• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.139-145
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• 1998

The reliable estimation of the system parameters and the accurate prediction of the system behavior are important to design underground structures safely and economically. Especially, the elastic modulus and the in-situ stresses are very important parameters in predicting the behavior of the underground structure. Therefore, the back analysis using the field measurement data is developed to determine accurately the elastic modulus and the in-situ stresses of the underground structural system in this study. A back analysis using the combined finite and boundary element is developed. It can consider the far field boundary condition and is efficient in computation. In this study, a back analysis is performed to predict behaviors of underground structures for the real construction site. The comparison between the results of the back analysis with field measurement data and the obtained material properties from the field test shows good agreement for the real construction site.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Rock Mechanics Conference
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• 2007.03a
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• pp.130-139
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• 2007

We have carried out numerical compression experiments to estimate the mechanical properties (Mohr-Coulomb and elastic) of corestone-bearing saprolites in Beolgyo area. The studied saprolite, consisting of mechanically much stronger corestone and weaker matrix, is a weathering product of the Precambrian granitic gneiss in the Youngnam massif. Since the saprolite consists of larger corestones with diameter up to 2m, it is impossible to directly measure the mechanical properties by physical experiments. We have measured the mechanical properties of corestone and matrix from naturally occurring saprolite and have used them as a reference for our numerical model. Then, we mixed each material and carried out biaxial compression tests while varying the volume percentage of corestones from 0 to 57%. We found that both cohesion and internal friction angle increase with the volume percentage of corestones while elastic modulus remains constant. We found the results from numerical experiments are in contradiction to what is known from physical experiments using artificial saprolites. This may be due to a possibility that the sharp and discrete nature of interface between corestone and matrix in physical experiments differs from the gradual interfacial nature in numerical modelling and natural saprolites.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.23-31
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• 1996

A stress redistribution process in ground support system is mpdeled taking into consideration of load transfer mechanism of unbalanced load within shotcrete in a rock cavern constructed by NATM. The corresponding analysis model for ground support system is proposed and the elastic behavior of the shotcrete is studied. The effect on the support system due to variation of several design parameters is analysed with the proposed model. The suggested model yields considerably reduced maximum compressive stresses in shotcrete. Both the pressure coefficient in horizontal direction and the elastic modulus of rock mass govern overall responses, whereas the variation of the properties in support system shows a little difference in system responses. Interaction equations for evaluating safety factors for structural members are suggested. The result of this study can be used in the structural safety assessment of underground structures.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.215-224
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• 2003

Weathering in nature was simulated by freeze-thaw cyclic test which represents mechanical weathering. Measured physical properties were elastic wave velocities, absorption rate, volume change and weight change. Uniaxial compression tests were also conducted before and after the weathering tests. The change in weight and volume of the specimens were not clearly related to the weathering process, but P, S wave velocities, uniaxial compression strength and Young's modulus were clearly decreased as weathering progresses. Test result can be used for the assessment of long-term stability of rock slopes.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.323-359
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• 2015

This paper presents an elasto-plastic model for determination of the ground response curve of a circular underwater tunnel excavated in elastic-strain softening rock mass compatible with a nonlinear Hoek-Brown yield criterion. The finite difference method (FDM) was used to propose a new solution to calculate pore water pressure, stress, and strain distributions on periphery of circular tunnels in axisymmetric and plain strain conditions. In the proposed solution, a modified non-radial flow pattern, for the hydraulic analysis, is utilized. To evaluate the effect of gravitational loads and variations of pore water pressure, the equations concerning different directions around the tunnel (crown, wall, and floor) are derived. Regarding the strain-softening behavior of the rock mass, the stepwise method is executed for the plastic zone in which parameters of strength, dilatancy, stresses, strains, and deformation are different from their elasto-plastic boundary values as compared to the tunnel boundary values. Besides, the analytical equations are developed for the elastic zone. The accuracy and application of the proposed method is demonstrated by a number of examples. The results present the effects of seepage body forces, gravitational loads and dilatancy angle on ground response curve appropriately.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.583-590
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• 2018

Nowadays, many tunnels have been commissioned for several decades, which require effective inspection methods to assess their health conditions. The ambient vibration test has been widely adopted for the damage identification of concrete structures. In this study, the vibration characters of tunnel lining shells built with forepoling method was analyzed based on the analytical solutions of the Donnell-Mushtari shell theory. The broken rock, foreploing, rock-concrete contacts between rock mass and concrete lining, was represented by elastic boundaries with normal and shear stiffness. The stiffness of weak contacts has significant effects on the natural frequency of tunnel lining. Numerical simulations were also carried out to compare with the results of the analytical methods, showing that even though the low nature frequency is difficult to distinguish, the presented approach is convenient, effective and accurate to estimate the natural frequency of tunnel linings. Influences of the void, the lining thickness and the concrete type on natural frequencies were evaluated.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.45-56
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• 2024

The weakening effect of water on rocks is one of the main factors inducing deformation and failure in rock engineering. To clarify this weakening effect, immersion tests and post-immersion triaxial compression tests were conducted on sandstone and mudstone. The results showed that the strength of water-immersed sandstone decreases with increasing immersion time, exhibiting an exponential relationship. Similarly, the strength of water-immersed mudstone decreases with increasing environmental humidity, also following an exponential relationship. Subsequently, a statistical damage model for water-weakened rocks was proposed, changes in elastic modulus to describe the weakening effect of water. The model effectively simulated the stress-strain relationships of water-affected sandstone and mudstone under compression. The R² values between the theoretical and experimental peak values ranged from 0.962 to 0.996, and the MAPE values fell between 3.589% and 9.166%, demonstrating the model's effectiveness and reliability. The damage process of water-saturated rocks corresponds to five stages: compaction stage - no damage, elastic stage - minor damage, crack development stage - rapid damage increase, post-peak residual stage - continuous damage increase, and sliding stage - damage completion. This study provides a foundational reference for researching the fracture characteristics of overlying strata during coal mining under complex hydrogeological conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.99-108
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• 2002

The nonlinear-brittle-plastic model derived from experiments as well as elastic and elasto-plastic models was applied to the analysis of the rock damaged zone around a highly stressed circular tunnel. The depths of stress redistribution and disturbed zone as well as the characteristic behaviors predicted from each numerical model were compared, As the magnitudes and stress differences of in situ stresses increased, influences of stress redistribution and stress disturbance on un(tiled region of rock mass also intensified. As a result, larger stress redistribution and disturbed zone as well as greater deviatoric stress and displacement were obtained by the nonlinear-brittle-plastic model rather than other conventional models such as elasto-plastic and elastic models. from such results, it was concluded that as the magnitudes and stress differences of in situ stresses increased, larger rock damaged zone might be predicted by the nonlinear-brittle-plastic model. Therefore, it is thought that the damage analysis may be indispensable far highly stressed tunnels.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.377-390
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• 2022

The stability of the roof rock-coal pillar-floor rock composite structure is of great significance to coal mine safety production. The cracks existing in the composite structure seriously affect the stability of the roof rock-coal pillar-floor rock composite structure. The numerical simulation tests of rock-coal-rock composite structures with different crack characteristics were carried out to reveal the composite structures' mechanical properties and failure mechanisms. The test results show that the rock-coal-rock composite structure's peak stress and elastic modulus are directly proportional to the crack angle and inversely proportional to the crack length. The smaller the crack angle, the more branch cracks produced near the main control crack in the rock-coal-rock composite structure, and the larger the angle between the main control crack and the crack. The smaller the crack length, the larger the width of the crack zone. The impact energy index of the rock-coal-rock composite structure decreases first and then increases with the increase of crack length and increases with the increase of crack angle. The functional relationships between the different crack characteristics, peak stress, and impact energy index are determined based on the sensitivity analysis. The determination of the functional relationship can fully grasp the influence of the crack angle and the crack length on the peak stress and impact energy index of the coal-rock composite structure. The research results can provide a theoretical basis and guidance for preventing the instability and failure of the coal pillar-roof composite structure.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.2411-2425
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• 2013

In the design of pile foundation on the rock layer in the stratified structure with sedimentary and rock layers, the structural analysis of the stratified rock layer is required to determine the failure modes (flexural failure, punching shear failure or end bearing failure) and the bearing capacity of the rock layer. However, the existing usable Elastic Plate Analysis Method (EPAM) suggested by ACI committee 436 and Korean Code Requirements for Structural Foundation Design is very complex, and engineers have many difficulties in using it. Therefore, in this research, we proposed the relatively simple Circular Foundation Analysis Method (CFAM) with the concept and the equation of the equivalent effective width (radius) instead of the complex EPM, and the related equations of bending moment and shear force to be equal to the analysis results of EPAM. As a result, the proposed CFAM using the equivalent effective width (radius) is simple and convenient to use, and the analysis results of it are very good in their accuracies comparing those of EPAM and Finite Element Method.