• 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.12 no.4
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• pp.248-258
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• 2002

The sixth underground pumped powerhouse cavern is now under construction in Korea. For the stability analysis for the caverns of the five underground powerhouses, finite element method was used. For the analysis, in-situ rock stress were measured by overcoring method. The stress measurement showed that initial horizontal to vertical stress ratio was 1.07-1.32 in low powerhouse sites. Rock mass strength and elasticity were assumed from rock core properties through engineering processes. So the ratio of input elasticity fur the analysis were about 0.16-0.55 to rock core elasticity. In most of the analysis, elasto-plastic condition with Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria were applied. But in one case, viscoelastic condition was applied, too. The input cohesion and internal friction angle were approximately 0.12-0.22, 0.6-0.87 to rock core strength parameters, respectively.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.327-339
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• 2023

The expansion capacity and strength of expansive grout have a significant influence on the stress state of a supported rock mass and the strength of a grout-rock mass structure. The expansion and strength characteristics are vital in grouting preparation and application. To analyze the expansion performance and mechanical properties of expansive grout, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) tests, expansion ratio tests, XRD, SEM, and microscopic scanning tests (MSTs) of expansive grout under different curing pressure conditions were conducted. The microevolution was analyzed by combining the failure characteristics, XRD patterns, SEM images, and surface morphologies of the specimens. The experimental results show that: (1) The final expansion ratio of the expansive grout was linear with increasing expansion agent content and nonlinear with increasing curing pressure. (2) The strength of the expansive grout was positively correlated with curing pressure and negatively correlated with expansion agent content. (3) The expansion of expansive grout was related mainly to the development of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) crystals. With an increase in expansion agent content, the final expansion ratio increased, but the expansion rate decreased. With an increase in the curing pressure, the grout expansion effect decreased significantly. (4) The proportion of the concave surfaces at the centre of the specimen cross-section reflected the specimen's porosity to a certain extent, which was linear with increasing expansion agent content and curing pressure.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.323-333
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• 1997

A rock mass is usually classified by the results of geological survey and laboratory tests on rock specimens in order to obtain the adequate properties for the numerical analysis. For these purposes a rock mass strength is estimated based on the empirical criterion proposed by Hoek and Brown and a modulus of deformation is taken with the empirical relations developed by Bieniawski, Serafim and Pereira. In addition, the $K_o$ value which is the ratio of the horizontal stress to the vertical stress is one of the most important input data in the numerical analysis. Its role on a tunnel stability analysis could be verified with the numerical results taken by a finite difference code or a distinct element code. However, a deduced value used to be applied for the $K_o$ value in most of tunnel designs, even though the patterns of stress tensor are variable with regions and depths. Thus in situ stresses were measured by a hydraulic fracturing technique on several tunnel sites and applied directly to the tunnel design for the enhancement of its precision. With those informations on in situ stresses, the safe design should be obtained economically on the road or subway tunnels.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.387-401
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• 2007

Recently, because of the restriction of land for construction and interference of adjacent structure, parallel tunnels with small clearance have been planned and constructed in many sites. In this case, the stability of pillar at center part is very important factor to satisfy the stability of tunnel structure under the construction. In this paper, numerical analyses for the asymmetry parallel tunnels with a narrow width of pillar have been carried out to search for the optimum reinforcement measure for rock pillar and verify the stability of tunnel. Rock pillar between each single tunnel is supposed to be under heavy load by rock mass. The analysis of stress state at rock pillar at various cases for construction conditions is required to investigate the structural behaviour of tunnels and stability of the pillar. Strength-stress ratio is calculated based on the failure theory of rock and the safety factor of tunnel is computed with strength reduction technique. Through these numerical results, reasonable reinforcement measures for rock pillar at parallel tunnel were established and recommended.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2017

A lot of twin tunnels were modelled with different pillar widths, rock mass classes and stress ratios in order to consider various site conditions, and the stabilities of the pillars were estimated by numerical analyses and scaled model tests. The strength-stress ratios of the pillar were obtained from three different methods which were using the stresses appeared at the middle point, the whole average and the left/right edges of the pillar. The strength-stress ratio of the pillar edges showed relatively conservative values among them, and it was also practically consistent with the tunnel excavating steps comprising the construction sequence analyses which included the partial excavation and the support system. Scaled model tests were also performed to investigate the tunnel stability, where it was found that cracks were progressively generated from the pillar edges toward the middle point of the pillar. Therefore, in order to both prevent the local damage of pillar and conservatively estimate the tunnel stability, it was thought to be an appropriate method using the strength-stress ratio obtained from the left/right edges of the pillar.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.103-116
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• 1998

To estimate pure shear strength, 150 sets of triaxial test data were analyzed. The proportional coefficient of shear strength($I_c$) at zero normal stress was nonlinearly decreased as failure coefficient m increases, while the internal friction $\phi_0$ at zero normal stress was nonlinearly increased. The ratio of shear strength $(c/\phi_0)$was inversely proportional to the ratio of the internal friction angles$(\phi/phi_0)$ The shear strength decreased as m increased, while internal friction angle increased. And uniaxial strength was proportional to $c,\phi$ Regression analysis showed that shear strength strongly affects m and $\sigma_c$ The proportional coefficient of shear strength was nonlinearly increased with RMR, while the internal friction angle $(\phi}$was linearly decreased.

• 한국터널공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.348-358
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• 2005

Although the evaluation of the mechanical properties and behavior of discontinuous rock masses is very important for the design of underground openings, it has always been considered the most difficult problem. One of the difficulties in describing the rock mass behavior is assigning the appropriate constitutive model. This limitation may be overcome with the progress in discrete element software such as PFC, which does not need the user to prescribe a constitutive model for rock mass. Instead, the micro-scale properties of the intact rock and joints are defined and the macro-scale response results from those properties and the geometry of the problem. In this paper, a $30m{\times}30m{\times}30m$ jointed rock mass of road tunnel site was analyzed. A discrete fracture network was developed from the joint geometry obtained from core logging and surface survey. Using the discontinuities geometry from the DFN model, PFC simulations were carried out, starting with the intact rock and systematically adding the joints and the stress-strain response was recorded for each case. With the stress-strain response curves, the mechanical properties of discontinuous rock masses were determined and compared to the results of empirical methods such as RMR, Q and GSI. The values of Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio and peak strength are almost similar from PFC model and Empirical methods. As expected, the presence of joints had a pronounced effect on mechanical properties of the rock mass. More importantly, the mechanical response of the PFC model was not determined by a user specified constitutive model.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.16 no.3 s.62
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• pp.259-276
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• 2006

In rock mass subject to high in-situ stresses, the failure process of rock is dominated by the stress-induced fractures growing parallel to the excavation boundary. When the ratio of in situ stresses compared to rock strength is greater than a certain value, progressive brittle failure which is characterized by popping and spatting of rock debris occurs due to stress concentration. Traditional constitutive model like Mohr-Coulomb usually assume that the normal stress dependent frictional strength component and the cohesion strength component are constant, therefore modelling progressive brittle failure will be very difficult. In this study, a series of numerical analyses were conducted for surrounding rock mass near crude oil storage cavern using CW-FS model which was known to be efficient for modelling brittle failure and the results were compared with those of linear Mohr-Coulomb model. Further analyses were performed by varying plastic shear strain limits on cohesion and internal friction angle to find the proper values which yield the matching result with the observed failure in the oil storage caverns. The obtained results showed that CW-FS model could be a proper method to characterize essential behavior of progressive brittle failure in competent rock mass.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.164-173
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• 2011

In the present study, the stability of a compressed air energy storage cavern was numerically assessed by concrete plug shapes in order to investigate the optimal shape of concrete plug. The concrete plugs were cylindrical, embedded cylindrical, tapered, and wedged in shape. The stability assessment was carried out based on factor of safety through a strength reduction method and a volume ratio which refers to the ratio of the volume of yield regions in concrete induced by internal pressure to all concrete volume. The results from the present study indicated that the embedded cylindrical and taper shaped plugs were mechanically more stable than the cylindrical and wedge shaped plugs. However, from a comparison of stress distributions in rock mass between the embedded cylindrical and taper shaped plugs, the taper shaped plug was found to be more optimal than the embedded cylindrical plug, since the embedded cylindrical plug caused more stress concentration in the interface between the plug and rock mass than the taper shaped plug.