• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.321-331
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• 1998

A reliable analysis of tunnelling is needed to accomplish technically sound design and safe and economical construction. For the reliable analysis, a series of procedures of construction which include excavation and support stages must be considered. In this study, rock-support response behavior is studied and simulated in 2-D and 3-D finite element methods. Through the analysis of rock-support response behavior, the effects of the properties of shotcrete on the load distribution ratio can be quantified. The load distribution ratios for different rock types, different unsupported spans and various lateral earth pressure coefficients can be determined from the results of the 3-D finite element analysis. This load distribution ratios can be applied to a practical tunnel design through understanding of the trend of those various factors affecting the rock-support interaction.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.463-475
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• 2022

In the mine exploitation stage; one of the critical issues is the stability assessment of post-pillars. The instability of post-pillars leads to serious safety hazards in mining operations. The focus of this study is to assess the stability of post-pillars in the 130# stope in the central ore body at Trepça hard rock mine by employing both conventional (i.e., critical span curve) and numerical methods (i.e., FLAC3D). Moreover, a new numerical based index (i.e., Pillar Yield Ratio-PYR) was proposed. The aim of PYR index is to determine a border line between stable, potentially unstable, and failure state of post-pillars at a specific mine site. The critical value of pillar width to height ratio is 2.5 for deep production stopes (e.g., > 800 m). Results showed that pillar size, mining height and mining depth significantly have affected the post-pillar stability. The reliability of numerical based index (i.e., PYR) is verified based on empirical underground pillar stability graph developed by Lunder, 1994. The proposed pillar yield ratio index and pillar stability graph can be used as a design tool in new mining areas at Trepça hard rock mine and for other situations with similar geotechnical conditions.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.349-358
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• 2021

The Brazilian test has been widely used to determine the indirect tensile strength of rock, concrete and other brittle materials. The basic assumption for the calculation formula of Brazilian tensile strength is that the elastic moduli of rock are the same both in tension and compression. However, the fact is that the elastic moduli in tension and compression of most rocks are different. Thus, the formula of Brazilian tensile strength under the assumption of isotropy is unreasonable. In the present study, we conducted Brazilian tests on flat disk-shaped rock specimens and attached strain gauges at the center of the disc to measure the strains of rock. A tension-compression bi-modular model is proposed to interpret the data of the Brazilian test. The relations between the principal strains, principal stresses and the ratio of the compressive modulus to tensile modulus at the disc center are established. Thus, the tensile and compressive moduli as well as the correct tensile strength can be estimated simultaneously by the new formulas. It is found that the tensile and compressive moduli obtained using these formulas were in well agreement with the values obtained from the direct tension and compression tests. The formulas deduced from the Brazilian test based on the assumption of isotropy overestimated the tensile strength and tensile modulus and underestimated the compressive modulus. This work provides a new methodology to estimate tensile strength and moduli of rock simultaneously considering tension-compression bi-modularity.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.397-410
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• 2022

The safety of the disposal repository for high level radioactive waste should be guaranteed for a quite long period so that the precise evaluations are required. The site characteristics of the discontinuities are essential part of the safe repository design including engineered barrier and natural barrier systems. The discontinuities act like weak planes and at the same time, they act as flow paths so that their features should be investigated thoroughly. RQD (Rock Quality Designation) is one of the most widely applied characterizing methods due to its simplicity, however, modified designations have been proposed because RQD has some drawbacks, such as its directivity and dependence on the threshold length. This study aims to evaluate the applicability of the modified designations by applying them to the rock mass around KURT and to produce fundamental database that will be utilized in future studies.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.293-306
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• 2024

Influenced by the alternating effects of dynamic and static pressure during the mining process of close range coal seams, the surrounding rock support of cross mining roadway is difficult and the deformation mechanism is complex, which has become an important problem affecting the safe and efficient production of coal mines. The paper takes the inclined longwall mining of the 10304 working face of Zhongheng coal mine as the engineering background, analyzes the key strata fracture mechanism of the large inclined right-angle trapezoidal mining field, explores the stress distribution characteristics and transmission law of the surrounding rock of the roadway affected by the mining of the inclined coal seam, and proposes a segmented and hierarchical support method for the cross mining roadway affected by the mining of the close range coal seam group. The research results indicate that based on the derived expressions for shear and tensile fracture of key strata, the ultimate pushing distance and ultimate suspended area of a right angle trapezoidal mining area can be calculated and obtained. Within the cross mining section, along the horizontal direction of the coal wall of the working face, the peak shear stress is located near the middle of the boundary. The cracks on the floor of the cross mining roadway gradually develop in an elliptical funnel shape from the shallow to the deep. The dual coupling support system composed of active anchor rod support and passive U-shaped steel shed support proposed in this article achieves effective control of the stability of cross mining roadways, which achieves effective control of floor by coupling active support and preventive passive support to improve the strength of the surrounding rock itself. The research results are of great significance for guiding the layout, support control, and safe mining of cross mining roadways, and to some extent, can further enrich and improve the relevant theories of roof movement and control.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.307-322
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• 2023

Rock-mass grouting plays a crucial role in the construction of dams and deep caverns, effectively preventing seepage in the foundations, enhancing stability, and mitigating hazards. Most rock grouting is affected by hydrogeological and rock engineering indices such as rock quality designation (RQD), rock mass quality (Q-value), geological strength index (GSI), joint spacing (Js), joint aperture (Ap), lugeon value (Lu), secondary permeability index (SPI), and coefficient of permeability (K). Therefore, accurate geological analysis of basic rock properties and guidelines for grouting construction are essential for ensuring safe and effective grouting design and construction. Such analysis has been applied in dam construction sites, with a particular focus on the geological characteristics of bedrock and the development of prediction methods for grout take. In South Korea, many studies have focused on grout injection materials and construction management techniques. However, there is a notable lack of research on the analysis of hydrogeological and rock engineering information for rock masses, which are essential for the development of appropriate rock grouting plans. This paper reviews the current state of research into the correlation between the grout take with important hydrogeological and rock engineering indices. Based on these findings, future directions for the development of rock grouting research in South Korea are discussed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.491-498
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• 2018

The Earth Mechanics Institute (EMI) was established at the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) in 1974 to develop innovations in rock mechanics research and education. During the last four decades, extensive rock mechanics research has been conducted at the EMI. Results from uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), Brazilian tensile strength (BTS), point load index (PLI), punch penetration (PP), and many other types of tests have been recorded in a database that has been unexamined for research purposes. The EMI database includes over 20,000 tests from over 1,000 different projects including mining and underground construction, and analysis of this database to identify relationships has been started with preliminary results reported here. Overall, statistically significant correlations are identified between bulk density and mechanical strength properties through UCS, BTS, PLI, and PP testing of sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks. In this paper, bulk density is considered as a surrogate metric that reflects both mineralogy and porosity. From this analysis, sedimentary rocks show the strongest correlation between the UCS and bulk density, whereas metamorphic rocks exhibit the strongest correlation between UCS and PP. Data trends in the EMI database also reveal a linear relationship between UCS and BTS tests. For the singular case of rock coral, the database permits correlations between bulk density of the core versus the deposition depth and porosity. The EMI database will continue under analysis, and will provide additional insightful and comprehensive understanding of the variation and predictability of rock mechanical strength properties and density. This knowledge will contribute significantly toward the increasingly safe and cost-effective geostructures and construction.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.12-29
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• 2019

Permeability and its change due to a fluid injection in jointed rock mass is an important factor to be well identified for a safe and successful implementation of Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS), Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS) and Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) projects which may accompany injection-induced hydromechanical deformation of the rock mass. In this technical report, we first reviewed important issues in evaluating initial permeability using borehole hydraulic tests and numierical approaches for understanding coupled hydromechanical properties of rock mass. Recent SIMFIP testing device to measure these hydromechanical properties directly through in-situ borehole experiments was also reviewed. The technical significance and usefulness of the device for further applications was discussed as well.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 1994.09a
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• pp.129-138
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• 1994

It is well recognized that accurate analysis of lateral earth pressure is very signficant factor which determines the design amount of braced cut walls and braced systems. Many researchers, Peck, Terzaghi-Peck and so on, make a study about lateral earth pressure to act on the flexible walls. But these studies trouble accurate to multy layered systems like inland areas in Korea. This study is compared with the field messurement data to estimate the earth pressure distributions in multy layered areas and the empirical earth pressure distributions. The conclusions are as follows : At final excavation depth, the lateral earth pressure which messured by field instrument is smaller than the empirical earth pressure. (About 1.85~5.32 times). In the case of considering the soft rock layer to the final excavation depth, the messured earth pressure is safe to be compared with empirical earth pressure. The messured earth pressure distributions are like that the upper soil layer is small the middle soil layer is large, the rock mass layer is very small.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 1998

In this study, two dimensional and three dimensional numerical analysis were performed with a finite difference code for the safe maintenance of the spillway slope of the Boryeong dam. Results of the geological survey and the stereographic projection analysis on the discontinuities were used as input data for the numerical analysis. As a result, several suggestions were given such as the reinforcement of the local tension zone, the decrease in the angle of the slope, the drawdown of the pore pressure in the slope and the removal of the upper benches. A systematic and long-term monitoring system was also suggested.