• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.323-336
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• 2011

The hydro-mechanical behavior of the Earth's crust is strongly dependent on the fractional volume and geometrical structure of effective pore spaces. This study aims to understand the characteristics of pores using electrical impedance. We measured the electric impedance of core samples (diameter, 38-50 mm; length, 70-100 mm) of three types of granite (Hwangdeung, Pocheon, and Yangsan) and two types of sandstone (Boryung and Berea) with different porosities and pore structures, after saturation with saline water of varying salinities. The results show that resistance decreases but capacitance increases with increasing salinity of the pore fluid. For a given salinity, the resistivity and formation factor are reduced with increasing porosity of the rocks, and the capacitance increases. Berea sandstone shows anisotropy in resistance, tortuosity, and cementation factor, with these factors being highest normal to bedding planes. This result indicates that the connectivity of pores is weakest normal to bedding. In conclusion, the electrical characteristics of the tested samples are related not only to their porosity but also to the pore geometry.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.265-281
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• 2017

For shallow tunnel constructions, settlement of the ground surface is a main issue. Recent technical developments in shield TBM tunneling technique have enabled a decrease in such settlements based on tunneling with ground deformation controls. For this objective, the tail void grouting is a common practice. Generally surface settlements in a soil of low permeability occur during a tunnel construction but also during a long period after completion of the tunnel. The long-term settlements occur mainly due to consolidation around the tunnel. The consolidation process is caused and determined by the tail void grouting which leads to an excess pore water pressure in the vicinity of the tunnel. Because of this, the grouting pressure has a strong effect on the long-term settlements in the shield tunneling. In order to investigate this effect, a series of coupled hydro-mechanical 3D finite element simulations have been performed. The results show that an increase in grouting pressure reduces the short-term settlements, but in many cases, it doesn't lead to a reduction of the final settlements after the completion of consolidation. Thereby, the existence of a critical grouting pressure is identified, at which the minimal settlements are expected.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.333-359
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• 2021

Gases such as hydrogen and radon can be generated around the canister in high-level radioactive waste disposal systems due to several reasons including the corrosion of metal materials. When the gas generation rate exceeds the gas diffusion rate in the low-permeability bentonite buffer, the gas phase will form and accumulate in the engineered barrier system. If the gas pressure exceeds the gas entry pressure, gas can migrate into the bentonite buffer, resulting in pathway dilation flow and advective flow. Because a sudden occurrence of dilation flow can cause radionuclide leakage out of the engineered barrier of the radioactive waste disposal system, it is necessary to understand the gas migration behavior in the bentonite buffer to quantitatively evaluate the long-term safety of the engineered barrier. Experimental research investigating the characteristics of gas migration in saturated bentonite and research developing numerical models capable of simulating such behaviors are being actively conducted worldwide. In this technical note, previous gas injection experiments and the numerical models proposed to verify such behaviors are introduced, and the future challenges necessary for the investigation of gas migration are summarized.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.695-705
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• 2024

As a result of Typhoon Hinnamnoh, several slope failures occurred in the Pohang region, it is necessary to perform infiltration and slope stability analyses due to the actual rainfall. In the failed sites, samples were collected, and the hydro-mechanical properties of unsaturated soil were examined. Modeling the actual behavior using a single-mode function characteristic curve was found to be inadequate, leading to the adoption of a dual-mode function characteristic curve. The dual-mode function showed better agreement with the water retention test data. We calculated the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity for single and dual modes and performed rainfall-induced infiltration analysis. The variations in saturation and pore water pressure were calculated due to rainfall for three landslide-prone areas, Stability analysis based on effective stress of unsaturated soil was conducted, and safety factors were computed over time steps. The dual-mode model successfully reproduced landslides triggered by Typhoon Hinnamnoh, while the single-mode model exhibited a minimum safety factor of 1.2-1.3, making slope failure unpredictable. The dual-mode model accurately predicted instability in the slope by appropriately accounting for pore water pressure variations during Typhoon.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.30-58
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• 2022

The deep geological repository for high-level radioactive waste disposal is a multi barrier system comprised of engineered barriers and a natural barrier. The long-term integrity of the deep geological repository is affected by the coupled interactions between the individual barrier components. Erosion and piping phenomena in the compacted bentonite buffer due to buffer-rock interactions results in the removal of bentonite particles via groundwater flow and can negatively impact the integrity and performance of the buffer. Rapid groundwater inflow at the early stages of disposal can lead to piping in the bentonite buffer due to the buildup of pore water pressure. The physiochemical processes between the bentonite buffer and groundwater lead to bentonite swelling and gelation, resulting in bentonite erosion from the buffer surface. Hence, the evaluation of erosion and piping occurrence and its effects on the integrity of the bentonite buffer is crucial in determining the long-term integrity of the deep geological repository. Previous studies on bentonite erosion and piping failed to consider the complex coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical behavior of bentonite-groundwater interactions and lacked a comprehensive model that can consider the complex phenomena observed from the experimental tests. In this technical note, previous studies on the mechanisms, lab-scale experiments and numerical modeling of bentonite buffer erosion and piping are introduced, and the future expected challenges in the investigation of bentonite buffer erosion and piping are summarized.