• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.333-359
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• 2021

Gases such as hydrogen and radon can be generated around the canister in high-level radioactive waste disposal systems due to several reasons including the corrosion of metal materials. When the gas generation rate exceeds the gas diffusion rate in the low-permeability bentonite buffer, the gas phase will form and accumulate in the engineered barrier system. If the gas pressure exceeds the gas entry pressure, gas can migrate into the bentonite buffer, resulting in pathway dilation flow and advective flow. Because a sudden occurrence of dilation flow can cause radionuclide leakage out of the engineered barrier of the radioactive waste disposal system, it is necessary to understand the gas migration behavior in the bentonite buffer to quantitatively evaluate the long-term safety of the engineered barrier. Experimental research investigating the characteristics of gas migration in saturated bentonite and research developing numerical models capable of simulating such behaviors are being actively conducted worldwide. In this technical note, previous gas injection experiments and the numerical models proposed to verify such behaviors are introduced, and the future challenges necessary for the investigation of gas migration are summarized.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.52-65
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• 2021

In this study, authors analyzed the vapor cloud explosion induced by propane leak at the PEMIX Terminal, which is the propane storage facility outside of Mexico City. TNT equivalence mass for the leaked 4750 kg propane was estimated to be 9398 kg. Blast parameters such as peak overpressure, positive phase duration, and impact at 40-400 (m) away from the center of the explosion were calculated by applying TNT Equivalency Method and Multi-Energy Method. The probability of damage due to lung damage, eardrum rupture, head impact, and whole-body displacement impact by applying the probit function obtained using blast parameters was evaluated. The peak overpressure obtained using Multi-Energy Method was found to be greater than the peak overpressure obtained by applying the TNT Equivalency Method at all distances considered, but it was evaluated that there was no significant difference from the points above 200 m. The peak overpressure obtained by Multi-Energy Method was computed to assess the extent of damage to the structure, and it was shown that structures within 100 m of the explosion center would collapse completely, and that the glasses of the structures 400 m away would be almost broken. The probability of death due to lung damage was shown to vary depending on a human body's position located in the propagating direction of shock wave, and if there is a reflecting surface in the immediate surroundings of a human body, the probability of death was estimated to be the greatest. The impact of shock wave on lung damage, eardrum rupture, head impact, and whole-body displacement impact was evaluated and found to affect whole-body impact < lung damage < eardrum rupture

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.509-518
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• 2020

This study constructed a new simulation platform, including mesh generation process, numerical simulation, and post-processing for results analysis based on exploration data to perform real-scale numerical analysis considering the actual geological structure efficiently. To build the simulation platform, we applied for open-source programs. The source code is open to be available for code modification according to the researcher's needs and compatibility with various numerical simulation programs. First, a three-dimensional model(3D) is acquired based on the exploration data obtained using a drone. Then, the domain's mesh density was adjusted to an interpretable level using Blender, the free and open-source 3D creation suite. The next step is to create a 3D numerical model by creating a tetrahedral volume mesh inside the domain using Gmsh, a finite element mesh generation program. To use the mesh information obtained through Gmsh in a numerical simulation program, a converting process to conform to the program's mesh creation protocol is required. We applied a Python code for the procedure. After we completed the stability analysis, we have created various visualization of the study using ParaView, another open-source visualization and data analysis program. We successfully performed a preliminary stability analysis on the full-scale Dokdo model based on drone-acquired data to confirm the usefulness of the proposed platform. The proposed simulation platform in this study can be of various analysis processes in future research.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.160-172
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• 2022

The design regulations for simple explosive storage in Korea only stipulate standards for the materials and thickness of the wall of the structure because the amount of explosives that can be stored is small. There is concern about secondary damage during an internal explosion in a simple storage facility, and it is necessary to reexamine the current standards. The numerical analysis for the TNT 15 kg explosion inside the simple storage was carried out by setting the factors using the robust experimental design method. The displacement of the structure generated under the same time condition was analyzed, and the contribution was evaluated. The contribution of concrete thickness was the highest, and the contribution of concrete strength and rebar arrangement was lower than that of concrete thickness. The reinforcement diameter contributed extremely little to the displacement. The structural standards of the simple storage that are currently applied are insufficient on blast resistance, and it is necessary to present new design standards. Therefore, the design factor to be applied later analysis and actual experiments were taken into consideration. For the design variables, the thickness of the concrete was 15 cm considering the displacement, the concrete strength was selected as general concrete considering the inlet discharge pressure, the factor with the lowest average displacement was selected for the reinforcement arrangement and the diameter of the reinforcement, the factor with the smallest level was selected in consideration of economic feasibility because the difference in displacement was low.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.78-92
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• 2022

In this study, we proposed a diagnostics and assessment model for mining sites that can evaluate the smart mining technology level in a systematic and structured way. For this, the maturity of the smart mining was defined, and detailed assessment items of the diagnostics and assessment model for smart mining were derived by considering the smart factory diagnostics and assessment model (KS X 9001-3) used in the manufacturing industry. While maintaining the existing system, the existing 46 detailed assessment items were modified to be suitable for mining. As a result, a total of 29 detailed assessment items were derived in the areas of promotion strategy, process, information system and automation, and performance. Based on this, a questionnaire was designed to diagnose the level of smart mining technology, and assessment was performed by applying it to domestic iron mines. The level of smart mining technology in the study area was found to be level 2, and it could be inferred that it was about 40% lower than the average smart level of the general manufacturing industry. In addition, by using the developed model, it was possible to recognize the weak points of the mine at each stage of the introduction, operation, and advancement of smart mining, and to suggest investment and improvement directions.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.131-143
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• 2022

The lunar exploration autonomous vehicle operates based on the lunar topography information obtained from real-time image characterization. For highly accurate topography characterization, a large number of training images with various background conditions are required. Since the real lunar topography images are difficult to obtain, it should be helpful to be able to generate mimic lunar image data artificially on the basis of the planetary analogs site images and real lunar images available. In this study, we aim to artificially create lunar topography images by using the location information-based style transfer algorithm known as Wavelet Correct Transform (WCT2). We conducted comparative experiments using lunar analog site images and real lunar topography images taken during China's and America's lunar-exploring projects (i.e., Chang'e and Apollo) to assess the efficacy of our suggested approach. The results show that the proposed techniques can create realistic images, which preserve the topography information of the analog site image while still showing the same condition as an image taken on lunar surface. The proposed algorithm also outperforms a conventional algorithm, Deep Photo Style Transfer (DPST) in terms of temporal and visual aspects. For future work, we intend to use the generated styled image data in combination with real image data for training lunar topography objects to be applied for topographic detection and segmentation. It is expected that this approach can significantly improve the performance of detection and segmentation models on real lunar topography images.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.520-533
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• 2021

It is necessary to increase the blasting efficiency in order to minimize the economic loss caused when the excavation cross section is reduced due to the stability problem of underground mining development, and for this, a new blasting design is proposed. In this study, the blasting efficiency of the general design in the field, the suggestion designI, which added two columns to production blasting, and the suggestion design II, which added one column to create asymmetry, is compared. Advance rate and fragmentation were selected as the evaluation index of the blasting efficiency. In the case of advance rate, compared to the normal, the suggestionI improved by 6.07% and the suggestionII improved by 4.65%. In the case of fragmentation, based on P80, compared to the normal, the suggestionI reduced about 58% and the suggestionII was about 47%. Accoording to the evaluation index, the suggestion designI shows better blasting efficiency than the suggestion designII. But considering the additional work time and cost required for the suggestion designI due to the insignificant difference in the evaluation index results, the asymmetry V-cut, the suggestion designII, is judged to be a more suitable blasting design for the site.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.534-548
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• 2021

In this paper, the feasibility of generating solar power near an abandoned quarry is examined with the objectives of resolving the essential problems that quarries encounter, such as rockfalls and space usage issues. On an abandoned quarry site in Sadang, Seoul, Republic of Korea, two different PV installation methods were analyzed. The first is attaching PV directly on the quarry slope. Since there are no corresponding safety standards and precedents for installing solar panels directly on slopes, the power generation potential was calculated by using topographic data and reasonable assumptions. The surface area of cut slope section was extracted from the Digital Elevation Model(DEM) via ArcGIS and Python programming to calculate the tilt and power capacity of installable panels. The other approach is installing PV as a rockfall barrier, and the power generation potential was analyzed with the assumption that the panel is installed in the direction of facing solar irradiation. For the derivation of power generation, the renewable energy generation analysis program SAM(System Advisor Model) was used for both methods. According to the result, quarries that have terminated resource extraction and remain devastated have the potential to be transformed into renewable energy generation sites.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.107-119
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• 2022

Excavation-Disturbed Zone (EDZ) is an important design factor in constructing final disposal facilities for spent nuclear fuel, since EDZ affects mechanical stability including a spacing between disposal holes, and the hydraulic properties within EDZ plays a significant role in estimating in-flow rate of groundwater as well as a subsequent corrosion rate of a canister. Thus, it is highly required to characterize in-situ EDZ with precision and control the EDZ occurrence while excavating disposal facilities and constructing relevant underground research facilities. In this report, we not only reviewed EDZ-related researches carried out in the ONKALO facility of Finland but also examined appropriate methods for field inspection and quality control of EDZ occurrence. From the review, GPR can be the most efficient method for in-situ characterization of EDZ since it does not demand drilling a borehole that may disturb a surrounding environment of caverns. And the EDZ occurrence was dominant at a cavern floor and it ranged from 0 to 70 cm. These can provide useful information in developing necessary EDZ-related regulations for domestic disposal facilities.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.400-414
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• 2021

Under high-level radioactive waste repository conditions, bentonite as an engineered barrier material undergoes thermal, hydrological, mechanical, and chemical processes. We report the applications of X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) imaging technique on the characterization and analysis of bentonite over the past decade to provide a reference of the utilization of this technique and the recent research trends. This overview of the X-ray CT technique applications includes the characterization of the bentonite either in pellets or powder form. X-ray imaging has provided a means to extract grain information at the microscale and identify crack networks responsible for the pellets' heterogeneity. Regarding samples of pellets-powder mixtures under hydration, X-ray CT allowed the identification and monitoring of heterogeneous zones throughout the test. Some results showed how zones with pellets only swell faster compared to others composed of pellets and powder. Moreover, the behavior of fissures between grains and bentonite matrix was observed to change under drying and hydrating conditions, tending to close during the former and open during the latter. The development of specializing software has allowed obtaining strain fields from a sequence of images. In more recent works, X-ray CT technique has served to estimate the dry density, water content, and particle displacement at different testing times. Also, when temperature was added to the hydration process of a sample, CT technology offered a way to observe localized and global density changes over time.