• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.271-285
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• 2020

In this study, a numerical experiment related to the stress-strain analysis was performed on 3-D discrete fracture network(DFN) systems based on the distinct element method to evaluate the effect of joint geometry on deformability of jointed rock masses. Using one or two joint sets with deterministic orientation, a total of 12 3-D DFN blocks having 10m cube domain were generated with different joint density and size distribution. Directional deformation modulus of the DFN cube blocks were estimated along the axis directions of 3-D cartesian coordinate. In addition, deviatoric stress directions were chosen at every 30° of trend and plunge in 3-D for some DFN blocks to examine the variability of directional deformation modulus with respect to joint geometry. The directional deformation modulus of the DFN block were found to reduce with the increase of joint size distribution. The increase in joint density was less likely to have a significant effect on directional deformation modulus of the DFN block in case of the effect of rock bridges was relatively large because of short joint size distribution. It, however, was evaluated that the longer the joint size, the increase in the joint density had a more significant effect on the anisotropic deformation modulus of the DFN block. The variation of the anisotropic deformation modulus according to the variations in joint density and size distribution was highly dependent on the number of joint sets and their orientation in the DFN block. Finally, this study addressed a numerical procedure for stress-strain analysis of jointed rock masses considering joint geometry and discussed a methodology for practical application at the field scale.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.41-57
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• 2022

A workflow is presented to estimate the size of a representative elementary volume and 3-D hydraulic conductivity tensor based on fluid flow analysis for a discrete fracture network (DFN). A case study is considered for a Cretaceous granitic rock mass at Gijang in Busan, Korea. The intensity and size of joints were calibrated using the first invariant of the fracture tensor for the 2-D DFN of the study area. Effective hydraulic apertures were obtained by analyzing the results of field packer tests. The representative elementary volume of the 2-D DFN was determined to be 20 m square by investigating the variations in the directional hydraulic conductivity for blocks of different sizes. The directional hydraulic conductivities calculated from the 2-D DFN exhibited strong anisotropy related to the hydraulic behavior of the study area. The 3-D hydraulic conductivity tensor for the fractured rock mass of the study area was estimated from the directional block conductivities of the 2-D DFN blocks generated for various directions in 3-D. The orientations of the principal components of the 3-D hydraulic conductivity tensor were found to be identical to those of delineated joint sets in the study area.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2016

A program code was developed to calculate block hydraulic conductivity of the 2-D DFN(discrete fracture network) system based on equivalent pipe network, and implemented to examine the effect of joint orientation distribution on the hydraulic characteristics of fractured rock masses through numerical experiments. A rock block of size $32m{\times}32m$ was used to generate the DFN systems using two joint sets with fixed input parameters of joint frequency and gamma distributed joint size, and various normal distributed joint trend. DFN blocks of size $20m{\times}20m$ were selected from center of the $32m{\times}32m$ blocks to avoid boundary effect. Twelve fluid flow directions were chosen every $30^{\circ}$ starting at $0^{\circ}$. The directional block conductivity including the theoretical block conductivity, principal conductivity tensor and average block conductivity were estimated for generated 180 2-D DFN blocks. The effect of joint orientation distribution on block hydraulic conductivity and chance for the equivalent continuum behavior of the 2-D DFN system were found to increase with the decrease of mean intersection angle of the two joint sets. The effect of variability of joint orientation on block hydraulic conductivity could not be ignored for the DFN having low intersection angle between two joint sets.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.279-288
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• 2001

Jointed rock mass can be analyzed by either continuum model or discontinuum model. Finite element method or finite difference method is mainly used for continuum modelling. Although discontinuum model is very attractive in analyzing the behavior of each block in jointed blocky rock masses, it has shortcomings such that it is difficult to investigate each joint exactly with the present technology and the amount of calculation in computer becomes trio excessive. Moreover, in case of the jointed blocky rock mass which has more than 2 dominant joint sets, it is impossible to model the behavior of each block. Therefore, a model such as ubiquitous joint model theory which assumes the rock mass as a continuum, is required. In the case of tunnels, unlike slopes, it is not easy to obtain safety factor by utilizing analysis method based on limit equilibrium method because it is difficult to assume the shape of failure surface in advance. For this reason, numerical analyses for tunnels have been limited to analyzing stability rather than in calculating the safety factor. In this study, the behavior of a tunnel excavated in jointed rock mass is analyzed numerically by using ubiquitous joint model which can incorporate 2 joint sets and a method to calculate safety factor of the tunnel numerically is presented. To this end, stress reduction technique is adopted.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.118-124
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• 2008

Allowable level of blasting vibration for earth retaining wall was examined in this study. Blasting vibration was measured at near field blasting to evaluate the influence of the blasting work to earth retaining wall and rear ground. Although small scale blasting with $0.5{\sim}2.0kg$ explosives per round merely influenced to the structure and ground, but it was suggested to blast at the distance of twice the least burden considering the block movement.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.275-283
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• 2010

Recently, the observational design and construction method in tunnels has been becoming important. Rock masses include various discontinuities such as joints, faults, fractures, bedding planes, and, cracks. The behavior of tunnels in hard rocks, therefore, is generally controlled by various discontinuities. In this study, a new key block analysis method for observational design and construction method in tunnels is proposed, and then applied to the actual tunnel with a super-large cross-section. The proposed analysis method considers finite persistence of discontinuities. The new analysis method can handle concave and convex shaped blocks. To demonstrate the applicability of this key block analysis method for observational design and construction method in tunnels, the analysis results are examined and compared with those of the conventional method.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.291-303
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• 2002

In this study, three-dimensional block generation program was developed using the discontinuities input data for three-dimensional mechanical and hydro-mechanical analysis. Shi's two dimensional theory and program was extended to those of three-dimension and the deformations of blocks were calculated. The two-dimensional hyro-mechanical theory of DDA was also extended to three-dimensional theory and coupling deformation of the underground cavern was analyzed considering discontinuities.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.351-358
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• 1998

A statistical method for assessing the joint persistence based on the in-situ measurement of joint trace length has been derived. This method utilizes the probability density distribution of either the joint trace length or the diameter of hypothetically circular joint diameter depending on the relative size of joint surface to that of the potential keyblock. The stability of potential keyblock with different sizes and joint persistences has been also calculated to illustrate the applicability of the developed method to the design and the safe excavation of large scale underground openings.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.61-71
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• 2017

The effects of joint density and size distribution on the hydrogeologic characteristics of jointed rock masses are addressed through numerical experiments based on the 2-D DFN (discrete fracture network) fluid flow analysis. Using two joint sets, a total of 51 2-D joint network system were generated with various joint density and size distribution. Twelve fluid flow directions were chosen every $30^{\circ}$ starting at $0^{\circ}$, and total of 612 $20m{\times}20m$ DFN blocks were prepared to calculate the directional block conductivity. Also, the theoretical block conductivity, principal conductivity tensor and average block conductivity for each generated joint network system were determined. The directional block conductivity and chance for the equivalent continuum behavior of the 2-D DFN system were found to increase with the increase of joint density or size distribution. However, the anisotropy of block hydraulic conductivity increases with the increase of density discrepancy between the joint sets, and the chance for the equivalent continuum behavior were found to decrease. The smaller the intersection angle of the two joint sets, the more the equivalent continuum behavior were affected by the change of joint density and size distribution. Even though the intersection angle is small enough that it is difficult to have equivalent continuum behavior, the chance for anisotropic equivalent continuum behavior increases as joint density or size distribution increases.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.475-483
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• 2016

A numerical analysis model capable of predicting the shape, the size and the potentiality of collapse of tetrahedral blocks considering the persistence obtained from the field survey of joint distribution around the underground excavation surface has been developed. Numerical functions of analyzing both the exposed trace distribution on the excavation surface and the formation of tetrahedral block controlled by the extent of joint surface have been established and linked to the previously developed three dimensional deterministic block analysis model. To illustrate the reliability of advanced numerical model the case of underground excavation in which the collapse of rock block had practically taken place was studied. Representative orientations of joint sets was determined based on the joint distribution pattern observed on the excavation surfaces. The formation of block on the roof of underground opening was analyzed to unveil the potential tetrahedral block the shape of which was very similar to the collapsed rock block. Mechanisms of collapse process has been also analyzed by considering the three dimensional shape of tetrahedral block.