• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.627-638
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• 2019

Estimation of representative elementary volume (REV) of jointed rock masses is critical to predict the mechanical behavior of field-scale rock masses. The REV of jointed rock masses at site is strongly influenced by stress state. The paper proposed a method to systematically studied the influence of confining stress on the REV of jointed rock masses with various strengths (weak, medium and strong), which were sourced from the water inlet slope of Xiaowan Hydropower Station, China. A finite element method considering material heterogeneity was employed, a series of two-dimensional (2D) models was established based on the Monte-Carlo method and a lot of biaxial compressive tests were conducted. Numerical results showed that the REV of jointed rock masses presented a step-like reduction as the normalized confining stress increased. Confining stress weakened the size effect of jointed rock masses, indicating that the REV determined under uniaxial compression test can be reasonably taken as the REV of jointed rock masses under complexed in-situ stress environment.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.441-460
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• 2015

A new theoretical approach for analysis of stress around a tensioned anchor in rock is presented in this paper. The solution has been derived for semi-infinite elastic rock and anchor and for plane strain conditions. The method considers both the anchor head bearing plate and its grouted bond length embedded in depth. The solution of the tensioned rock anchor problem is obtained by superimposing the solutions of two simpler but fundamental problems: A distributed load applied at a finite portion (bearing plate area) of the rock surface and a distributed shear stress applied at the anchor-rock interface along the bond length. The solution of the first problem already exists and the solution of the shear stress distributed along the bond length is found in this study. To acquire a deep understanding of the stress distribution around a tensioned anchor in rock, an illustrative example is solved and stress contours are drawn for stress components. In order to verify the results obtained by the proposed solution, comparisons are made with finite difference method (FDM) results. Very good agreements are observed for the teoretical results in comparison with FDM.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.567-574
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• 2019

In order to study the effect of stress and water pressure on the permeability of fractured rock mass under three-dimensional stress conditions, a single fracture triaxial stress-seepage coupling model was established; By using the stress-seepage coupling true triaxial test system, large-scale rock specimens were taken as the research object to carry out the coupling test of stress and seepage, the fitting formula of permeability coefficient was obtained. The influence of three-dimensional stress and water pressure on the permeability coefficient of fractured rock mass was discussed. The results show that the three-dimensional stress and water pressure have a significant effect on the fracture permeability coefficient, showing a negative exponential relationship. Under certain water pressure conditions, the permeability coefficient decreases with the increase of the three-dimensional stress, and the normal principal stress plays a dominant role in the permeability. Under certain stress conditions, the permeability coefficient increases when the water pressure increases. Further analysis shows that when the gob floor rock mass is changed from high stress to unloading state, the seepage characteristics of the cracked channels will be evidently strengthened.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 2018

The constrained conditions of roof and floor for the coal pillar affect the strength of coal pillar very seriously. To analyze the influence of rock mass for the roof and floor on the stability of coal pillar comprehensively, one method based on the mechanical method for the composite rock mass was proposed. In this method, the three rock layers of roof, floor and coal pillar are taken as the bedded composite rock mass. And the influence of rock mass for the roof and floor on the elastic core of coal pillar has been analyzed. This method can obtain not only the derived stress by the cohesive constraining forces for the coal pillar, but also the derived stress for the rock mass of the roof and floor. Moreover, the effect of different mechanical parameters for the roof and floor on the stability of coal pillar have been analyzed systematically. This method can not only analyze the stability of strip coal pillar, but also analyze the stability of other mining pillars whose stress distribution is similar with that of the strip coal pillar.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.213-222
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• 2024

Determination of jointed rock mass properties plays a significant role in the design and construction of underground structures such as tunneling and mining. Rock mass classification systems such as Rock Mass Rating (RMR), Rock Mass Index (RMi), Rock Mass Quality (Q), and deformation modulus (Em) are determined from the jointed rock masses. However, parameters of jointed rock masses can be affected by the tunnel depth below the surface due to the effect of the in situ stresses. In addition, the geomechanical properties of rocks change due to the effect of metamorphism. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to apply correlation analysis to investigate the relationships between rock mass properties and some parameters related to the depth of the tunnel studied. For this purpose, the field work consisted of determining rock mass parameters in a tunnel alignment (~7.1 km) at varying depths from 21 m to 431 m below ground surface. At the same excavation depths, thirty-seven rock types were also sampled and tested in the laboratory. Correlations were made between vertical stress and depth, horizontal/vertical stress ratio (k) and depth, k and Em, k and RMi, k and point load index (PLI), k and Brazilian tensile strength (BTS), Em and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), UCS and PLI, UCS and BTS. Relationships were significant (significance level=0.000) at the confidence interval of 95% (r = 0.77-0.88) between the data pairs for the rocks taken from depths greater than 166 m where the ratio of horizontal to vertical stress is between 0.6 and 1.2. The in-situ stress parameters affected rock mass properties as well as metamorphism which affected the geomechanical properties of rock materials by affecting the behavior of minerals and textures within rocks. This study revealed that in-situ stress parameters and metamorphism should be reviewed when tunnel studies are carried out.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.149-161
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• 2008

It is nearly impossible to estimate the exact state of the current rock stress of interest site by the theoretical and physical approaches except some specific geological situations. This means that in-situ stress measurement is a unique way to obtain reliable information on rock stress especially for civil and mining engineering related problems. Since late in the 90's, in-situ rock stress tests have been widely conducted to provide the quantitative information on the stress state of engineering site at the design stage of an underground rock structure in the Kyungsang Basin, Korea. The study area is the near surface regions at the depth less than 300 m in the Kyungsang Basin. It includes Yeosoo to the west and Busan to the east. Totally, 270 in-situ stress measurements were conducted in the surface test boreholes at the depth from 14 m to 300 m by hydraulic fracturing method. In this paper, based on the measurement data set, the overall characteristics of the current in-situ rock stress fields in the study area are briefly described. And also the investigation results on the difference between the stress distributions for the granitoid and the andesitic rock region are also introduced. Finally, the distributions of the regional horizontal stress directions in Busan and the Yangsan faults area are shown.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.86-94
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• 2009

A three dimensional rock joint element was developed considering fracture mechanics and subcritical crack growth to simulate non-linear behavior and the progressive failure of rock joints. Using this 3-D joint element, joint shear tests of rock discontinuities were simulated by a numerical method. The asperities on the joint surface began to fail at stress levels lower than the rock fracture toughness and continued progressively due to subcritical crack growth. As a result of progressive failing in each and every asperity, the joint showed non-linear stress-time behavior including stress hardening/softening and the reaching of a residual stress.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.145-154
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• 2020

For the influence of the propagation law of stress wave at the coal-rock interface during the pre-blasting of the top coal in top coal mining, the ANSYS-LS/DYNA fluid-solid coupling algorithm was used to numerical calculation and the life-death element method was used to simulate the propagation of explosion cracks. The equation of the crushing zone and the fracturing zone were derived. The results were calculated and showed that the crushing radius is 14.6 cm and the fracturing radius is 35.8 cm. With the increase of the angles between the borehole and the coal-rock interface, the vibration velocity of the coal particles and the rock particles at the interface decreases gradually, and the transmission coefficient of the stress wave from the coal mass into the rock mass decreases gradually. When the angle between the borehole and the coal-rock interface is 0°, the overall crushing degree is about 11% and up to the largest. With the increase of the distance from the charge to the coal-rock interface, the stress wave transmission coefficient and the crushing degree of the coal-rock are gradually decreased. At the distance of 50 cm, the crushing degree of the coal-rock reached the maximum of approximately 12.3%.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.97-104
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• 2018

The finite difference software Flac3D is used to study the influence of tunnel burial depth, tunnel diameter and lateral pressure coefficient of original rock stress on the stress and deformation of tunnel surrounding rock under sandstone condition. The results show that the maximum shear stress, the radius of the plastic zone and the maximum displacement in the surrounding rock increase with the increase of the diameter of the tunnel. When the lateral pressure coefficient is 1, it is most favorable for surrounding rock and lining structure, with the increase or decrease of lateral pressure coefficient, the maximum principal stress, surrounding displacement and plastic zone range of surrounding rock and lining show a sharp increase trend, the plastic zone on the lining increases with the increase of buried depth.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.375-384
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• 2020

In this study, the application of conventional cubic law to a deep depth condition was experimentally evaluated. Moreover, a modified equation for estimating the rock permeability at a deep depth was suggested using precise hydraulic tests and an effect analysis according to the vertical stress, pore water pressure and fracture roughness. The experimental apparatus which enabled the generation of high pore water pressure (< 10 MPa) and vertical stress (< 20 MPa) was manufactured, and the surface roughness of a cylindrical rock sample was quantitatively analyzed by means of 3D (three-dimensional) laser scanning. Experimental data of the injected pore water pressure and outflow rate obtained through the hydraulic test were applied to the cubic law equation, which was used to estimate the permeability of rock fracture. The rock permeability was estimated under various pressure (vertical stress and pore water pressure) and geometry (roughness) conditions. Finally, an empirical formula was proposed by considering nonlinear flow behavior; the formula can be applied to evaluations of changes of rock permeability levels in deep underground facility such as nuclear waste disposal repository with high vertical stress and pore water pressure levels.