• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.17-30
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• 2009

Underground construction such as tunneling can induce damages on the surrounding rock mass, due to the stress concentration of in situ stresses and excessive energy input during construction sequence, such as blasting. The developed damage on the rock mass can have substantial influence on the mechanical and hydraulic behaviors of the rock masses around a tunnel. In this study, investigation on the generation of damage around an opening in a jointed rock model under biaxial compression condition was conducted. The joint dip angles employed are 30, 45, and 60 degrees to the horizontal, and the synthetic rock mass was made using early strength cement and water. From the biaxial compression test, initiation and propagation of tensile cracks at norm to the joint angle were found. The propagated tensile cracks eventually developed rock blocks, which were dislodged from the rock mass. Furthermore, the propagation process of the tensile cracks varies with joint angle: lower joint angle model shows more stable and progressive tensile crack propagation. The development of the tensile crack can be explained under the hypothesis that the rock segment encompassed by the joint set is subjected to the developing moment, which can be induced by the geometric irregularity around the opening in the rock model. The experiment results were simulated by using discrete element method PFC 2D. From the simulation, as has been observed from the test, a rock mass with lower joint angle produces wider damage region and rock block by tensile cracks. In addition, a rock model with lower joint angle shows progressive tensile cracks generation around the opening from the investigation of the interacted tensile cracks.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.223-244
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• 2007

This study experimentally and numerically investigated the tensile damage progress in stitched laminates. In particular, it focused on the effects of stitching on the damage progress. First, we experimentally confirmed that ply cracks and delamination appeared under load regardless of stitching. We then performed damage-extension simulation for stitched laminates using a layer-wise finite element model with stitch threads as beam elements, in which the damage (ply cracks and delamination) was represented by cohesive elements. A detailed comparison between observation and the simulated results confirmed that stitching had little effect on the onset and accumulation of ply cracks. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the stitch threads significantly suppressed the extension of the delamination.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.99-109
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• 2007

A cracked composite specimen, comprised of an epoxy and an aluminium plate, was fractured under a tensile load. In this paper, two crack configurations were investigated. The first was an artificial center crack positioned in the epoxy plate parallel to the material interface. The other was for two edge cracks in the epoxy plate, again, parallel to the interface. A tensile test was carried out by gradually increasing the applied load and it was verified that the cracks always moved suddenly in an outward direction from the interface. The d/a ratio was gradually reduced to zero, and it was confirmed that the maximum stress intensity factor value for the artificial center crack, $K_{{\theta}{\theta}}^{max}$, approached that of an artificial interface crack,$K_{{\theta}{\theta}}^{ifc\;max}$ (where: 2a is the crack length and d is the offset between the crack and interface). The same phenomenon was also verified for the edge cracks. Specifically, when the offset, d, was reduced to zero, the maximum stress intensity factor value, $K_{{\theta}{\theta}}^{max}$, approached that of an artificial interface edge crack.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.1
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• pp.77-87
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• 2019

In this paper, the interaction between two neighboring tunnel has been investigated using PFC2D. For this purpose, firstly calibration of PFC was performed using Brazilian experimental test. Secondly, various configuration of two neighboring tunnel was prepared and tested by biaxial test. The maximum and minimum principle stresses were 0.2 and 30 MPa respectively. The modeling results show that in most cases, the tensile cracks are dominant mode of cracks that occurred in the model. With increasing the diameter of internal circle, number of cracks decreases in rock pillar also number of total cracks decreases in the model. The rock pillar was heavily broken when its width was too small. In fixed quarter size of tunnel, the crack initiation stress decreases with increasing the central tunnel diameter. In fixed central tunnel size, the crack initiation stress decreases with increasing the quarter size of tunnel.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.255-261
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• 2001

This study was related with the effect of elevated temperature on the tensile strength of edge-cut samples. There was a different tensile strength behavior of uncut samples and pre-cut samples under different test temperatures. Tensile strength of uncut sample decreases with increasing test temperature. When pro-cut size(C) is larger than critical cut size($C_{cr}$), tensile strength or pre-cut specimen at $80^{\circ}C$ is higher than that of pre-cut specimen at room temperature (RT). Test specimens under $80^{\circ}C$ condition exhibited more secondary cracks at the crack tip region compared to room temperature conditions. However, secondary cracks of pre-cut specimens are not clearly developed at $110^{\circ}C$. Differences in tensile strength induced by different test temperature seem to be responsible for the strain-induced crystallization and micro-cracking patterns.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.68 no.4
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• pp.497-505
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• 2018

Three points bending flexural test was modeled numerically to study the crack propagation in the pre-cracked beams. The pre-existing edge cracks in the beam models were considered to investigate the crack propagation and coalescence paths within the modeled samples. The effects of particle size on the single edge-notched round bar in bending test were considered too. The results show 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 the present study, the influences of particles sizes on the cracks propagations and coalescences in the brittle materials such as rocks and concretes are numerically analyzed by using a three dimensional particle flow code (PFC3D). These analyses improve the understanding of the stability of rocks and concretes structures such as rock slopes, tunnel constructions and underground openings.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2012

Micro-cracks with a width less than 0.1 mm in precast concrete panels do not cause structural problem, but they can cause problems in long term durability and concrete surfaces aesthetic, requiring additional repair costs. In this paper, polymer cement concrete is used to increase flexural tensile strength and to prevent micro-cracks due to construction loads on LB-DECK panels. Using 5% polymer-cement ratio, the panel crack moment is increased by improving flexural tensile strength and controlling visible micro-cracks during construction stage of LB-DECK.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2009

The stress-strain behavior and its effects on the crack initiation and growth of ITO film on PET substrate with a sheet resistance of 45 ohms/sq were investigated. Electrical resistance increased gradually at the strain of 0.7% in the elastic to plastic transition region of the stress strain curves. Numerous cracks were observed after 1% strain and the increase of the resistance can be linked to the cracking of ITO thin films. The onset strain for the increase of resistance increased with increasing strain rate, suggesting the crack initiation is dependent on the strain rate. Upon loading, the initial cracks perpendicular to the tensile axis were observed and propagated the whole sample width with increasing strain. The spacing between horizontal cracks is thought to be determined by the fracture strength and the interfacial strength between ITO and PET. The crack density increased with increasing strain. The spacing between horizontal cracks (perpendicular to the stress axis) increased with decreasing strain rate, The increase of crack density with decreasing strain rate can be attributed to the higher fraction of the plastic strain to the total strain at a given total strain. As the strain increased over 5% strain, cracks parallel to the stress axis were developed and increased in number with strain, accompanied by drastic increases of resistance.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.723-737
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• 2016

In this paper an approach was described for determination of direction of sliding block in rock slopes containing planar non-persistent open joints. For this study, several gypsum blocks containing planar non-persistent open joints with dimensions of $15{\times}15{\times}15cm$ were build. The rock bridges occupy 45, 90 and $135cm^2$ of total shear surface ($225cm^2$), and their configuration in shear plane were different. From each model, two similar blocks were prepared and were subjected to shearing under normal stresses of 3.33 and $7.77kg/cm^{-2}$. Based on the change in the configuration of rock-bridges, a factor called the Effective Joint Coefficient (EJC) was formulated, that is the ratio of the effective joint surface that is in front of the rock-bridge and the total shear surface. In general, the failure pattern is influenced by the EJC while shear strength is closely related to the failure pattern. It is observed that the propagation of wing tensile cracks or shear cracks depends on the EJC and the coalescence of wing cracks or shear cracks dominates the eventual failure pattern and determines the peak shear load of the rock specimens. So the EJC is a key factor to determine the sliding direction in rock slopes containing planar non-persistent open joints.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.67 no.5
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• pp.493-504
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• 2018

In this paper, the tensile failure behaviour of transversally bedding layers was numerically simulated by using particle flow code in two dimensions. Firstly, numerical model was calibrated by uniaxial, Brazilian and triaxial experimental results to ensure the conformity of the simulated numerical model's response. Secondly, 21 circular models with diameter of 54 mm were built. Each model contains two transversely bedding layers. The first bedding layer has low mechanical properties, less than mechanical properties of intact material, and second bedding layer has high mechanical properties, more than mechanical properties of intact material. The angle of first bedding layer, with weak mechanical properties, related to loading direction was $0^{\circ}$, $15^{\circ}$, $30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, $75^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$ while the angle of second layer, with high mechanical properties, related to loading direction was $90^{\circ}$, $105^{\circ}$, $120^{\circ}$, $135^{\circ}$, $150^{\circ}$, $160^{\circ}$ and $180^{\circ}$. Is to be note that the angle between bedding layer was $90^{\circ}$ in all bedding configurations. Also, three different pairs of the thickness was chosen in models; i.e., 5 mm/10 mm, 10 mm/10 mm and 20 mm/10 mm. The result shows that In all configurations, shear cracks develop between the weaker bedding layers. Shear cracks angel related to normal load change from $0^{\circ}$ to $90^{\circ}$ with increment of $15^{\circ}$. Numbers of shear cracks are constant by increasing the bedding thickness. It's to be note that in some configuration, tensile cracks develop through the intact area of material model. There is not any failure in direction of bedding plane interface with higher strength.