• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.429-437
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• 2017

In this study, the effect of the tensile strength and ratio of disc spacing to penetration depth on the efficiency of tunnel boring machine (TBM) is investigated using Particle flow code (PFC) in two dimensions. Models with dimensions of $150{\times}70mm$ made of rocks with four different tensile strength values of 5 MPa, 10 MPa, 15 MPa and 20 MPa were separately analyzed and two "U" shape cutters with width of 10 mm were penetrated into the rock model by velocity rate of 0.1 mm/s. The spacing between cutters was also varied in this study. Failure patterns for 5 different penetration depths of 3 mm, 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, and 7 mm were registered. Totally 100 indentation test were performed to study the optimal tool-rock interaction. An equation relating mechanical rock properties with geometric characteristics for the optimal TBM performance is proposed. The results of numerical simulations show that the effective rock-cutting condition corresponding to the minimum specific energy can be estimated by an optimized disc spacing to penetration depth, which, in fact, is found to be proportional to the rock's tensile strength.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.373-381
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• 2018

Hollow center cracked disc (HCCD) in Brazilian test was modelled numerically to study the crack propagation in the pre-cracked disc. The pre-existing edge cracks in the disc models were considered to investigate the crack propagation and coalescence paths within the modelled samples. The effect of particle size on the hollow center cracked disc (HCCD) in Brazilian test were considered too. The results shows that Failure pattern is constant by increasing the ball diameter. Tensile cracks are dominant mode of failure. These crack initiates from notch tip, propagate parallel to loading axis and coalescence with upper model boundary. Number of cracks increase by decreasing the ball diameter. Also, tensile fracture toughness was decreased with increasing the particle size. In this research, it is tried to improve the understanding of the crack propagation and crack coalescence phenomena in brittle materials which is of paramount importance in the stability analyses of rock and concrete structures, such as the underground openings, rock slopes and tunnel construction.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.553-564
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• 2019

This paper presents experimental results of rock-concrete bi-material discs under cyclically diametrical compression. It was found that both specimens under cyclical and static loading failed in three typical modes: shear crack, tensile crack and a combined mode of shear and wing crack. The failure modes transited gradually from the shear crack to the tensile one by increasing the interface angle between the interface and the loading direction. The cycle number and peak load increased by increasing the interface angle. The number of cycles and peak load increased with the interface groove depth and groove width, however, decreased with increase in interface groove spacing. The concrete strength can contribute more to the cycle number and peak load for specimens with a higher interface angle. Compared with the discs under static loading, the cyclically loaded discs had a lower peak load but a larger deformation. Finally, the effects of interface angle, interface asperity and concrete strength on the fatigue strength were also discussed.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.359-368
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• 2022

Undercutting using an actuated disc cutter (ADC) involves more complex cutting mechanism than traditional rock cutting does, requiring the application of various new cutting parameters, such as eccentricity, cutter inclination angle, and axis rotational speed. This study presents cutting-edge laboratory-scale testing equipment that allows performing ADC tests. ADC tests were carried out on a concrete block with a specified strength of 20 MPa, using a variety of cutting settings that included penetration depth (p), eccentricity (e), and linear velocity (v). ADC, unlike pick and disc cutting, has a non-linear cutting path with a dynamic cutting direction, requiring the development of a new method for predicting cutting force and specific energy. The influence of cutting parameters to the cutter forces were discussed. The ratio of eccentricity to the penetration depth (e/p) was proposed to evaluate the optimal cutting condition. Specific energy varies with e/p ratio, and exhibits optimum values in particular cases. In general, actuated undercutting may potentially give a more efficient cutting than conventional pick and disc cutting by demonstrating reasonably lower specific energy in a comparable cutting environment.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.349-358
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• 2021

The Brazilian test has been widely used to determine the indirect tensile strength of rock, concrete and other brittle materials. The basic assumption for the calculation formula of Brazilian tensile strength is that the elastic moduli of rock are the same both in tension and compression. However, the fact is that the elastic moduli in tension and compression of most rocks are different. Thus, the formula of Brazilian tensile strength under the assumption of isotropy is unreasonable. In the present study, we conducted Brazilian tests on flat disk-shaped rock specimens and attached strain gauges at the center of the disc to measure the strains of rock. A tension-compression bi-modular model is proposed to interpret the data of the Brazilian test. The relations between the principal strains, principal stresses and the ratio of the compressive modulus to tensile modulus at the disc center are established. Thus, the tensile and compressive moduli as well as the correct tensile strength can be estimated simultaneously by the new formulas. It is found that the tensile and compressive moduli obtained using these formulas were in well agreement with the values obtained from the direct tension and compression tests. The formulas deduced from the Brazilian test based on the assumption of isotropy overestimated the tensile strength and tensile modulus and underestimated the compressive modulus. This work provides a new methodology to estimate tensile strength and moduli of rock simultaneously considering tension-compression bi-modularity.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.675-687
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• 2018

In the previous studies on the porous rock strength the effect of pore number and its diameter is not explicitly defined. In this paper crack initiation, propagation and coalescence in Brazilian model disc containing a single cylindrical hole and or multiple holes have been studied numerically using PFC3D. In model with internal hole, the ratio of hole diameter to model diameter was varied between 0.03, 0.17, 0.25, 0.33, and 0.42. In model with multiple hole number of holes was different in various model, i.e., one hole, two holes, three holes, four holes, five holes, six holes, seven holes, eight holes and nine holes. Diameter of these holes was 5 mm, 10 mm and 12 mm. The pre-holed Brazilian discs are numerically tested under Brazilian test. The breakage load in the ring type disc specimens containing an internal hole with varying diameters is measured. The mechanism of cracks propagation in the wall of the ring type specimens is also studied. In the case of multi-hole Brazilian disc, the cracks propagation and b cracks coalescence are also investigated. The results shows that breaking of the pre-holed disc specimens is due to the propagation of radially induced tensile cracks initiated from the surface of the central hole and propagating toward the direction of diametrical loading. In the case of disc specimens with multiple holes, the cracks propagation and cracks coalescence may occur simultaneously in the breaking process of model under diametrical compressive loading. Finally the results shows that the failure stress and crack initiation stress decreases by increasing the hole diameter. Also, the failure stress decreases by increasing the number of hole which mobilized in failure. The results of these simulations were comprised with other experimental and numerical test results. It has been shown that the numerical and experimental results are in good agreement with each other.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2017

In this paper, mode I fracture toughness of rock was determined by direct and indirect methods using Particle Flow Code simulation. Direct methods are compaction tension (CT) test and hollow centre cracked quadratic sample (HCCQS). Indirect methods are notched Brazilian disk (NBD) specimen, the semi-circular bend (SCB) specimen, hollow centre cracked disc (HCCD), the single edge-notched round bar in bending (SENRBB) specimen and edge notched disk (END). It was determined that which one of indirect fracture toughness values is close to direct one. For this purpose, initially calibration of PFC was undertaken with respect to data obtained from Brazilian laboratory tests to ensure the conformity of the simulated numerical models response. Furthermore, the simulated models in five introduced indirect tests were cross checked with the results from direct tests. By using numerical testing, the failure process was visually observed. Discrete element simulations demonstrated that the macro fractures in models are caused by microscopic tensile breakages on large numbers of bonded discs. Mode I fracture toughness of rock in direct test was less than other tests results. Fracture toughness resulted from semi-circular bend specimen test was close to direct test results. Therefore semi-circular bend specimen can be a proper test for determination of Mode I fracture toughness of rock in absence of direct test.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.221-232
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• 2008

Rock bolts have been installed into rockmass as a main support system. In order to evaluate the rock bolt integrity using non-destructive technique, the transmission method of the guided ultrasonic wave has been successfully performed. For the transmission method, however, the source for the generation o# guided ultrasonic waves should be installed at the end of the steel bar during construction of the rock bolt in the field. The purpose of this study is to suggest a reflection method that the source and the receiver are installed on the head of the steel bar. The reflection method is compared with the transmission method using non-embedded rock bolts and rock bolts embedded in concrete block. In this experiment, the piezo disc element is used as the source and the AE sensor is used as the receiver. The wavelet transform is applied to determine the energy velocity. The experimental studies show that the reflection method produces almost identical value of the transmission method, and the energy velocity increases with the defect ratio. This study suggests that the reflection method of the guided ultrasonic wave may be a suitable method fur the rock bolt integrity evaluation in the field.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.10-21
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• 2021

Brittle materials such as rocks and concretes exhibit large strain-rate dependency under dynamic loading conditions. This means that the mechanical properties of such materials can significantly be varied according to load velocity. Thus, the strain-rate dependency is recognized as one of the most important considerations in solving problems of blast engineering or rock dynamics. Unfortunately, however, studies for characterizing the dynamic properties of domestic rocks and other brittle materials are still insufficient in the country. In this study, dynamic tensile tests were conducted using the Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus to characterize the dynamic properties of Geochang granite and high-strength concrete specimens. The dynamic Brazilian disc test, which is suggested by ISRM, and the spalling method were applied. In general, the latter is believed to have some advantages in experiments under high-strain rate deformation. It was found from the tests that there were no significant difference between the dynamic tensile strengths obtained from the two different test methods for the two materials given. However, this was not the expected result before the tests. Actually, authors expected that there be some differences between them. Hence, it is thought that further investigations are needed to clarify this results.