• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.10-24
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• 2021

Rock mass classification for construction of underground facilities is essential to secure their stabilities. Therefore, the reliable values for rock mass classification from the precise information on rock discontinuities are most important factors, because rock mass discontinuities can affect exclusively on the physical and mechanical properties of rock mass. The conventional classification operation for rock mass has been usually performed by hand mapping. However, there have been many issues for its precision and reliability; for instance, in large-scale survey area for regional geological survey, or rock mass classification operation by non-professional engineers. For these reasons, automated rock mass classification using LiDAR becomes popular for obtaining the quick and precise information. But there are several suggested algorithms for analyzing the rock mass discontinuities from point cloud data by LiDAR scanning, and it is known that the different algorithm gives usually different solution. Also, it is not simple to obtain the exact same value to hand mapping. In this paper, several discontinuity extract algorithms have been explained, and their processes for extracting rock mass discontinuities have been simulated for real rock bench. The application process for several algorithms is anticipated to be a good reference for future researches on extracting rock mass discontinuities from digital point cloud data by laser scanner, such as LiDAR.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.483-494
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• 2023

Measurement of the physical properties of rocks or minerals is an important factor in determining the distribution of the underground medium as well as mineral resource investigations. Resistivity and induced polarization, which are widely used in Korea, are methods for measuring electrical properties, which are representative properties of obtaining subsurface information. In order to precisely analyze the exploration data obtained from various sites, it is important to accurately measure the material properties. Electrical properties of rock is measured using two-electrode or four-electrode method. Compared to the four-electrode method, the two-electrode method is generally used because it is very easy to contact the sample and the electrode, but there is a problem in that the impedance of the electrode and the sample is measured together. In this study, the time-domain the induced polarization effects were measured using the 2-electrode method and the 4-electrode method for artificial samples mixed with graphite and cement having induced polarization characteristics, and the results were compared. Although the 4-electrode method has difficulties in installing potential electrodes, it was confirmed that it is effective in measuring electrical properties because it can reduce the problem caused by the impedance of potential electrodes compared to the 2-electrode method.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.71-85
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• 2020

To understand behavior of fault cores in the field of geotechnical and geological engineering, we present an investigation of the physical properties (breccia and clay contents, unit weight, porosity, and water content) and friction characteristics (internal friction angle and cohesion) of fault cores, in granitic, sedimentary, and volcanic rocks in South Korea. The breccia contents in the fault cores are positively correlated with unit weight and negatively correlated with clay content, porosity, and water content. The inter-quartile ranges of internal friction angles and cohesion calculated from direct shear tests are 16.7-38.1° and 2.5-25.3 kPa, respectively. The influence of physical properties on the friction characteristics of the fault cores was analyzed and showed that in all three rock types the internal friction angles are positively correlated with breccia content and unit weight, and negatively correlated with clay content, porosity, and water content. In contrast, the cohesions of the fault cores are negatively correlated with breccia content and unit weight, and positively correlated with clay content, porosity, and water content.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.243-261
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• 2016

This research study focuses on utilizing sandstone which is overburden waste rock in coal mines to use in concrete as a replacement of fine aggregate. Physical properties of sandstone like water absorption, moisture content, fineness modulus etc., were found to be similar to conventional fine aggregate. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis was carried out for analysing elemental composition of sandstone. There was no sulphur content in sandstone which is a good sign to carry the replacement. Fine aggregate was replaced with sandstone at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% by volume and moulds of concrete cubes and cylinders were prepared. Compressive strength of concrete cubes was tested after 3, 7 and 28 days and split tensile & flexural strength was determined after 28 days. The strength was found to be increasing marginally with increase in sandstone content. Fine aggregate that was replaced by 100% sandstone gave highest strength among all the replacements for the compressive, split tensile and flexural strengths. Though increase in strength was marginal, still sandstone can be an effective replacement for sand in order to save the natural resource and utilize the waste sandstone.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1996

Pocheon granite specimens were thermally treated with cycles of predetermined temperatures ranging 2$0^{\circ}C$ to $600^{\circ}C$. Characterization of thermally-induced microcracks were carried out using optical microscopy and their effect on the various physical & mechanical properties were studied. Generally. uniaxial compressive strength, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, elastic wave velocity and specific gravity were found to decrease with increasing temperature. From 30$0^{\circ}C$ upwards, negative lateral strains were observed, which resulted in negative Poisson's ratio. Dynamic Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio were found to be generally most sensitive indicators to thermal cracking.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2007.09a
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• pp.542-557
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• 2007

Contamination of subsurface results in degradation of geomaterials (i.e., soils and rock mass), in the long run. This is mainly due to the presence of chemical and/or radiological materials in undesirable concentrations and at elevated temperatures. However, as contaminant-geomaterial interaction is an extremely slow and complex process, which primarily depends on their physical, chemical and mineralogical properties, it is quite difficult to study this interaction under laboratory or in situ conditions. In such a situation, accelerated physical modeling, using a geotechnical centrifuge, and finite element/difference based numerical modeling techniques are found to be quite useful. This paper presents details of various modeling techniques developed by the researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India, for studying heat migration, flow and interaction (fate) of reactive and non-reactive contaminants in the geoenvironment, under saturated and unsaturated conditions. In addition, paper presents details of the technique that can be employed for determining susceptibility of a material to undergo physico-chemico-mineralogical alterations due to its interaction with contaminants.

• 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.25 no.2
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• pp.165-178
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• 2015

Physical and chemical weathering degrades rock, affecting its structural properties and thus the stability of stone buildings or other structures. Confocal laser scan microscopy (CLSM) is used here to observe temporal changes in the surface roughness of rock samples under simulated accelerated weathering. Samples were pressurized to 50, 55, or 70 MPa using a pressure frame, and subjected to freeze/thaw cycling controlled by a thermostat. The temperature was cycled from -20℃ to 40℃ and back. After each 20 cycles, CLSM was used to assess the change in surface roughness, and roughness factors were calculated to quantify the progression of the surface condition over time. Variations in cross-section line-roughness parameters and surface-roughness parameters were analyzed for specific parts of the sample surfaces at 5× and 50× magnification. The result reveals that the highest and lowest values of the roughness factors are changed according to elapsed time. Freezing/thawing at high pressure caused larger changes in the roughness factor than at low pressure.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2008.03a
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• pp.803-812
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• 2008

Along with the increasing demand for automatic and mechanical tunnel excavation methods in Korea, the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) method of tunnel excavation has become increasingly popular. However, in spite of this rising demand, few studies have been performed on the TBM method, in Korea. For this reason, this study focused on evaluation of the applicability of TBM performance prediction models based on field data in order to contribute to the basic and essential parts of TBM designation and the TBM method of tunnel excavation in Korea. These rock properties can be defined as the mechanical and physical factors of rock that have an influence on a disc cutter's ability to cut rock, and provide information for the evaluation of the applicability of field data. Based on outcomes from these tests, applicability of the prediction model was evaluated and the predicted performance of a TBM was compared with real field data obtained from four different TBM construction sites in Korea.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.139-151
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• 2014

Mudstone is a very common rock that, when in contact with water, can exhibit considerable volume change and breakdown. This behavior of mudstone is frequently encountered in geotechnical engineering and has a considerable influence on infrastructure stability. This is particularly important in the present work, which focuses on mitigating the harmful properties of mudstone. The samples studied are of Permian Age mudstone from Shandong Province, China. Modification tests using organic silicone additive material were carried out. The mechanisms of physical properties modification of mudstone were comparatively studied using corresponding test methods, and the modification mechanism of organic silicone additive material acting on mudstone was analyzed. The following conclusions were drawn. The surface texture and characters of mudstone changed dramatically, surface character turns from hydrophilic to hydrophobic after organic silicone additive material modification. The changes in the surface character indicate a reduction in the water sensitivity of mudstone. After modification, the shape of porosity and fracture of mudstone changed unremarkable, and the total and free expansion ratios decreased obviously, whereas the strength increased markedly.