• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.53 no.3
• /
• pp.481-495
• /
• 2015

Many hydropower stations in southwest China are located in regions of brittle rock mass with high geo-stresses. Under these conditions deep fractured zones often occur in the sidewalls of the underground caverns of a power station. The theory and methods of fracture and damage mechanics are therefore adopted to study the phenomena. First a flexibility matrix is developed to describe initial geometric imperfections of a jointed rock mass. This model takes into account the area and orientation of the fractured surfaces of multiple joint sets, as well as spacing and density of joints. Using the assumption of the equivalent strain principle, a damage constitutive model is established based on the brittle fracture criterion. In addition the theory of fracture mechanics is applied to analyze the occurrence of secondary cracks during a cavern excavation. The failure criterion, for rock bridge coalescence and the damage evolution equation, has been derived and a new sub-program integrated into the FLAC-3D software. The model has then been applied to the stability analysis of an underground cavern group of a hydropower station in Sichuan province, China. The results of this method are compared with those obtained by using a conventional elasto-plastic model and splitting depth calculated by the splitting failure criterion proposed in a previous study. The results are also compared with the depth of the relaxation and fracture zone in the surrounding rock measured by field monitoring. The distribution of the splitting zone obtained both by the proposed model and by the field monitoring measurements are consistent to the validity of the theory developed herein.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.62-71
• /
• 2000

The abandoned mines causing settlement of the surface above and collapse of the cavities are the major influencing factor on the stability of the nearby underground structures. To prevent the harmful effect, the backfill methods are commonly applied to the cavities although the design criteria and the analysis method are not properly addressed in some cases. An approximate analytical method together with the numerical technique is considered in this study to simulate the gradual deterioration of the rock masses around the cavities and, therefore, the influential zone to the underground structures passing through the cavities. Also considered in this study is the backfill effect on the stability of the rock masses around the cavities. Specifically, the incomplete backfill effect is compared with that of the idealized backfill method by adopting elasto-plastic analysis involving a strain softening material law.

• Geotechnical Engineering
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.45-58
• /
• 1992

An elasto-plastic constitutive model for geological materials, which satisfies the flezibility and stability at the same time, can be used in a number of geotechnical problems. Using the spacing ratio of critical state, a flexible model is proposed based on the stability of modified Camflay model. The spacing ratio of critical state can be simply evaluated, and practically used in describing the undrained shearing behavior of clay. The proposed model has precisely predicted the stress paths and stress -strain relationships, compared with the modified Camflay model, with respect to undrained triaxial test results. Besides, the effects of strain rate, creep, and relaxation can also be considered. Using the quasi-state boundary surface, the constitutive relations are well predicted. Therefore, it is found that the assumption of associative flow rule is well posed for undrained behavior of normally consolidated clay.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.257-268
• /
• 2005

In situ rock mass is generally heterogeneous and discontinuous, with varying degrees of strength along the planes of weakness. The planes of weakness such as joints, faults, cracks and bedding planes, control the strength and deformation characteristics of the rock mass. Subsequently, the stability of underground opening depends upon the spatial distribution of discontinuities and their mechanical properties in relation with geometrical shape of openins as well as the mechanical properties of intact rock materials. Understanding the behaviour of a discontinuous rock mass remains a key issue for improving excavation design in hiかy stressed environments. Although recent advances in rock mechanics have provided guidelines for the design of underground opening in isotropic rock mass, prediction and control of deformation in discontinuous rock masses are still unclear. In this study, parametric study was performed to investigate the plastic zone size, stress distribution and deformation behavior around underground opening in a discontinuous rock mass using a continuum joint model. The solutions were obtained by an elasto-plastic finite difference analysis, employing the Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria. Non-associated flow rule and perfectly plastic material behavior are also assumed.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.153-166
• /
• 1999

Since the reliability of results by the existing analyzing method is low, in the case of for excavation performed in urban area whose stability is of great importance, construction control based on field monitoring is always necessary. But the field monitoring reflects only the behavior of construction process that has already been carried out, and it has limitations in predicting the behavior of the expected construction process, which is practically more important for construction control. In this study, construction control system for excavation which can predict the behavior of the expected processes during construction with high degree of accuracy, is developed by adopting inverse analysis. The inverse analied applied field monitoring results to excavation analysis can improve the reliability of predicted results. The developed system uses an elasto-plastic soil spring model for the excavation analysis and the minimization of least squared errors between measured displacements and calculated displacements for the inverse analysis. All the required processes for construction control can be performed as an integrated work within the system reflecting real time application and user's convenience. Their applicabilitis are confirmed by two case studies.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.349-360
• /
• 2008

In this paper, the modeling procedure of random field with an elasto-plastic finite element algorithm and probability of failure on closely-spaced tunnel were investigated. Local average subdivision (LAS) method which can generate discrete random variables fast and accurately as well as change the resolution in certain region was used. And correlated value allocating and weighted average method were suggested to implement geometrical characteristics of tunnel. After the probability of failure on the test problem was thoroughly investigated using random finite element method, the results were compared with the deterministic strength reduction factor method and single random variable method. Of particular importance in this work, is the conclusion that the probability of failure determined by simplified probabilistic analysis, in which spatial variability is ignored by assuming perfect correlation, can be estimated from the safety factor determined by strength reduction factor method. Also, single random variable method can lead to unconservative estimates of the probability of failure.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.215-228
• /
• 2002

In a companion paper. (Oh, 2002), the constitutive model, called GUX model, was implemented as a user subroutine in ABAQUS code, where the GUX model could describe the behavior of overall strain range. An accuracy analysis verified that the implicit stress integration maintained the accuracy of solutions successfully. Since the GUX model is an anistropic hardening elasto-plastic constitutive model based on total stress concept, geotechnical problems under fully drained or undrained condition can be analyzed after acquisition of stress-strain relationships from drained or undrained triaxial tests. This study includes the analyses of the stability of embankments on soft clays and weathered soils and the example of axially loaded soil-pile system. In the large deformation analyses, geometric nonlinearity was considered and the result of analyses with GUX model was compared with that of Mises model for the overall strain range behavior.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.73-80
• /
• 2012

The adoption of a composite beam system is regarded as a simple but effective solution because it improves the overall stiffness, strength and stability of the structure by welding shear studs. However, welding shear studs poses problems including electric shock and weld defects. Mechanical methods have emerged as an alternative to metallurgical methods for connecting the H-beam and shear connector. Four specimens were tested in order to compare the structural behavior of the proposed composite beams with that of the classical composite beam given the condition of horizontal loading. With the original composite beam (FCB-SB specimen) using stud bolts, hysteresis loops are stable, but its strength decreased with the crashing of the concrete slab around the column. The suggested composite beams using shear connectors also yielded stable hysteresis loops. Consequently, use of the suggested composite beams instead of the original composite beam are recommended.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.248-260
• /
• 2004

Damage in brittle rock due to stress increase starts from initiation of microcracks, and then results in failure by forming macro failure planes due to propagation and coalescence of these discrete cracks. Conventionally, continuum approaches using macro-failure criteria or a number of elasto-plastic models have been major solution to implement rock damage and failure. However, actual brittle failure processes can be better described in phenomenological approach if initiation and propagation of discrete fractures are explicitly considered. This study presents damage and failure process of rock using a boundary element code, FRACOD, which has been developed to model fracturing process of rocks. Through a series of numerical uniaxial compressive tests, the feasibility of the developed model was verified, and realistic rock failure process was reproduced considering scale effects in rocks. In addition, the fracturing process and the corresponding rock damage in the vicinity of deep shaft in rock mass were presented as an application of this approach. This approach will be expected to contribute to finding better engineering solutions for the analysis of stability problems in brittle rock masses.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.18 no.8
• /
• pp.5-15
• /
• 2017

To perform an integrated load analysis carried out to evaluate the stability evaluation of wind turbine generators, the six degree-of-freedom stiffness matrix of foundation, which describes relationships between loads and displacement, is needed. Since the foundation stiffness should accurately reflect the shape of foundation and the condition of soil, it is necessary to calculate the stiffness of the bucket foundation that considers the elasto-plastic behavior of the soil. In this study, finite element analyses were performed for a range of soils and shapes of bucket foundations to estimate the foundation stiffness. Normalized stiffness curves are developed from respective numerical simulations. Proposed results are considered to be useful because they can be directly applied in the design.