• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.225-231
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• 2018

In this paper, in order to explain the splitting of cylindrical rock specimen under uniaxial loading, cracks in cylindrical rock specimen are divided into two kinds, the longitudinal crack and the slanting crack. Mechanical behavior of the rock is described by elastic-brittle-plastic model and splitting is assumed to suddenly occur when the uniaxial compressive strength is reached. Expression of the stresses induced by the longitudinal crack in direction perpendicular to the major axis of the crack is deduced by using the Maxwell model. Results show that the induced stress is tensile and can be greater than the tensile strength even before the uniaxial compressive strength is reached. By using the Inglis's formula and simplifying the cracks as slender ellipse, the above conclusions that drawn by using the Maxwell model are confirmed. Compared to shearing fracture, energy consumption of splitting seems to be less, and splitting is most likely to occur when the uniaxial loading is great and quick. Besides, explaining the rock core disking occurred under the fast axial unloading by using the Maxwell model may be helpful for understanding that rock core disking is fundamentally a tensile failure phenomenon.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2010

This study is investigated the extent of the noise and ground vibration in an adjacent zone of a cattle pen and an antiquated housing structures for judgement of the spot applicability on the extents of the noise and ground vibration of the rock-splitting method by an oil pressure. It is studied by measuring and analysing in an adjacent position the extents of the noise and ground vibration according to the work process of the rock-splitting method, such as drilling, rock-splitting, arranging rock, loading and by being compared with the permitted level on the noise and ground vibration fixed at the spot. To the results, it is identified that the influence to the noise has to be considered, even if the rock-splitting method is applied as an excavation method to lower a ground vibration by the classification on blasting method of the ministry of land, transport and marine affairs.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2010

This study focuses on the phenomenon that the blast damaged zone developed on rock slope surfaces can be affected by joint characteristics rather than by explosive power when the pre-splitting is applied to excavate a jointed rock slope. The characteristics of rock joints on a slope were investigated and categorized them into 4 cases. Also an image processing system has been used for comparing the distribution pattern of rock blocks. From this investigation, it was found that the rock blocks bigger than 2,000 mm occupied 42% in the case of single joint set and it showed the well efficiency of pre-splitting blast. In cases of 2~3 parallel joint sets and 2~3 intersecting joint sets are developed on rock surfaces, the rock blocks in the range of 1,000~2,000 mm occupied 43.6% and 35.8%, respectively, and it showed that the efficiency of pre-splitting was decreased. When more than 3 joint sets are randomly developed, however, the rock blocks in the range of 250~500 mm occupied 35% and there was no block bigger than 1,000 mm. This denotes that the blasting with pre-splitting was not effective. The numerical analysis using PFC2D showed that the blast damaged zone in a rock mass could be directly influenced by the pre-splitting. It is, therefore, required to investigate the discontinuity pattern on rock surfaces in advance, when the pre-splitting method is applied to excavate jointed rock slopes and to apply a flexible blating design with a consideration of the joint characteristics.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.415-427
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• 2021

This technical report briefly introduced the rock cutting splitting method under development. This method is a method of excavating the rock by splitting the block after the rock cutting process. After designing the cutting geometry of the rock face, the chisel is press-fitted to remove the rock block. At this time, when the cutting block is properly designed, the tensile crack propagates smoothly at the bottom of the rock block. An analytical solution was devised to estimate the indentation force required for splitting rock blocks using fracture toughness mode 1 required for tensile crack growth. The impact force of the hydraulic breaker of the excavator was analyzed, and the grade of the excavator that can be constructed according to the rock block design geometry was analyzed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.499-507
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• 2018

In this paper splitting failure on rock pillars among the underground caverns has been studied. The damaged structure is considered to be thin plates and then the failure mechanism of rock pillars has been studied consequently. The critical load of buckling failure of the rock plate has also been obtained. Furthermore, with a combination of the basic energy dissipation principle, generalized formulas in estimating the number of splitting cracks and in predicting the maximum deflection of thin plate have been proposed. The splitting criterion and the mechanical model proposed in this paper are finally verified with numerical calculations in FLAC 3D.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.209-216
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• 1998

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.595-609
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• 2017

Due to high in-situ stress and brittleness of rock mass, the surrounding rock masses of underground caverns are prone to appear splitting failure. In this paper, a kind of loading-unloading variable elastic modulus model has been initially proposed and developed based on energy dissipation principle, and the stress state of elements has been determined by a splitting failure criterion. Then the underground caverns of Dagangshan hydropower station is analyzed using the above model. For comparing with the monitoring results, the entire process of rock splitting failure has been achieved through monitoring the splitting failure on side walls of large-scale caverns in Dagangshan via borehole TV, micro-meter and deformation resistivity instrument. It shows that the maximum depth of splitting area in the downstream sidewall of the main power house is approximately 14 m, which is close to the numerical results, about 12.5 m based on the energy dissipation model. As monitoring result, the calculation indicates that the key point displacement of caverns decreases firstly with the distance from main powerhouse downstream side wall rising, and then increases, because this area gets close to the side wall of main transformer house and another smaller splitting zone formed here. Therefore it is concluded that the energy dissipation model can preferably present deformation and fracture zones in engineering, and be very useful for similar projects.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.353-360
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• 2016

Tests of hydraulic rock splitting were conducted using double packer at the 1, 2 free surface in the limestone mining and granodiorite Suksan area, respectively. The method of hydraulic rock splitting was applying hydraulic power in the interval layer using double packer. As a result of tests, a crack occurred. At about 6.5 MPa and 13 MPa, a crack occurred in 2 free surface. Any crack did not occur in the 1 free surface. Rather, used 1 double packer was broken in the 1 free surface. Also, it was confirmed that the water pressure of the interval increased through the existing crack and the new crack in the test areas.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.405-415
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• 2019

The cracks induced by hydraulic rock splitting technique are formed in the direction parallel to the free plane, which is perpendicular to the minimum principal stress of the ground, or is affected by the pre-existing microcracks. In this study, the hydraulic rock splitting experiments were conducted in which the guide slot was engraved in the direction parallel to the borehole axis on the biotite granite slope, and the hydraulic pressure was injected through the double packer pressure and interval section. The test results show that the cracks along with the guide slots were induced either by the double packer pressurization or the injection of hydraulic pressure into interval section, some cracks extended across the boreholes. Therefore, the hydraulic rock splitting test is expected to control efficiently the induced cracks if the guide slots are engraved in the direction of splitting and a big flow rate is applied.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.481-495
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• 2015

Many hydropower stations in southwest China are located in regions of brittle rock mass with high geo-stresses. Under these conditions deep fractured zones often occur in the sidewalls of the underground caverns of a power station. The theory and methods of fracture and damage mechanics are therefore adopted to study the phenomena. First a flexibility matrix is developed to describe initial geometric imperfections of a jointed rock mass. This model takes into account the area and orientation of the fractured surfaces of multiple joint sets, as well as spacing and density of joints. Using the assumption of the equivalent strain principle, a damage constitutive model is established based on the brittle fracture criterion. In addition the theory of fracture mechanics is applied to analyze the occurrence of secondary cracks during a cavern excavation. The failure criterion, for rock bridge coalescence and the damage evolution equation, has been derived and a new sub-program integrated into the FLAC-3D software. The model has then been applied to the stability analysis of an underground cavern group of a hydropower station in Sichuan province, China. The results of this method are compared with those obtained by using a conventional elasto-plastic model and splitting depth calculated by the splitting failure criterion proposed in a previous study. The results are also compared with the depth of the relaxation and fracture zone in the surrounding rock measured by field monitoring. The distribution of the splitting zone obtained both by the proposed model and by the field monitoring measurements are consistent to the validity of the theory developed herein.