• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.297-309
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• 2012

The stability assessment of abandoned gangway for the purpose of services was performed. Among the many factors that affect the stability of openings, the span of the opening in a given rock mass condition provides an important element of design. In this paper, the stability of gangway was assessed by the critical span curves proposed by Lang, the modified Mathews'stability graph method and using support measures of the Q system. In the evaluation of stability as a whole the gangway is considered as stable. But the rockfalls of wedge-shaped blocks were expected in the area in which the horizontal joints of low angle appear. The support measures such as local rock bolts are required to use for commercial purposes of the abandoned gangway. And entrance section may require the particular attention as unstable section. Since there are so many spalling due to bad blasting in the roof and sidewall of gangway, the scaling operations should be followed primarily.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.181-191
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• 2011

It is very difficult to prepare a lab. test specimen from weak rock masses affected by faults, highly fractured zone or weathered zone. In conventional method of in situ direct shear test a rock block is sheared inside galleries, where reactions for the hydraulic jacks are available. A new in situ direct shear test apparatus has been developed in this study to perform the test inside galleries as well as open pit conditions. The apparatus is composed of normal and shear reaction plates including load transfer plates, hydraulic cylinder systems, load cells, multistage shear boxes with fixing devices, and needle rollers. Maximum size of the test block is $400{\times}400{\times}460$ mm, and procedures of the test block preparation has been suggested. To explore the field applicability of in situ direct shear test apparatus, proper test block site was investigated by extensive geological field survey. In situ direct shear test has been successful in producing most of information related to strength and deformability of the weak rock.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.13-23
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• 2010

Toppling failure of a slope is defined as failure behavior accompanying the rotation of rock block which is different from other failure such as sliding along with discontinuities and so on. It generally occurs in the region that discontinuities were developed with inverse dip direction to a slope and it could play a critical role in judging stability of slope. In this study, the stability evaluation was performed about toppling failure on a jointed road cut-slope. To check the deformation behavior, numerical analysis is widely used. However common analysis programs are based on continuum model. Recently, many methods that discontinuity properties can be considered in continuum analysis are suggested. In this study, numerical analysis based on FEM(Finite Element Method) was performed using interface element applied in heterogeneous boundary to simulate effects of discontinuities.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.15 no.4 s.57
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• pp.305-315
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• 2005

DDA (Discontinuous Deformation Anlaysis) is one of the latest numerical analysis which has merits of both FEM and DEM. In this research a new edge-to-edge contact algorithm was applied on DDA. With adoption of new edge-to-edge contact state definition, sub-algorithm was improved about open-close iteration, contact state judge, contact detecting, and friction forces acting on joints. Newly applied DDA was verified based on two different cases. The DDA results show good agreement with numerically predicted one.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.15 no.6 s.59
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• pp.425-431
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• 2005

A series of geotechnical surveys and in-situ tests were carried out to evaluate the stability of underground mine cave in an abandoned coal mine. After the closure of the mine, the underground mine drifts have been utilized for a tourist route since 1999. The dimension of the main cave is 5m width, 3m height and 230m length. The surrounding rock mass of the cave is consist of black shale, coal and limestone. Also, the main cave is intersected by two fault zone. Detailed field investigations including Rock Mass Rating(RMR), Geological Strength Index(GSI) and Q classification were performed to evaluate the stability of the main cave and to examine the necessity of reinforcement. Based on the results of rock mass classification and numerical analysis, suitable support design was recommended for the main cave. RMR and Q values of the rock masses were classified in the range of fair to good. According to the support categories proposed by Grimstad & Barton(1993), these classes fall in the reinforcement category of the Type 3 to Type 1. A Type 3 reinforcement category signifies systematic bolting and no support is necessary for the Type 1 case. From the result of numerical analysis, it was inferred that additional support on the several unstable blocks is required to ensure stability of the cave.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.43-53
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• 2012

Stability of cut-slope, the orientation and dimension of which are gradually changed, has been analyzed by employing the cross-section method capable of comprehensibly considering the lithological, structural and mechanical characteristics of slope rock. Lithological fragility is investigated by inspecting the drilled core logs and BIPS image has been taken to delineate the rock structure. Engineering properties of drilled-core including the joint shear strength have been also measured. Potential failure modes of cut-slope and failure-induced joints are identified by performing the stereographic projection analysis. Traces of potential failure-induced joints are drawn on the cross-section which depicts the excavated geometry of cut-slope. Considering the distribution of potential plane failure-induced joint traces blocks of plane failure mode are hypothetically formed. The stabilities and required reinforcements of plane failure blocks located at the different excavation depth have been calculated to confirm the applicability of the cross-section method for the optimum cut-slope design.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.303-311
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• 2017

The correlation analysis between the results obtained from DFN flow model and equivalent continuum flow model were conducted on total of 72 DFN blocks having various fracture geometry and domain size. A strong linear relation seems to exist between the two approaches under condition that normalized relative error for continuum behavior (ER) is less than 0.2, and the results from both methods are found to almost identical. To explore the field applicability of equivalent continuum flow model in DFN media, a total of 48 numerical schemes related to inflow of underground circular openings were implemented under various DFN configurations. The equivalent continuum flow model in DFN media with a constant hydraulic aperture was evaluated as valid. However, as the anisotropy increases due to variation of the hydraulic aperture, the results are likely to be overestimated compare to the DFN flow model.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.14-21
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• 2019

Distinct element method is a powerful numerical tool for modelling the jointed rock masses. It is also a useful tool for modelling of later stage of blasting requiring large displacement. The distinct element method utilizes a rigid block idea in which the interacting force between distinct elements is calculated from contact displacement as elements penetrate slightly. The properties of joints defined as the boundaries of distinct elements are critical parameters to determine the block behavior, and affect the deformation and failure mode. However, regardless of real joint properties, joint stiffnesses have sometimes been selected without special concern just to prevent elements from penetrating too far into each other in some quasi-static problems. Depending on whether the main interest in the analysis is the prediction of the deformation with high precision, or the prediction of the block behaviour after failure, the input data such as joint stiffness may or may not have a significant effect on the results. The purpose of this study is to provide a sound understanding of the effect of the joint stiffness on the distinct element analysis results, and to help guide the selection of input data.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.451-468
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• 2021

Predicting hazardous ground conditions ahead of a TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) tunnel face is essential for efficient and stable TBM advance. Although there have been several studies on the electrical resistivity survey method for TBM tunnelling, sufficient experimental data considering TBM advance were not established yet. Therefore, in this study, the laboratory-scale model experiments for simulating TBM excavation were carried out to analyze the applicability of an electrical resistivity survey for predicting hazardous ground conditions ahead of a TBM tunnel face. The trend of electrical resistivity during TBM advance was experimentally evaluated under various hazardous ground conditions (fault zone, seawater intruded zone, soil to rock transition zone, and rock to soil transition zone) ahead of a tunnel face. In the course of the experiments, a scale-down rock ground was provided using granite blocks to simulate the rock TBM tunnelling. Based on the experimental data, the electrical resistivity tends to decrease as the tunnel approaches the fault zone. While the seawater intruded zone follows a similar trend with the fault zone, the resistivity value of the seawater intrude zone decreased significantly compared to that of the fault zone. In case of the soil-to-rock transition zone, the electrical resistivity increases as the TBM approaches the rock with relatively high electrical resistivity. Conversely, in case of the rock-to-soil transition zone, the opposite trend was observed. That is, electrical resistivity decreases as the tunnel face approaches the rock with relatively low electrical resistivity. The experiment results represent that hazardous ground conditions (fault zone, seawater intruded zone, soil-to-rock transition zone, rock-to-soil transition zone) can be efficiently predicted by utilizing an electrical resistivity survey during TBM tunnelling.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.139-153
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• 2003

Subsurface information is one of the most important factors in the archaeological excavation. To obtain the information on the underground, geophysical prospecting is becoming a popular method. This study is on the small rocky islands located 200m away from the shoreline of Gampo, Gyeongju city, Korea. According to the historical records and field surveys, it was revealed as the tomb of King Munmu of Shilla Dynasty. However, the questions and debates, such as whether it is really the tomb of King Moonmu or not, and whether it is a buried place or not, are still remains, in addition to the incompletion of precise surveying and scientific studies. The scope of this study contains the researches on the above problems and debates using the geophysical and geological methods and techniques. The rocky islands around the submerged Tomb of King Moonmu is composed of granite, and sag exists inside of the islands. Sea water enters through the east groove by wave and is drained to the west slot by hydraulic gradient, since west slot is 15cm lower than the east. Sag inside of the islands is believed to be extended and widened from pre-existed sinkage by applying tools like chisel in the joints and cracks. It is concluded that the submerged megalith inside of sag was from the rock block which was developed by joints. Geophysical surveys reveal that there is no artificial structure or stone/china/steel chest, under the m egalith and rocky island. Researches show that the tomb of King Moonmu was constructed in the small rocky island artificially. However, the evidences show that planners and constructors of the tomb made every possible effort to preserve the natural environment and condition. It is strongly believed that the megalith was sort of alter to sprinkle bone-ash rather than buried place.