• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.303-319
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• 2015

Text mining is one of the branches of data mining and is used to find any meaningful information from the large amount of text. In this study, we analyzed titles and keywords of two SCI journals on rock engineering by using text mining to find major research area, trend and associations of research fields. Visualization of the results was also included for the intuitive understanding of the results. Two journals showed similar research fields but different patterns in the associations among research fields. IJRMMS showed simple network, that is one big group based on the keyword 'rock' with a few small groups. On the other hand, RMRE showed a complex network among various medium groups. Trend analysis by clustering and linear regression of keyword - year frequency matrix provided that most of the keywords increased in number as time goes by except a few descending keywords.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.499-511
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• 2019

The reliability of reinforced concrete structures is frequently compromised by the deterioration caused by reinforcement corrosion. Evaluating the effect caused by reinforcement corrosion on structural behaviour of corrosion damaged concrete structures is essential for effective and reliable infrastructure management. In lifecycle management of corrosion affected reinforced concrete structures, it is difficult to correctly assess the lifecycle performance due to the uncertainties associated with structural resistance deterioration. This paper presents a stochastic deterioration modelling approach to evaluate the performance deterioration of corroded concrete structures during their service life. The flexural strength deterioration is analytically predicted on the basis of bond strength evolution caused by reinforcement corrosion, which is examined by the experimental and field data available. An assessment criterion is defined to evaluate the flexural strength deterioration for the time-dependent reliability analysis. The results from the worked examples show that the proposed approach is capable of evaluating the structural reliability of corrosion damaged concrete structures.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.375-383
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• 2019

In underground retreating longwall coal mining, hard roof collapse is one of the most challenging safety problems for mined-out areas. Identifying precursors for hard roof collapse is of great importance for the development of warning systems related to collapse geohazards and ground control. In this case study, the Xinhe mine was chosen because it is a standard mine and the minable coal seam usually lies beneath hard strata. Real-time monitoring of hard roof collapse was performed in longwall face 5301 of the Xinhe mine using support resistance and microseismic (MS) monitoring; five hard roof collapse cases were identified. To reveal the characteristics of MS activity during hard roof collapse development and to identify its precursors, the change in MS parameters, such as MS event rate, energy release, bursting strain energy, b value and the relationships with hard roof collapse, were studied. This research indicates that some MS parameters showed irregularity before hard roof collapse. For the Xinhe coalmine, a substantial decrease in b value and a rapid increase in MS event rate were reliable hard roof collapse precursors. It is suggested that the b value has the highest predictive sensitivity, and the MS event rate has the second highest.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.28-36
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• 2013

The underground coal which is buried in the ground will have a lot of attention to overcome energy crisis as an energy resources standpoint. Many studies of underground coal gasification have been also conducted because of its advantage which does not require mining. In this study, the simulation of underground coal gasification process was carried out with Aspen Plus. This study was executed by Rock Mountain 1 Underground Coal Gasification project in the United States in the late 1980s as a reference. Sensitivity analysis proceeded to investigate synthesis gas characteristics following different injection condition of oxidizing agent. The underground coal gasification model has been implemented. That is divided into drying, pyrolysis, char gasification and the simulation results was confirmed by the production gas flow, yield of synthesis gas and amount of gasified carbon from results of the actual experimental data.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.108-123
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• 2019

In recent years, as safety management in underground mines has become more important in the worldwide, mine safety management technologies combining information communication technology such as real-time worker position tracking, monitoring system and equipment remote control have been developed. Wireless communication system is mainly applied to these technologies for the flexibility of network configuration. There are some cases the monitoring system was installed in domestic underground mines, but, it is necessary to develop the technology more suitable for domestic mining standard. In this study, we developed the real-time environmental monitoring system using ZigBee technology and examined the result of application to domestic limestone mine. Furthermore, applicability of the developed environment monitoring system to $VentSim^{TM}$ LiveView was checked. This study is expected to contribute to the related studies like the optimization of the ventilation system in underground mines.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.388-398
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• 2023

The changes in groundwater flow due to mining development act as a contributing factor to major issues such as ground subsidence, strength reduction and collapse. For the sustainable mining development, measures for dealing with fluctuations in seasonal underground water inflow, power losses, pump damage, and unexpected increases in inflow must be put in place. In this study, the aim is to identify the causes of underground seepage through the examination of hydrological connectivity between the study area and nearby limestone mine. A tracer tes for assessing subsurface connectivity has been planned. A variety of tracers, such as dyes and ions, were applied in lab test to select the optimal tracer material, and a hydrological model of the study area was implemented through field test. Finally, the hydrological connectivity between the external stream and underground water in the mine was analyzed.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.223-235
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• 2002

Since weak Bones or geological lineaments are likely to be eroded, there may develop weak Bones beneath rivers, and a careful evaluation of ground condition is important to construct structures passing through a river. DC resistivity method, however, has seldomly applied to the investigation of water-covered area, possibly because of difficulties in data aquisition and interpretation. The data aquisition having high quality may be the most important factor, and is more difficult than that in land survey, due to the water layer overlying the underground structure to be imaged. Through the numerical modeling and the analysis of a case history, we studied the method of resistivity survey at the water-covered area, starting from the characteristics of measured data, via data acquisition method, to the interpretation method. We unfolded our discussion according to the installed locations of electrodes, ie., floating them on the water surface, and installing them at the water bottom, because the methods of data acquisition and interpretation vary depending on the electrode location. Through this study, we could confirm that the DC resistivity method can provide fairly reasonable subsurface images. It was also shown that installing electrodes at the water bottom can give the subsurface image with much higher resolution than floating them on the water surface. Since the data acquired at the water-covered area have much lower sensitivity to the underground structure than those at the land, and can be contaminated by the higher noise, such as streaming potential, it would be very important to select the acquisition method and electrode array being able to provide the higher signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ratio) data as well as the high resolving power. Some of the modified electrode arrays can provide the data having reasonably high S/N ratio and need not to install remote electrode(s), and thus, they may be suitable to the resistivity survey at the water-covered area.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.269-288
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• 2016

The jointed rock mass behavior often plays a major role in the design of underground excavation, and their failures during excavation and in operation, are usually closely related to joints. This research attempts to evaluate the effects of two basic geometric factors influencing tunnel behavior in a jointed rock mass; joints spacing and joints orientation. A hybridized indirect boundary element code known as TFSDDM (Two-dimensional Fictitious Stress Displacement Discontinuity Method) is used to study the stress distribution around the tunnels excavated in jointed rock masses. This numerical analysis revealed that both the dip angle and spacing of joints have important influences on stress distribution on tunnel walls. For example the tensile and compressive tangential stresses at the boundary of the circular tunnel increase by reduction in the joint spacing, and by increase the dip joint angle the tensile stress in the tunnel roof decreases.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.293-299
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• 2018

This paper has the aim of estimating the applicability of a numerical approach to the Hyperstatic Reaction Method (HRM) for the analysis of segmental tunnel linings. For this purpose, a simplified three-dimensional (3D) numerical model, using the $FLAC^{3D}$ finite difference software, has been developed, which allows analysing in a rigorous way the effect of the lining segmentation on the overall behaviour of the lining. Comparisons between the results obtained with the HRM and those determined by means of the simplified 3D numerical model show that the proposed HRM method can be used to investigate the behaviour of a segmental tunnel lining.