• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.443-453
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• 2013

This study aims to evaluate the mechanical behaviors of unsupported rock pillars in a room-and-pillar underground structure by a series of numerical analyses. In addition, rock pillar strengths estimated by a few empirical equations proposed for underground mines are compared with those from numerical analyses. Based on the results from the numerical analysis, the ratio of pillar strength to rock mass strength increases as the ratio of the width of a pillar to its height becomes bigger. It means that higher ratio of pillar width to its height is much more favorable for stabilizing a room-and-pillar underground structure. Especially, unsupported pillar strengths estimated from numerical analyses are higher than rock mass strength when the ratio of pillar width to height is approximately over 1.5. It is also found that the choice of an empirical equation appropriate for a given geometric condition of a pillar is important for its feasible application to the stability analysis of a pillar in the room-and-pillar method.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.577-587
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• 2021

Room and Pillar method is an underground facility construction method that maximizes the strength of the in-situ ground. In order to secure the safety of the underground space, it is necessary to secure the safety of the room actually used in addition to the safety of pillar of the room and Pillar method. In this study, the evaluation method for the safety of the room and rock pillar in the room and pillar method was studied through numerical analysis. Numerical analysis was performed for a total of 125 cases using ground conditions, pillar width, and room width as parameters, and the results were derived. As for the safety factor of the pillar, it was confirmed that the safety factor increased when the strength of the ground increased, and it was confirmed that the increment in the safety factor decreased when the width of the pillar was widened. The room strain was evaluated by applying the Critical strain. As the width of the pillar became narrower, the Critical strain was higher, and as the width of the room became smaller, the Critical strain was smaller. As a result of the correlation analysis between the safety factor of the pillar and the room strain, it was possible to derive the upper limit of the room strain that can secure the standard safety factor of the pillar according to the width of the pillar. It is judged that the results derived from this study can be used as a guideline to secure the safety of the room when the actual design is performed in consideration of the ground conditions and room width.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.675-683
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• 2015

The room-and-pillar construction method for underground space is adopted from the room-and-pillar mining method which is one of the most popular underground mining method in the world. Drainage system in the room-and-pillar underground construction method can be similar with the concept of single shell in tunnel because additional reinforcement except the TSL (thin spray-on liner) is not applied in the room-and-pillar construction method. That is, to decrease groundwater level and maintain safety in tunnel, the drainage pin hole inside lining (shotcrete) can be used. However, if total amount of outflow in the underground structure is relatively small or groundwater is not detected, such drainage system will not be useful and cause additional construction cost. In this study, outflow of conventional tunnels in South Korea was investigated and the criteria to determine whether the drainage pin hole is effective was suggested. And the guided drainage system was suggested when drainage pin hole was not applied in the room-and-pillar construction method.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.585-597
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• 2013

In this study, in order to evaluate stability of the room-and-pillar underground structure, a series of preliminary numerical analyses were performed. Design concept and procedure of an underground structure for obtaining a space are proposed, which should be different from structural design for the room-and-pillar in mine. With assumed material properties, a series of numerical analyses were performed by varying size ratios of room and pillar and then the failure modes and location at yielding initiation were investigated. From the results, relationship between the ratio of pillar width to the roof span (w/s) and overburden pressure at failure initiation shows a relatively linear relation, and the effect of w/s on structural stability is much more critical than the ratio of pillar width and height (w/H) which is a crucial parameter in design of the room-and-pillar mining. It means that roof tensile failure and shear failure at shoulder and pillar are necessary to be considered together for confirming overall structural stability of the room-and-pillar structure, rather than considering the pillar stability only in mining. Failure modes and location at failure initiation were varied with respect to the ratio of room and pillar widths. Therefore, it is necessary to simultaneously consider stability of both roof span and pillar for design of underground structure by the room-and-pillar method.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

In this study, the stability of the room-and-pillar underground method was investigated using numerical analysis method. In-situ geotechnical investigation was conducted, and a supporting pattern was selected based on the geotechnical investigation data. For the supporting pattern, Type-1, 2, 3 were selected for each ground condition. A 3D numerical analysis model was developed for effective simulation as the room-and-pillar underground method consist of a pillar and room. As a review of numerical analysis, it was confirmed that the crown settlement, convergence, shotcrete and rock bolt were all stable in all supporting patterns. As a result of the analysis by the construction stage, it was confirmed that excessive stress was generated in the room when the construction stage of forming pillar. So, precise construction is required during the actual construction stage of the pillar formation.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.335-343
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• 2014

Room-and-pillar mining method is one of the most popular underground mining method in the world. If the room-and-pillar mining method is able to be adopted in civil works, it would be highly probable to reduce underground construction costs and to expand a underground structure in use. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the design procedure of unsupported rock pillars which are indispensable to ensure the stability of a room-and-pillar underground structure. Parametric studies on their key design parameters are also carried out for 125 different kinds of design conditions. From the study, the width of a rock pillar is found to show a linear relationship with its corresponding safety factor. The safety factor of a unsupported rock pillar decreased drastically like a negative exponential function as the ratio of room width to pillar width increases in the same rock strength condition. Based on the parametric studies, a design chart to simply evaluate the geometric design parameters of a unsupported rock pillar satisfying a design safety factor is also proposed in this study.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.599-612
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• 2013

This study aims to investigate an economical efficiency of two excavation methods with respect to the room-and-pillar method for the underground space and conventional excavation method, i.e. 2-arch tunnelling method. For feasibility study, an excavation cost for both room-and-pillar method and 2-arch tunnelling method was estimated when the same space in operation was required. It was assumed that properties of reinforcements and rock were adopted from literatures. However, an excavation shape of the room-and-pillar method was assumed not to be the rectangular shape which is a general type in the room-and-pillar method but to be an arch shape in order to compare with the conventional excavation method (2-arch tunnelling) and to achieve the maximum bearing capacity of the structure during excavation. Consequently, the wider space in use or required and the better condition of rock we assumed, the more economical advantage we have in the room-and-pillar method than the 2-arch tunnelling method.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.487-495
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• 2014

In this study, in order to suggest the design method for supports in the room-and-pillar underground structure, the case study was carried out. In the case study, shape of rock pillar and room was mainly considered. From the analysis, a displacement at the roof, the maximum principle stress and plastic state were examined. To optimize variables in the case study, cases from the Seoul metro station were analyzed, then a target depth of the underground structure and ground conditions were determined. And the height of rock pillar and room were chosen from the assumed purpose of underground space, i.e. living/office and warehouse. Total cases of analysis was 180 cases including 3 types of ground condition, 5 types of rock pillar and 6 types of roof span. It is expected that results from analysis can be used to determine the installation of support in room-and-pillar underground structure with stability, utilization efficiency of underground space and applicability of vehicles.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

In this paper, parametric studies are conducted to evaluate the contribute effect of multi layered room and pillar mine structures by underground accidental explosions. Influence of PPV(Peak Particle Velocity) obtained from large explosion at a multi layered room and pillar mine was numerically simulated by using AUTODYN. Parameters for contribution rate Analysis was analyzed by the robust design method. Orthogonal array is $L_9(3^4)$, which was adopted in this study, the parameters were pillar height, pillar width, mine span and sill pillar of 3 levels. Results of analysis showed that bottom mine of vertical direction from explosion point are most affected by pillar height, followed by sill pillar thickness, mine span and pillar width. Parameters affecting adjacent mine of horizontal direction from explosion are in the order of pillar width, mine span, pillar height and sill pillar thickness.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.511-524
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• 2016

Since a room-and-pillar underground structure is characterized by its grid-type array of room and pillar, its economical efficiency can be governed by excavation sequence. In this study, the construction period by the drill-and-blast method as a excavation method for a room-and-pillar underground structure was examined. In addition, the parallel excavation sequence was considered as the main sequence of a room-and-pillar underground structure. Sequences of mucking and support installation were derived to estimate the total excavation cycle by taking the case of a road tunnel into consideration. From the excavation cycle of room-and-pillar underground structure, the relationship between available maximum and minimum numbers of jumbo drill machines depending on the number of faces in operation was suggested.