rock mass using a continuum joint model. The solutions were obtained by an elasto-plastic finite difference analysis, employing the Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria. Non-associated flow rule and perfectly plastic material behavior are also assumed.