• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.379-393
• /
• 2019

For the economical construction of a tunnel by TBM, the selection of TBM optimized with the various project conditions is important, and also necessary to predict the performances of selected TBM in advance. This study was conducted to comprehensively evaluate the performance of the EPB shield TBM screw conveyor by the discrete element method. The sticky particles were used for the excavated material models, and screw conveyor with 11 different inclined angles were simulated to evaluate the performance depending on the different inclined angles. The four different rotational speed conditions of the screw were used, and torque, required power, extra energy for muck discharge, and the muck discharge rate were selected as four performance indicators. As a result, the optimized inclined angle was selected, and selected angle accords with the fact that EPB shield TBM screw conveyor is generally installed and adjusted at the inclined angle between 20.0° and 30.0° in the field.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.394-406
• /
• 2019

Difficult ground conditions (e.g., fault zone and mixed grounds) are highly probable to appear in subsea and urban tunnels because of the shallow working depth and alluvial characteristics. TBM usually experienced decrease of penetration rate and increase of downtime when it meets these difficult ground conditions. The problems are usually caused by the adverse geological conditions, and it is preferable to determine the optimal operational parameters of TBM based on the previous operational data obtained while excavating a preceding tunnel. This study carried out for efficient TBM excavation in fault zone and mixed grounds. TBM excavation data from the tunnel site in Singapore and the characteristics of the TBM excavation data was analyzed. The key operational parameters (i.e., thrust, torque, and RPM), penetration rate, and downtime were highly influenced by the presence of fault zones and mixed grounds, and the features was discussed. It is expected that the results and main discussions will be useful information for future tunneling projects in similar geological conditions.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.532-541
• /
• 2019

Even though shotcrete is a main support for securing the stability of tunnel, the performance of shotcrete is not properly checked due to various difficulties arisen from the characteristics of materials themselves which constitute shotcrete, such as steel fibers and accelerators, and the on-site quality control. In this study, the actual conditions of shotcrete applied to expressway tunnel construction sites were tried to find out, and then some improvement was tried to derive. For this purpose, the characteristics of steel fibers and accelerators supplied to the expressway construction sites were investigated. Also, shotcrete specimens were prepared at the tunnel sites and performance tests were carried out. For steel fiber, domestic production states were investigated, and carbon content and tensile strength were measured using the steel fibers collected in the construction sites. For three types of accelerators such as aluminate, cement mineral and alkali-free, basic properties and total amount of alkali contents were analyzed. Shotcrete specimens were prepared using on-site shotcrete machine with regard to mix designs and types of accelerators. Using these specimens, uniaxial compression tests and flexural tests were performed. As the results, compressive strength, flexural strength, flexural toughness, and etc. were compared with types of acclerators and mix designs.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.407-424
• /
• 2019

To prevent possible accidents by surface subsidence, backfilling operation is known to be one of the most effective methods for ensuring the long-term ground stability because it can eliminate fundamentally the origin of underground mine opening collapse. Also, for effective backfilling of underground mine opening, it is necessary to keep monitoring of backfilled mine opening for analyzing several factors such as filling effect with change of backfill material and characteristics of backfill material. Therefore, in this study, a monitoring system which consists of measuring device and software program has developed to examine the performance of backfilling operation and verify to field applicability to underground mine. Sensors for measuring device have been selected through study of recent research papers and mock-up test has been performed to verify the system compliance. Also, monitoring result of the mock-up test compared to case studies in some countries. From monitoring result fo the mock-up test compared to case studies in some countries, consequently, it was concluded that the developed real-time monitoring system had ensured filed applicability in the underground mine.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.439-455
• /
• 2019

A buffer is the major component of a high level radioactive waste repository. Due to their thermal conductivity and low permeability, bentonites have been considered as a key component of a buffer system in most countries. The deep geological condition generates ground water inflow and results in swelling pressure in the buffer and backfill. Investigation of swelling pressure of bentonite buffer is an important task for the safe disposal system. The swelling pressure that can be critical is affected by mechanical and hydro properties of the system. Therefore, in this study, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the effect of hydro-mechanical (HM) behaviors in the MX-80 bentonite. Based on the results of the swelling pressure generation with HM model parameters, a coupled HM analysis of an unsaturated buffer and backfill in a deep geological repository was also carried out to investigate the major factor of the swelling pressure generation.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.456-467
• /
• 2019

In this study, the discrete element method was used to simulate the excavation of spoke-type shield TBM. The horizontal stress coefficient was used for the ground to simulate the increase of the horizontal stress according to the depth, and the driving conditions were set based on the torque generated from the cutterhead of the TBM to excavate within the operating range. That is, when the value of the torque generated at the cutterhead exceeds the given operating condition, the speed of excavation is constantly reduced, and conversely, the method of increasing the speed of excavation is considered. The change speed of the excavation was given the minimum change requirement in consideration of the driver's review time, and the change was possible according to the excavation conditions. In order to use these conditions, the user-subroutine was considered separately, and the results show that the DEM model were able to analyze the excavation within the considered operating range.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.16 no.5 s.64
• /
• pp.357-367
• /
• 2006

Recently, as the construction of new railway and the relocation of existing line increase, tunnel structures grow longer. The railway fire accidents in long tunnel bring large damages of human life and disaster. The interest of safety in long tunnel have a growing and the safety standard of long tunnel is tightening. For that reason, at the planning of long tunnel, the optimum design of safety facility in long tunnel for minimizing the risks and satisfying the safety standard is needed. For the reasonable design of long railway tunnel considering high safety, qualitative estimation for tunnel safety is required. In this study, QRA (Quantitative Risk Assessment) technique is applied to design of long railway tunnel for assuring the safety function and estimating the risk of safety. The case study for safety design in long railway tunnel is tarried out to verifying the QRA technique for two railway tunnels. Thus, the inclined and vertical shaft for escape way and safety facilities in long tunnel are planned, and the risks of tunnel safety for each case are estimated quantitatively.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.48-55
• /
• 1999

One of the major roles of concrete lining is the supplementary support of ground load. Therefore, if there are cracks or deformation found in the lining, the causes should be carefully examined. Tunnel Soundness Evaluation System (DW-TSES) was developed to meet such requirements. Main facility of the system was intended to find the probable causes on the basis of the apparent changes in lining and the environmental conditions. It also includes facilities for evaluating the soundness of a tunnel and indicating the method for repair or reinforcement. The characteristic feature of damages is used for reasoning in case of deterioration and leakage, and artificial neural network is used in external pressure. This process depends on the results of the case analyses and FDM, which have a collection of the typical features of different types of damages as well as the unusual changes caused by the external pressure. The comparison of the outputs of this system with those of expert's diagnoses draws the following conclusions. 1) Artificial neural network was a suitable tool to find to causes of damages by external pressure. 2) The environmental conditions improved the accuracy in reasoning. 3) The result of finding causes and evaluating soundness was helpful to suggest effective methods concerning tunnel maintenance.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.130-140
• /
• 2013

In this study, scaled model tests were performed to investigate the stability of twin tunnels with small clearance, where the pillar widths were 0.5D and 0.25D, respectively. The tunnels were supposed to be constructed in anisotropic weathered rocks with $30^{\circ}$ inclined bedding planes, and the model tests were conducted under the condition of lateral pressure ratio, 1. Six types of test models which had respectively different pillar widths and support conditions were experimented, where crack initiating pressures, maximum pressures, failure modes of pillar and deformation behaviors around tunnels were investigated. The models with wider pillar were cracked under higher pressure than the models with shallower pillar. The models with lining support were cracked under higher pressure and showed less tunnel convergence than the unsupported models. The models with both lining and pillar reinforcement were proved to be most stable among the tested models. In particular, as the model of 0.25D pillar width with only lining support showed shear failure of pillar according to the existing bedding planes, so both lining and pillar reinforcement were thought to be indispensable in that case of tunnel.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.97-110
• /
• 2018

The application of sprayed waterproofing membrane with high adhesion and ductility is considered to be promising as a measure for repair and reinforcement of a tunnel structure. Therefore, a powder-type and one-component membrane prototype with high tensile and bond strengths was made in this study. Then, its reinforcement effect on a shield segment was evaluated by carrying out a series of full-scale loading tests of segment specimens on which the membrane was sprayed. From the tests, it was confirmed that the initial cracking loads increased by approximately 34% due to cracking retardation by membrane coating. Even though the increase of failure loads were not so high as cracking loads, the strain-softening behaviors were observed from specimens coated by the membrane. Therefore, it is expected that the membrane coated on the inner surface of a lining might be effective in preventing its brittle failure.