• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.443-453
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• 2013

This study aims to evaluate the mechanical behaviors of unsupported rock pillars in a room-and-pillar underground structure by a series of numerical analyses. In addition, rock pillar strengths estimated by a few empirical equations proposed for underground mines are compared with those from numerical analyses. Based on the results from the numerical analysis, the ratio of pillar strength to rock mass strength increases as the ratio of the width of a pillar to its height becomes bigger. It means that higher ratio of pillar width to its height is much more favorable for stabilizing a room-and-pillar underground structure. Especially, unsupported pillar strengths estimated from numerical analyses are higher than rock mass strength when the ratio of pillar width to height is approximately over 1.5. It is also found that the choice of an empirical equation appropriate for a given geometric condition of a pillar is important for its feasible application to the stability analysis of a pillar in the room-and-pillar method.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.487-495
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• 2014

In this study, in order to suggest the design method for supports in the room-and-pillar underground structure, the case study was carried out. In the case study, shape of rock pillar and room was mainly considered. From the analysis, a displacement at the roof, the maximum principle stress and plastic state were examined. To optimize variables in the case study, cases from the Seoul metro station were analyzed, then a target depth of the underground structure and ground conditions were determined. And the height of rock pillar and room were chosen from the assumed purpose of underground space, i.e. living/office and warehouse. Total cases of analysis was 180 cases including 3 types of ground condition, 5 types of rock pillar and 6 types of roof span. It is expected that results from analysis can be used to determine the installation of support in room-and-pillar underground structure with stability, utilization efficiency of underground space and applicability of vehicles.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

In this study, the stability of the room-and-pillar underground method was investigated using numerical analysis method. In-situ geotechnical investigation was conducted, and a supporting pattern was selected based on the geotechnical investigation data. For the supporting pattern, Type-1, 2, 3 were selected for each ground condition. A 3D numerical analysis model was developed for effective simulation as the room-and-pillar underground method consist of a pillar and room. As a review of numerical analysis, it was confirmed that the crown settlement, convergence, shotcrete and rock bolt were all stable in all supporting patterns. As a result of the analysis by the construction stage, it was confirmed that excessive stress was generated in the room when the construction stage of forming pillar. So, precise construction is required during the actual construction stage of the pillar formation.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.300-311
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• 2008

In this study, scaled model tests were performed to investigate the stability of three parallel tunnels. Seven types of test models which had respectively different pillar widths, tunnel sectional shapes, support conditions and ground conditions were experimented, where crack initiating pressures and deformation behaviors around tunnels were investigated. In order to evaluate the effect of pillar widths on stability, various models were experimented. As results, the models with shallower pillar widths proved to be unstable because of lower crack initiating pressures and more tunnel convergences than the models with thicker pillar widths. In order to find the effect of tunnel sectional shape on stability, the models with arched, semi-arched and rectangular tunnels were experimented. Among them rectangular tunnel model was the most unstable, where the arched tunnel model with small radius of roof curvature was more stable than semi-arched one. The model with rockbolt showed higher crack initiating pressure and less roof lowering than the unsupported model. The deformation behaviors of tunnels in the anisotropic ground model were quite different from those in the isotropic ground model. Futhermore, the results of FLAC analysis were qualitatively coincident with the experimental results.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.508-515
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• 2016

In this study, we compared the stability of the pillars by using room and pillar mining method with the four models with different stiffness and pillar overlap ratio. The experimental models consist of two plaster models (overlap ratio 0%, 100%) and two cement models(overlap ratio 0%, 100%). The soft and hard rocks are modeled by plaster and cement models respectively. In these experiments, the model materials with strength values reflecting the calculated scaled factors not been used, so it is not a true scaled model test that reproduces in situ state in the laboratory. Experimental results show that the different overlap ratio pillars are one of the factors that can affect the stability of the mine.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

This study deals with the case that was the field application of the microseismic monitoring techniques for the stability monitoring in a domestic mine. The usefulness and limitations of the microseismic techniques were examined through analyzing the microseismic monitored data. The target limestone mine adopted a hybrid room-and-pillar mining method to improve the extraction ratio. The accelerometers were installed in each vertical pillar within the test bed which has the horizontal cross-section $50m{\times}50m$. The measured signals were divided into 4 types; blasting induced signal, drilling induced signal, damage induced signal, and electric noise. The stability analysis was performed based on the measured damage induced signals. After the blasting in the mining section close to the test bed, the damage of the pillar was increased and rockfall near the test bed could be estimated from monitored microseismic data. It was possible to assess the pillar stability from the changes of daily monitored data and the proposed safety criteria from the accumulated monitored data. However, there was a difficulty to determine the 3D microseismic source positions due to the 2D local sensor arrays. Also, it was needed to use real-time monitoring methods in domestic mines. By complementing the problems encountered in the mine application and comparing microseismic monitored data with mining operations, the microseismic monitoring technique can be used as a better safety method.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.453-467
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• 2012

Usage of underground space is increasing at metropolitan city. More than 90% of flood damages have occurred at downtown of metropolitan cities. In order to prevent and/or minimize the flood-induced damage, an underground rainwater detention cavern was proposed to be built underneath existing structures. As for underground caverns to be built for flood control, multi-caverns will be mostly adopted rather than one giant cavern because of stability problem. Because of the stress concentration occurring in the pillars between two adjacent caverns, the pillar-stability is the Achilles' heel in multi-caverns. So, a new pillar-reinforcing technology was proposed in this paper for securing the pillar-stability. In the new pillar-reinforcing technology, reinforced materials which are composed of a steel bar and PC strands are used by applying pressurized grouting, and then, by applying the pre-stress to the PC strands and anchor body. Therefore, this new technology has an advantage of utilizing most of the strength that the in-situ ground can exert, and not much relying on the pre-cast concrete structure. The main effect of the pressurized grouting is the increase of the ground strength and more importantly the decrease of stress concentration in the pillar; that of the pre-stress is the increase of the ground strength due to the increase of the internal pressure. In this paper, ground reinforcing effects were verified the stress change in pillar is obtained by numerical analysis at each construction stage. From these results, the effects of pressurized grouting and pre-stress are verified.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.344-353
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• 2014

In this study, the behavior of rock pillar in the diverging area of road tunnel was assessed by using a three dimensional numerical analysis. Based on parameters affecting the behavior of rock pillar, different safety factors according to pillar width, depth and rock conditions were evaluated. It turned out that as the pillar width increases, the change curve of safety factors in accordance with depth and rock conditions shows more of the nonlinear behavior. By the assessment of the minimum safety factor, a safety factor chart on the behavior of rock pillar in the diverging area of road tunnel was suggested.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.205-213
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• 2012

In this study, scaled model tests were performed to investigate the stability of twin tunnels constructed in anisotropic rocks with $30^{\circ}$ inclined bedding planes under the condition of lateral pressure ratio, 2. Five types of test models which had respectively different pillar widths and shapes of tunnel sections were experimented, where both crack initiating pressures and deformation behaviors around tunnels were investigated. The models with shallower pillar width showed shear failure of pillar according to the existing bedding planes and they were cracked under lower pressure than the models with thicker pillar width. In order to find the effect of tunnel sectional shape on stability, the models with four centered arch section, circular section and semi-circular arch section were experimented. As results of the comparison of the crack initiating pressures and the deformation behaviors around tunnels, the semi-circular arched tunnel model was the most unstable whereas the circular tunnel model was the most stable among them. Furthermore, the results of FLAC analysis were qualitatively coincident with the experimental results.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.226-241
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• 2020

The stability of underground mine cavity is closely related with pillar strength. The vulnerability of pillars can be judged and reinforced if the pillar strength is known. The pillar strength is affected by characteristics of discontinuities and shape of a pillar. The change of pillar strength due to a discontinuity passing through the center of a pillar, width-to-height ratio of a pillar and small joints existing within a pillar was analyzed using PFC 3D. The result showed that the pillar strength is influenced by dip angle of a discontinuity and it increases as width-to-height ratio of a pillar increases. The pillar strength decreases as the number of contained joints increases. The relationship between total trace length observable from the pillar surface and the pillar strength was regressed with exponential function. The correlation coefficient of the regression was high enough so that pillar strength can be predicted using total trace length if a joint set exists in a pillar. Lastly, the method to estimate the strength of a pillar that includes two joint sets was proposed if the joint dip angles are 60°, 30°. The method also need total trace lengths of two joint sets.