• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.3 s.45
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• pp.215-225
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• 2005

Numerous clay veins along fractures such as fault, joints, cracks and small fissures are found in granitic rocks in the Korean Peninsula. Granitic rocks of three geological stages (Jurassic, Cretaceous and Paleogene) occur in the Korean Peninsula, and are known as the Daebo, Bulguksa and Hoam granites, respectively. Specimens from clay veins composed or mainly mica clay mineral (illite) were dated using the K-Ar method with the hosted granitoids. The respective ages were as follows. Jurassic: granites 143.7 Ma and 160 Ma, clay mineral veins 104 Ma and 107 Ma: Cretaceous: granite 133.2 Ma, clay mineral veins 93.6 Ma, 84.2 Ma and 84.3 Ma: Paleogene: granite 39.7 Ma and 35.4Ma, clay mineral veins 27.1 Ma and 23.9 Ma. The ages of the clay veins in the Korean Peninsula are clearly much younger than those of their hosted granitoids. This contrasts with data for similar clay veins in Cretaceous and Paleogene granitoids in southwest Japan, where the K-Ar ages of mica clay minerals are slightly younger than their host rocks, or are almost the same.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.3 s.68
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• pp.203-215
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• 2007

Stability and mechanical deformation behavior of rock masses are highly dependent on the mechanical characteristics of contained discontinuities. Therefore, mechanical characteristics of the discontinuities should be considered in the design of tunnel and underground structures. In this study, direct shear tests for rough granite joints were carried out under constant normal stiffness conditions. Effects of initial normal stress, shear velocity, and surface roughness on the characteristics of shear strength and deformation behaviors were examined. Results of shear testing under constant normal stiffness conditions reveal that shear behaviors could be classified into two categories, based on the amount of decrease in shear stress at the Int peak shear stress. With initial normal stiffness increasing, it turned out that shear displacement at peak stress and the first peak shear stress increased, however friction angle and friction coefficient showed decrease. In case of shear stiffness and average friction coefficient, it turned out that they are not dependent on the initial normal stress. Minor effects of shear velocity on rough joints were observed in several shear quantities. However, the effects of shear velocity were insignificant regardless of the normal stress increase. Change of shear strength and deformation characteristics on joint roughness were examined, however, it turned out that the variations were attributed to deviation of shear test specimens.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.256-269
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• 2020

The objective of this study is to evaluate the stress thresholds in crack development and the corrected fracture toughness of KURT granite under dry and saturated conditions. The stress thresholds were identified by calculation of inelastic volumetric strain from an uniaxial compression test. The corrected fracture toughness was estimated by using the Level II method (Chevron Bend specimen), suggested by ISRM (1988), in which non-linear behaviors of rock was taken into account. Average crack initiation stress(σ_ci) and crack damage stress(σ_cd) under a dry condition were 91.1 MPa and 128.7 MPa. While, average crack initiation stress(σ_ci) and crack damage stress(σ_cd) under a saturated condition were 58.2 MPa and 68.2 MPa. The crack initiation stress and crack damage stress of saturated ones decreased 36% and 47% respectively compared to those of dry specimens. A decrease in crack damage stress is relatively larger than that of crack initiation stress under a saturated condition. This indicates that the unstable crack growth can be more easily generated because of the saturation effect of water compared to the dry condition. The average corrected fracture toughness of KURT granite was 0.811 MPa·m^0.5. While, the fracture toughness of saturated KURT granite(K_CB) was 0.620 MPa·m^0.5. The corrected fracture toughness of rock in saturated condition decreases by 23.5% compared to that in dry condition. It is found that the resistance to crack propagation decreases under the saturated geological condition.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.401-412
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• 2013

Multi-stage shear test has been performed using joint specimens of gneiss, granite and shale to investigate the influence of micro-scale asperity change on the shear strength of joint plane. For each shear test asperity degradation characteristics of joint specimens of different joint surface strength have been analyzed by utilizing the optimum asperity parameter which can reflect the sequential asperity degradation. Elevation of joint surface profile has been measured and both the changes of asperity parameters and micro-scale asperity distribution have been investigated. Two distinctive variation modes of cohesion and friction angle have been delineated and major cause of shear strength parameter change has been analyzed by considering the micro-scale asperity angle change resulting from the abrasion, fracturing and regeneration of micro-scale asperities. Effects of micro-scale asperity variation on the joint shear strength have been also investigated.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.17-28
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• 2023

Laboratory-scale hydraulic fracturing experiments were conducted on granite specimens at various viscosities and injection rates of the fracturing fluid. A series of cross-sectional computed tomography (CT) images of fractured specimens was obtained via a three-dimensional X-ray CT imaging method. Pixel-level fracture segmentation of the CT images was conducted using a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based Nested U-Net model structure. Compared with traditional image processing methods, the CNN-based model showed a better performance in the extraction of thin and complex fractures. These extracted fractures extracted were reconstructed in three dimensions and morphologically analyzed based on their fracture volume, aperture, tortuosity, and surface roughness. The fracture volume and aperture increased with the increase in viscosity of the fracturing fluid, while the tortuosity and roughness of the fracture surface decreased. The findings also confirmed the anisotropic tortuosity and roughness of the fracture surface. In this study, a CNN-based model was used to perform accurate fracture segmentation, and quantitative analysis of hydraulic stimulated fractures was conducted successfully.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.511-525
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• 2024

Underground openings significantly affect the mechanical stability of underground spaces and create damaged zones. This study investigated the acoustic emission (AE) characteristics associated with the formation of damaged zones around circular openings. Uniaxial compression experiments were conducted on three types of rock specimens, namely, granite (GN-1 and GN-2), gabbro (GB), and slate (SL), containing a circular opening. AE and digital image correlation (DIC) techniques were used to monitor and evaluate the damaged zones near the circular openings. The AE characteristics were evaluated using AE parameters, including count, energy, amplitude, average frequency, and RA value. The DIC results revealed that the estimated diameters of the damaged zones of GN-1, GN-2, GB, and SL were 1.66D, 1.53D, 1.49D, and 1.9D, respectively. The average displacements at the surface of the damaged zones for these specimens were 0.814, 0.786, 0.661, and 0.673 mm, respectively, thus demonstrating a strong correlation with Young's modulus. The AE analysis with DIC revealed that tensile failure occurred in the direction parallel to the maximum compression axis as the load increased. Thus, this study provides fundamental data for a comprehensive analysis of damaged zones in underground openings and will facilitate the optimization of rock engineering projects and safety assessments thereof.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.315-325
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• 2001

A series of laboratory tests was conducted to observe damage process by stress and to understand characteristics of permeability related with rock damage. Rock specimens which were composed of the Cretaceous medium grained granites were experienced of damage stress between 65% and 95% of the compressive strength. Rock deformation by damage process was identified with the elastic wave velocity test. Relationship between rock damage and permeability change was also analyzed by water injection test in the laboratory. According to the results of the tests, damage tends to be occurred from stress level of 80% of the compressive strength and it reduces elastic wave velocity. The damaged specimens with stress more than 80% of the compressive strength showed crack density more than 0.6 and persistent length with good connectivity of cracks. They also have higher permeability than that of specimens with crack density less than 0.6. Considered with the above results, the rock specimens used in this study were fully damaged from stress level of 80% of the compressive strength. Crack initiation and propagation by damage caused good connectivity of cracks through rock specimen. These damage process, therefore, brought high permeability coefficient through water flow conduit in the rock specimen.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.655-662
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• 2003

Slope stability is an important issue ill civil engineering works or in open pit mines where both economy and efficiency is required. These are the long-term stability problems which depend on the change of physical properties under a certain weather condition. These can also result in progress of weathering which can change mechanical or hydro-geological properties of rock mass considerably. In this study, weathering in nature was simulated by freeze-thaw test and Soxhlet test which represent mechanical and chemical weathering respectively. Measured were elastic wave velocities, absorption rate, volume change. Uniaxial compression strengths before and after the weathering tests were also measured. The change in weight and volume of the specimens were not clearly related to the weathering process, but P, S wave velocities were clearly decreased as weathering progresses. For some class of rocks, P-wave velocity was increased probably because of the saturation due to improved connectivity of the pre-existing pores. Based on the test results, stability of the slopes were analyzed using FLAC$\^$2D/. Due to the reduced strength parameters, the factors of safety were decreased for the selected sites.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.257-266
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• 2003

Jurassic granites of three sites, Pocheon, Geochang and Habcheon, were tested to investigate the effect of microcracks on Physical and mechanical properties of the granites. Fifteen oriented core specimens were used for the physical property test. The test result shows that porosity is almost proportioned to water content. P-wave velocity is the highest in the direction of axis ‘H’, intersection of two major microcrack sets and the lowest in the axis ‘R’, normal to the rift plane. Compressional strength tests were carried out for each core specimen taken parallel with axes ‘R’, ‘G’ and ‘H’, measuring strains. The results revealed a strong correlation between microcrack orientation and other mechanical properties such as rock strength.

• 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.