• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.627-638
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• 2019

Estimation of representative elementary volume (REV) of jointed rock masses is critical to predict the mechanical behavior of field-scale rock masses. The REV of jointed rock masses at site is strongly influenced by stress state. The paper proposed a method to systematically studied the influence of confining stress on the REV of jointed rock masses with various strengths (weak, medium and strong), which were sourced from the water inlet slope of Xiaowan Hydropower Station, China. A finite element method considering material heterogeneity was employed, a series of two-dimensional (2D) models was established based on the Monte-Carlo method and a lot of biaxial compressive tests were conducted. Numerical results showed that the REV of jointed rock masses presented a step-like reduction as the normalized confining stress increased. Confining stress weakened the size effect of jointed rock masses, indicating that the REV determined under uniaxial compression test can be reasonably taken as the REV of jointed rock masses under complexed in-situ stress environment.

• 한국석유지질학회:학술대회논문집
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• autumn
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• pp.42-42
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• 2000

• 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.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Rock Mechanics Conference
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• 2000.09a
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• pp.55-61
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• 2000

For proper sampling of a rock and preparation of specimens, the representative elementary volume (REV) should be determined in rock mechanical test and numerical analysis. Mechanical properties of a rock, in general, would be strongly affected by mineral composition. In this reason REV of Youngju granite is determined by using stereoscopic microscope observation and homogenization numerical analysis. As the area of analysis model exceeds approximately 702 $ extrm{mm}^2$(900 elements), the change of the mineral composition is not observed. The calculated results indicate that Young's modulus is fluctuated with increase of the number of elements in homogenization numerical analysis mesh. However, as the number of elements exceeds 1156 (area of about 900 $ extrm{mm}^2$), Young's modulus does not change apparently.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.309-315
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• 2000

For proper sampling of a rock and preparation of specimens, the representative elementary volume (REV) should be determined in rock mechanical test and numerical analysis. Mechanical properties of a rock, in general, would be strongly affected by mineral composition. In this reason REV of Youngju granite is determined by using stereoscopic microscope observation and homogenization numerical analysis. As the area of analysis model exceeds approximately 702$\textrm{mm}^2$(900 elements), the change of the mineral composition is not observed. The calculated results indicate that Young's modulus is fluctuated with increase of the number of elements in homogenization numerical analysis mesh. However, as the number of elements exceeds 1156 (area of about 900$\textrm{mm}^2$), Young's modulus does not change apparently.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.639-652
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• 2012

A three-dimensional discrete fracture network model was developed in order to simulate the hydraulic characteristics of a granitic rock mass at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) Underground Research Tunnel (KURT). The model used a three-dimensional discrete fracture network (DFN), assuming a correlation between the length and aperture of the fractures, and a trapezoid flow path in the fractures. These assumptions that previous studies have not considered could make the developed model more practical and reasonable. The geologic and hydraulic data of the fractures were obtained in the rock mass at the KURT. Then, these data were applied to the developed fracture discrete network model. The model was applied in estimating the representative elementary volume (REV), the equivalent hydraulic conductivity tensors, and the amount of groundwater inflow into the tunnel. The developed discrete fracture network model can determine the REV size for the rock mass with respect to the hydraulic behavior and estimate the groundwater flow into the tunnel at the KURT. Therefore, the assumptions that the fracture length is correlated to the fracture aperture and the flow in a fracture occurs in a trapezoid shape appear to be effective in the DFN analysis used to estimate the hydraulic behavior of the fractured rock mass.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.59-72
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• 2022

This study employed a 3-D numerical analysis based on the distinct element method to estimate the strength and deformability of a Cretaceous biotite granitic rock mass at Gijang, Busan, Korea. A workflow was proposed to evaluate the scale effect and the representative elementary volume (REV) of mechanical properties for fractured rock masses. Directional strength and deformability parameters such as block strength, deformation modulus, shear modulus, and bulk modulus were estimated for a discrete fracture network (DFN) in a cubic block the size of the REV. The size of the mechanical REV for fractured rock masses in the study area was determined to be a 15 m cube. The mean block strength and mean deformation modulus of the DFN cube block were found to be 52.8% and 57.7% of the intact rock's strength and Young's modulus, respectively. A constitutive model was derived for the study area that describes the linear-elastic and orthotropic mechanical behavior of the rock mass. The model is expected to help evaluate the stability of tunnels and underground spaces through equivalent continuum analysis.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.258-276
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• 2018

The accurate and quantitative ground information on the hydraulic conductivity characteristics of rock mass is one of the key factors for evaluation of the hydro-geological behaviour of rock mass around an excavated opening under high water pressure. For tunnel and rock structures in seabed, where the sea acts as an infinite source of water, its importance become greater with increasing construction depth below sea level. In this study, to improve the problems related with poor system configuration and incorrect data acquisition of previous hydraulic packer testing equipment, we newly developed an integrated main frame and 30 bar level waterproof downhole sonde apparatus, which were optimized for deep hydraulic packer test in seabed rock mass. Integration of individual test equipment into one frame allows safe and efficient field testing work on a narrow offshore drilling platform. For the integrated type main frame, it is possible to make precise stepwise control of downhole net injection pressure at intervals of $2.0kg_f/cm^2$ or less with dual hydraulic oil volume controller. To ensure the system performance and the operational stability of the prototype mainframe and downhole sonde apparatus, the field feasibility tests were completed in two research boreholes, and using the developed apparatus, the REV(Representative Elementary Volume) scale deep hydraulic packer tests were successfully carried out at a borehole located in the basalt region, Jeju. In this paper, the characteristics of the new testing apparatus are briefly introduced and also some results from the laboratory and in-situ performance tests are shown.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.509-524
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• 2018

A hierarchical multi-scale modeling strategy devoted to the study of a Bitumen-Bound Gravel (BBG) is presented in this paper. More precisely, the paper investigates the temperature-dependent linear viscoelastic of the material when submitted to low deformations levels and moderate number of cycles. In such a hierarchical approach, 3D digital Representative Elementary Volumes are built and the outcomes at a scale (here, the sub-mesoscale) are used as input data at the next higher scale (here, the mesoscale). The viscoelastic behavior of the bituminous phases at each scale is taken into account by means of a generalized Maxwell model: the bulk part of the behavior is separated from the deviatoric one and bulk and shear moduli are expanded into Prony series. Furthermore, the viscoelastic phases are considered to be thermorheologically simple: time and temperature are not independent. This behavior is reproduced by the Williams-Landel-Ferry law. By means of the FE simulations of stress relaxation tests, the parameters of the various features of this temperature-dependent viscoelastic behavior are identified.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.365-386
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• 2010

This paper presents the physical formulation of a 1D material model suitable for seismic applications. It is written within the framework of thermodynamics with internal variables that is, especially, very efficient for the phenomenological representation of material behaviors at macroscale: those of the representative elementary volume. The model can reproduce the main characteristics observed for concrete, that is nonsymetric loading rate-dependent (viscoelasticity) behavior with appearance of permanent deformations and local hysteresis (continuum plasticity), stiffness degradation (continuum damage), cracking due to displacement localization (discrete plasticity or damage). The parameters have a clear physical meaning and can thus be easily identified. Although this point is not detailed in the paper, this material model is developed to be implemented in a finite element computer program. Therefore, for the benefit of the robustness of the numerical implementation, (i) linear state equations (no local iteration required) are defined whenever possible and (ii) the conditions in which the presented model can enter the generalized standard materials class - whose elements benefit from good global and local stability properties - are clearly established. To illustrate the capabilities of this model - among them for Earthquake Engineering applications - results of some numerical applications are presented.