• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.359-374
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• 2022

Geology conditions are crucial in decision-making during the planning and design phase of a tunnel project. Estimation of the geology conditions of road tunnels is subject to significant uncertainties. In this work, the effectiveness of a novel regression method in estimating geological or geotechnical parameters of road tunnel projects was explored. This method, called Gaussian process regression (GPR), formulates the learning of the regressor within a Bayesian framework. The GPR model was trained with data of old tunnel projects. To verify its feasibility, the GPR technique was applied to a road tunnel to predict the state of three geological/geomechanical parameters of Rock Mass Rating (RMR), Rock Structure Rating (RSR) and Q-value. Finally, in order to validate the GPR approach, the forecasted results were compared to the field-observed results. From this comparison, it was concluded that, the GPR is presented very good predictions. The R-squared values between the predicted results of the GPR vs. field-observed results for the RMR, RSR and Q-value were obtained equal to 0.8581, 0.8148 and 0.8788, respectively.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.655-664
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• 2007

The major geotechnical parameters employed in tunnel design are deformation modulus, Poisson's ratio, friction angle, cohesion, etc. Among these parameters, the deformation modulus is the most significant parameter in tunnel deformation. However, determination of the modulus for rock mass by means of tests is very difficult due to factors affecting including discontinuities and sample size, etc. Thus input values used in the numerical analysis are generally determined by empirical method. A numerical analysis on tunnel was conducted with geotechnical parameters determined through the geological field mapping, laboratory tests, and evaluation of boring data, and some discrepancy between the computed result and tunnel displacements measured was found. Thus, further analyses by changing the deformation modulus of rock mass were performed to determine a relationship between the modulus and computed displacement. Data from two tunnel sites were used to verify the applicability of the proposed method and a correlative equation between deformation modulus and tunnel displacement is proposed. The deformation modulus of rock mass was around 30-40% of young's modulus of intact rock in these cases.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.67-77
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• 2013

We conducted a Tunnel Seismic Prediction (TSP) survey in a spillway tunnel at Juam Dam to predict the locations of major discontinuities ahead of the tunnel face. We compared the results of the TSP survey with those from pre-construction inspections (including a surface resistivity survey and borehole investigations) as well as with direct tunnel-face mapping during excavation. The TSP method predicted the locations of major fracture zones that were unnoticed in the pre-construction inspections. The reinforcement patterns planned on the basis of pre-construction inspections were changed on the basis of the TSP results. The results demonstrate that TSP surveys are a cost-effective and reliably accurate method of predicting the locations of fracture zones. Although the TSP method has some limitations, these results suggest that the method is generally useful for predicting geological conditions prior to tunnel face construction.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.207-216
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• 1997

Estimation of loads on tunnel lining is one of the major issues to be addressed in the design of a tunnel. The existing analytical methods do not consider important details of construction and the variation of geology along the tunnel axis. The measured loads obtained from several sanitary and subway tunnels in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, are compared with the lining loads calculated using the existing analytical methods. However, the existing methods are determined to be not fully satisfactory for the estimation of lining loads. To account for face and heading effects occurring prior to lining installation, the stress reduction factor determined using Eisenstein and Negro's method is used coupled with an analytical solution for calculation of lining loads.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 1997

This paper shows that crosshole seismic survey allows to detect even a small size of underground tunnel (about 2m$\times$2m). Such a small tunnel (e.g. infiltration tunnel) causes diffraction, as the seismic wave propagates, which results in distinctive variations of traveltime and amplitude of the first arrivals. This effect (or tunnel effect) is a typical indicator for the existence of tunnel and thereby an information about the tunnel location can be obtained. It was shown that the tunnel effect illustrated by numerical modeling (FDM) could be also observed in field measurements. The depth and shape of the tunnel were determined by a simplified processing method based on the use of amplitude variation of the first arrivals. The estimated location of the tunnel was well matched to that of the real tunnel.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.661-667
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• 1999

Estimation of inflow rates into subsection of a tunnel is establishing the proposed grouting part, measuring the degree of grouting, and settling the dispute over deplrtion of groundwater which may be resulted from tunneling. A current meter was used to calculate inflow rates of groundwater to each subsection of the tunnel. The study area is composed of section 1 and 2 of Imha-Youngchun waterway trnnel which has 32.976km length, with each section having 3,745m and 4,079m, respectively. The depth from groung surface to tunnel ranges from 122.45m to 358.3m. Total inflow rates of groundwater into each section measured three times by the current meter, together with bottle and eye measurement, were compared with groundwater inflow rates of each section measured by datalogger. The calcuated inflow rates of the sections by bottle and eye measurement were 8.8%∼54.7% of inflow rate (averaging 27,4%), whwewas those by the current meter were 76.9%∼110.6%(averaging 92.9%). Therfore, the current meter is regarded as useful method to calculate groundwater inflow rates into subsections of a tunnel.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.345-351
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• 2017

Acid drainage in civil engineering structures such as tunnels may lead to the deposition of precipitates that clog drainage channels and pipework. In evaluating acid drainage, the Fe content of water and precipitates, indicated by reddish brown coloration of rock surfaces, rivers, and soils, may be an important factor. In this study, acid drainage was evaluated by analyzing the Fe content of reddish brown seepage water that occurred in part of a tunnel. Geological investigations around the tunnel revealed a hydrothermal alteration zone cutting the bedrock, and cropping out in the upper parts of the tunnel. Analysis of drillcore revealed many fracture zones and veins. Inductively coupled plasma spectrophotometric analyses of water, precipitates, and soil samples, collected in the seepage water zone and around the tunnel, were conducted to evaluate acid drainage. The Fe content of seepage water in the tunnel was 0.030-0.333 mg/kg, which is 2-22 times higher than in local groundwater. The Fe content of precipitates in the tunnel was 165,403-301,051 mg/kg, similar to the 206,167-422,964 mg/kg content of drillcore from the hydrothermal alteration zone located above the tunnel. It is concluded that the seepage water is derived from Fe-containing acid drainage flowing in perforated tunnel drainpipes along the fracture zones and veins around the hydrothermal alteration zone.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2008.03a
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• pp.742-753
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• 2008

Currently an increasing number of urban tunnels with small overburden are excavated according to the principle of the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM). Therefore, a possibility of a tunnel collapse during excavation is getting higher in a proportionate manner. This paper will analyze causes the failure mechanism of a shallow NATM tunnel for different geological conditions, ground-water and invert solutions by investigation typical collapse site during tunnel construction. In this paper, this analysis performed two phase, firstly, the field investigation considering displacement measurement, ground-water level, geological characteristic, secondly, the numerical simulation considering the exist of invert construction and the effect of ground-water. It has been found that environmental factors such as state of underground water or construction sequences could influence failure mechanism of a shallow tunnel.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.2 s.52
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• pp.197-204
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• 2007

Tunnel deformation happens by excavation. After installation of support, tunnel is gradually stabilized over time. Effect of excavation on tunnel behavior decreases as increase of distance from face. If the time that the displacement converges by tunnel stabilization is estimated, processes after stabilization can be advanced and economic loss can be reduced. In this study, the distance of displacement convergent point from face in the tunnel constructed on sedimentary rock is estimated using control chart method. As the results of analysis using a control of chart, displacements in a sedimentary rock tunnel are converged within 100 m from each tunnel face.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.141-152
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• 2001

The waterway tunnel zone (length 1,484m) in the Hyeonseo-myeon area that is a part of Yeongcheon dam waterway tunnel has been studied to characterize the relationship between groundwater inflow into the waterway tunnel and hydrogeologic characteristics. The effects of sandstone thickness in the tunnel section. fracture density, fracture aperture and spacing, fault zone width and hydraulic conductivity on the early inflow (inflow prior to the lining and grouting) are investigated. The relationship between fracture density and hydraulic conductivity is also considered. The result of the study suggests that fault zone width has the greatest effect on groundwater inflow into the tunnel, and sandstone thickness, hydraulic conductivity and fracture density in order shows an influence on the inflow.