• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2022

In the present study, a physical model was built for the Jintan underground gas storage cavern group according to the similarity theory. In this regard, four ellipsoid caverns were built with scaled in-situ stresses and internal pressure. Then the stability of underground caverns was analyzed. The obtained results demonstrate that loss of internal pressure adversely affects the safety of caverns and attention should be paid during the operation of gas storage.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.481-495
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• 2015

Many hydropower stations in southwest China are located in regions of brittle rock mass with high geo-stresses. Under these conditions deep fractured zones often occur in the sidewalls of the underground caverns of a power station. The theory and methods of fracture and damage mechanics are therefore adopted to study the phenomena. First a flexibility matrix is developed to describe initial geometric imperfections of a jointed rock mass. This model takes into account the area and orientation of the fractured surfaces of multiple joint sets, as well as spacing and density of joints. Using the assumption of the equivalent strain principle, a damage constitutive model is established based on the brittle fracture criterion. In addition the theory of fracture mechanics is applied to analyze the occurrence of secondary cracks during a cavern excavation. The failure criterion, for rock bridge coalescence and the damage evolution equation, has been derived and a new sub-program integrated into the FLAC-3D software. The model has then been applied to the stability analysis of an underground cavern group of a hydropower station in Sichuan province, China. The results of this method are compared with those obtained by using a conventional elasto-plastic model and splitting depth calculated by the splitting failure criterion proposed in a previous study. The results are also compared with the depth of the relaxation and fracture zone in the surrounding rock measured by field monitoring. The distribution of the splitting zone obtained both by the proposed model and by the field monitoring measurements are consistent to the validity of the theory developed herein.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.599-608
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• 2009

This study was conducted to examine chemical characteristics and correlations among seepage water, subsurface waters and inland groundwater in and around a coastal underground LPG cavern using factor and cluster analyses. The study area is located in western coast of Incheon metropolitan city and is about 8 km off the coast. The LPG cavern storing propane and butane was built beneath artificially reclaimed island. Mean bathymetry is 8.5 m and maximum sea level change is 10 m. Water sampling was conducted in May and August, 2006 from 22 sampling points. Correlation analysis showed strong correlations among $Fe^{2+}$ and $Mn^{2+}$ (r=0.83~0.99), and Na and Cl (r=0.70~0.97), which indicated reductive dissolution of iron and manganese bearing minerals and seawater ingression effect, respectively. According to factor analysis, Factors 1 (May) and I (August) showed high loadings for parameters representing seawater ingression into the cavern and effect of submarine groundwater discharge, respectively while Factors 2 and IV showed high loadings for those representing oxidation condition (DO and ORP). Factors 4 and II have large positive loadings for $Fe^{2+}$ and $Mn^{2+}$. The increase of $Fe^{2+}$ and $Mn^{2+}$ was related to decomposition of organic matter and subsequent their dissolution under reduced condition. Cluster analysis showed the resulting 6 groups for May and 5 groups for August, which mainly included groups of inland groundwater, cavern seepage water, sea water and subsurface water in the LPG storage cavern. Subsurface water (Group 2 and Group III) around the underground storage cavern showed high EC and major ions contents, which represents the seawater effect. Cavern seepage water (Group 5 and Group II) showed a reduced condition (low DO and negative ORP) and higher levels of $Fe^{2+}$ and $Mn^{2+}$.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.595-609
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• 2017

Due to high in-situ stress and brittleness of rock mass, the surrounding rock masses of underground caverns are prone to appear splitting failure. In this paper, a kind of loading-unloading variable elastic modulus model has been initially proposed and developed based on energy dissipation principle, and the stress state of elements has been determined by a splitting failure criterion. Then the underground caverns of Dagangshan hydropower station is analyzed using the above model. For comparing with the monitoring results, the entire process of rock splitting failure has been achieved through monitoring the splitting failure on side walls of large-scale caverns in Dagangshan via borehole TV, micro-meter and deformation resistivity instrument. It shows that the maximum depth of splitting area in the downstream sidewall of the main power house is approximately 14 m, which is close to the numerical results, about 12.5 m based on the energy dissipation model. As monitoring result, the calculation indicates that the key point displacement of caverns decreases firstly with the distance from main powerhouse downstream side wall rising, and then increases, because this area gets close to the side wall of main transformer house and another smaller splitting zone formed here. Therefore it is concluded that the energy dissipation model can preferably present deformation and fracture zones in engineering, and be very useful for similar projects.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.319-325
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• 2013

The objective of this study is to assess risks which might occur in connection with the storage of the highly compressed air in underground opening. Risk factors were selected throughout literature survey and analysis for the characteristic of CAES. Large risk factors were categorized in three components; planning and design phase, construction phase, and operation & maintenance phases. Large category was composed of 8 medium risk groups and 24 sub-risks. AHP technique was applied in order to analyze the questionnaires answered by experts and high-risk factors were selected by evaluating the relative importance of risks. AHP analysis showed that the operation & maintenance phases are the highest risk group among three components of large category and the highest risk group of eight medium risk groups is risk associated with the quality and safety. Risk having the highest risk level in 24 sub-risks is evaluated to be a failure of tightness security of inner containment storing compressed air.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 1998.10a
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• pp.377-380
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• 1998

방사능 핵폐기물 처분장 부지선정을 위해서는 암반의 특성화 작업이 선행되어야 한다. 특성화 작업이 선행되어야 한다. 특성화 작업은 암반은 열적, 역학적 및 수리적 거동 특성을 분석할 수 있는 수치모델을 개발하여, 국내 환경에 적합한 설계안을 조기에 설립할 수 있는 Program을 포함해야 한다. 이러한 목적을 달성하기 위한 초기단계로서, 현대엔지니어링 주식회사는 이 분야에 40년 이상의 경험과 기술을 축적하고 있는 세계적인 핵관련 연구소인 미국 샌디아 국립연구소 (Sandia National Laboratories)와 공동연구 등을 통해 서로간의 기술간의 기술을 공유하자는 "상호 기술협정(MOU)"을 '98년 5월 21일 맺었다. 본 연구는 이러한 취지하에 진행하고 있는 전체 Program의 일부로서 기본계획을 발포하여 향후 기술개발에 참여할 수 있는 산학연 협동체 구성 및 역할 분담을 통한 기초연구를 수행하고, 2000년 초반기에 한국에서 대구될 수 있는 처분장 처리문제를 미리 수행하려는데 일차적인 목적이 있다.적인 목적이 있다.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.107-114
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• 2015

This study focuses on assessing risks which might occur in operation stage of CAES storage cavern and analyzing fire scenarios for the risk that have been assessed with highest risk level. Risks in operation stage were categorized into upper risk group and lower risk group. Components of upper risk group are technical risk, facility risk and natural disaster risk. Lower risk group is composed of 11 sub-risks. 20 experts were chosen to survey questionnaires. ANP model was applied to analyze the relative importance of 11 sub-risks. Results of risk analysis were compared with risk criterion to set risk priorities, and the highest risk was determined to be 'occurrence of the fire within the management opening'. Three fire scenarios were developed for the highest risk level and FDS (Fire dynamics Simulator) was used to analyze these scenarios. No. 3 scenario which air blows from tunnel into outside atmosphere represented that a rate of smoke spread was the fastest among three fire scenarios and a smoke descended most quickly below the limit line of breathing. Thus, No. 3 scenario turned out to be the most unfavorable condition when operating staffs were evacuated from access tunnel.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.173-194
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• 2017

Access shaft is of critical importance to the construction and operation of underground rock caverns. It usually has a relatively large cross-section and penetrates through fill materials, soil layers, and weathered rocks before reaching the caverns excavated in solid bedrock. In this paper, the design and construction of vertical shafts are reviewed in terms of diameter, depth, geological conditions, and support structure. Three shaft alternatives, namely alternative I: vertical shaft with spiral roads, alternative II: upper shaft with spiral roads & lower tunnels, alternative III: plain shaft, are proposed based on a simplified geological profile of the Jurong formation, Singapore. The advantages and limitations of the three types of shafts are discussed. The key issues relating to shaft design and construction, such as the shaft sinking, water control, support structure, are also discussed with a series of solutions provided, such as the sequential excavation, pre-grouting and diaphragm walls.