• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.309-332
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• 2021

Natural barrier systems surrounding the geological repository for the high-level radioactive waste should guarantee the hydraulic performance for preventing or delaying the leakage of radionuclide. In the case of the behavior of a crystalline rock, the hydraulic performance tends to be decided by the existence of discontinuities, so the coupled hydro-mechanical(HM) processes on the discontinuities should be characterized. The discontinuum modelling can describe the complicated behavior of discontinuities including creation, propagation, deformation and slip, so it is appropriate to model the behavior of a crystalline rock. This paper investigated the coupled HM processes in discontinuum modelling such as UDEC, 3DEC, PFC, DDA, FRACOD and TOUGH-UDEC. Block-based discontinuum methods tend to describe the HM processes based on the fluid flow through the discontinuities, and some methods are combined with another numerical tool specialized in hydraulic analysis. Particle-based discontinuum modelling describes the overall HM processes based on the fluid flow among the particles. The discontinuum methods that are currently available have limitations: exclusive simulations for two-dimension, low hydraulic simulation efficiency, fracture-dominated fluid flow and simplified hydraulic analysis, so it could be improper to the modelling the geological repository. Based on the concepts of various discontinuum modelling compiled in this paper, the advanced numerical tools for describing the accurate coupled HM processes of the deep geological repository should be developed.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.65-78
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• 2008

In case of cut-slopes or shallow-depth tunnels, sliding along with discontinuities or rotation could play a critical role in judging stability. Although numerical analysis is widely used to check the stability of these cut-slopes and shallow-depth tunnels in early design process, common analysis programs are based on continuum model. Performing continuum model analysis regarding discontinuities is possible by reducing overall strength of jointed rock mass. It is also possible by applying ubiquitous joint model to Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria. In numerical analysis of cut-slope, main geotechnical properties such as cohesion, friction angle and elastic modulus can be evaluated by empirical equations. This study tried to compare two main systems, RMR and GSI system by applying them to in-situ hazardous cut-slopes. In addition, this study applied ubiquitous joint model to simulation model with inputs derived by RMR and GSI system to compare with displacements obtained by in-situ monitoring. To sum up, numerical analysis mixed with GSI inputs and ubiquitous joint model proved to provide most reliable results which were similar to actual displacements and their patterns.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2009

When a rock slope is excavated adjacent to a existing tunnel, the behavior of the existing tunnel in the jointed rock masses is greatly influenced by the joint conditions and slope status. In this study, the effects of joint dip and slope angle close to a tunnel are investigated through a large scale model using a biaxial test equipment ($3.1\;m\;{\times}\;3.1\;m\;{\times}\;0.50\;m$ (width $\times$ height $\times$ length)). The jointed rock masses were built by concrete blocks. The diameter of the modeled tunnel is 0.6 m and the dip angles of joint vary in the range of $0-90^{\circ}$. In addition, the excavated slope angle varies within $30{\sim}90^{\circ}$. Deformational behaviors of the tunnel were analyzed in consideration of joint dip and slope angle. With increase of the joint dip and slope angle, the magnitude of tunnel distortion and the moment of tunnel lining were increased. Rock mass displacement in horizontal was also dependent on the joint dip and the excavated slope angle, which indicated the optimal slope reinforcement for a specific rock mass conditions.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.385-401
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• 2024

Rock bolts play a crucial role in reinforcing rock slopes. However, a poorly grouted rock bolt occasionally occurs, potentially compromising the stability of a rock slope. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the integrity of a rock bolt using sound waves. In experiments, a total of five rock bolts are prepared, one of which is intact while the other four are poorly grouted. The grouted ratios of four poorly grouted rock bolts are 80%, 70%, 60%, and 50%, respectively, and nongrouted sections are introduced at the upper part of the rock bolts. Rock bolts are installed in a concrete block to simulate rock bolts embedded in a rock slope. Sound waves are generated by impacting the head of the rock bolt and measured using the built-in microphone of a smartphone. Measured sound waves are analyzed in frequency domain through Fourier transform. Results show that the predominant frequency of sound waves decreases as the grouted ratio decreases. This study suggests that the predominant frequency of sound waves can be an effective indicator for evaluating the integrity of the rock bolt.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.295-300
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• 2007

A method using detonating cord was suggested to control the blasting source for scaled model test. Blasting of 5 concrete block was carried out to verify the method. It was proved that blasting power can be controlled by suggested method. It seemed to be reasonable to use the reduction ratio based on the explosion heat.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.103-108
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• 2011

Along with series of concrete block experiments, a demolition experiment was conducted for a scaled concrete box girder bridge to investigate collapse and blast behavior. Tri nitro toluene (TNT), the standard explosive for strength was adopted as concussion charge. The result show that demolition was caused by not only direct detonation pressures at charging spots but also blast pressures at inner wall of concrete box girder.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.450-462
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• 2009

To analyze the behavioral characteristics of rocks on indirect tests and uniaxial compressive strength, researchers have investigated 1417 pieces of rock block, which include igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks in Korea. The same behavioral characteristics have been shown in every type of sedimentary rock and in the same species of rock in the case of Brazilian strength application. This suggests that correlations of rocks for geological considerations can lead to high reliability of the experimental results in case of an indirect method.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.332-345
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• 2019

Maximum dip vector of individual joint plane, which can be uniquely defined on the hemispherical projection plane, has been established by considering its dip and dip direction. A new stereographic projection method for the rock slope analysis which employs the maximum dip vector can intuitively predict the failure modes of rock slope. Since the maximum dip vector is uniquely projected on the maximum dip point of the great circle, the sliding direction of discontinuity plane can be recognized directly. By utilizing the maximum dip vector of discontinuity both the plane sliding and toppling directions of corresponding blocks can be discerned intuitively. Especially, by allocating the area of high dip maximum dip vector which can form the flanks of sliding block the potentiality for the formation of virtual sliding block has been estimated. Also, the potentiality of forming the triangular-sectioned sliding block has been determined by considering the dip angle of joint plane the dip direction of which is nearly opposite to that of the slope face. Safety factors of the different-shaped blocks of triangular section has been estimated and compared to the safety factor of the most hazardous block of rectangular section. For the wedge analysis the direction of crossline of two intersecting joint planes, which has same attribute of the maximum dip vector, is used so that wedge failures zone can be superimposed on the stereographic projection surface in which plane and toppling failure areas are already lineated. In addition the maximum dip vector zone of wedge top face has been delineated to extract the wedge top face-forming joint planes the orientation of which provides the vital information for the analysis of mechanical behavior of wedge block.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.6-13
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• 2013

Recently, complaints or environmental problems caused by the noise and dust generated from crusher of the mine and quarry are emerging. Therefore mining facilities such as crushers and mills have been installed in an underground. In order to facilitate crusher equipments in the underground, excavation of large space is required and then the stability of the large space underground structure is an important issue. In this study, the blast experiments, which use a block of the limestone, are performed. Based on the blast experiments, the numerical model was prepared and simulated using dynamic fracture process analysis code(DFPA) with considering the rising time of applied borehole pressure and microscopic tensile strength variation. Comparing the non-dimensional crack length and no-dimensional tensile strength obtained from blast experiments and numerical analyses, the input parameters of DFPA code for predicting a radial tensile crack in limestone blasting were determined.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.196-210
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• 2000

This study was aimed to verify the validity of the flexural toughness evaluation method of steel fiber reinforced shotcrete(SFRS) currently being adopted by Korea Highway Corporation(KHC). Total 33 beam specimens using six different kinds of steel fiber products were prepared at tunnel construction sites and flexural toughness tests were executed at laboratory. Equivalent flexural strengths and toughness quotients were evaluated from the tests following the KHC guide iud these were compared with the quality grades determined under the guides proposed by ASTM, ITA and EFNARC. To discard the disadvantage that the toughness quotient could be influenced by flexural strength when following the KHC guide, a modification substituting the designed flexural strength for the flexural strength in the toughness quotient calculation formula was proposed to rate the quality of SFRS more adequately.