• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.519-533
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• 2023

In this study, the linear cutting tests of pick cutters were carried out on a granitic rock with the average compressive strength over 100 MPa. From the tests, the correlation between the cutter acting force and the temperature measured by infrared thermal imaging camera during rock cutting was analyzed. In every experimental condition, the maximum temperature was measured at the rock surface where the chipping occurred, and the temperature generated in the rock was closely correlated with the cutter acting force. On the other hand, the temperature of a pick cutter increased up to only 36℃ above the ambient temperature, and the correlation with the cutter force was not obvious. This can be attributed to the short cutting distance under laboratory conditions and the high thermal conductivity of the tungsten carbide inserts. However, the relatively high temperature of the tungsten carbide inserts was found to be maintained. Therefore, it is recommended that a reinforcement between the insert and the head of a pick cutter or the quality improvement of silvering brazing in the production of a cutter is necessary to maintain the high cutting performance of a pick cutter.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.208-217
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• 2024

There is so much research effort for developing and implementing deep learning-based surveillance systems to manage health and safety issues in construction sites. Especially, the development of deep learning-based object detection in various environmental changes has been progressing because those affect decreasing searching performance of the model. Among the various environmental variables, the accuracy of the object detection model is significantly dropped under low illuminance, and consistent object detection accuracy cannot be secured even the model is trained using low-light images. Accordingly, there is a need of low-light enhancement to keep the performance under low illuminance. Therefore, this paper conducts a comparative study of various deep learning-based low-light image enhancement models (GLADNet, KinD, LLFlow, Zero-DCE) using the acquired construction site image data. The low-light enhanced image was visually verified, and it was quantitatively analyzed by adopting image quality evaluation metrics such as PSNR, SSIM, Delta-E. As a result of the experiment, the low-light image enhancement performance of GLADNet showed excellent results in quantitative and qualitative evaluation, and it was analyzed to be suitable as a low-light image enhancement model. If the low-light image enhancement technique is applied as an image preprocessing to the deep learning-based object detection model in the future, it is expected to secure consistent object detection performance in a low-light environment.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.218-230
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• 2024

Recently, many studies have been conducted for safety management in construction sites by incorporating computer vision. Anchor box parameters are used in state-of-the-art deep learning-based object detection and segmentation, and the optimized parameters are critical in the training process to ensure consistent accuracy. Those parameters are generally tuned by fixing the shape and size by the user's heuristic method, and a single parameter controls the training rate in the model. However, the anchor box parameters are sensitive depending on the type of object and the size of the object, and as the number of training data increases. There is a limit to reflecting all the characteristics of the training data with a single parameter. Therefore, this paper suggests a method of applying multiple parameters optimized through data split to solve the above-mentioned problem. Criteria for efficiently segmenting integrated training data according to object size, number of objects, and shape of objects were established, and the effectiveness of the proposed data split method was verified through a comparative study of conventional scheme and proposed methods.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.231-247
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• 2024

In the field of high-level radioactive waste disposal targeting deep rock environments, hydraulic characteristic information serves as the most important key factor in selecting relevant disposal sites, detailed design of disposal facilities, derivation of optimal construction plans, and safety evaluation during operation. Since various rock types are mixed and distributed in a small area in Korea, it is important to conduct preliminary work to analyze the hydrogeological characteristics of rock aquifers for various rock types and compile the resulting data into a database. In this paper, we obtained hydraulic conductivity data, which is the most representative field hydraulic characteristic of a high-depth volcanic bedrock aquifer, and also analyzed and evaluated the field data. To acquire field data, we used a high-performance hydraulic testing system developed in-house and applied standardized test methods and investigation procedures. In the process of hydraulic characteristic data analysis, hydraulic conductivity values were obtained for each depth, and the pattern of groundwater flow through permeable rock joints located in the test section was also evaluated. It is expected that the series of data acquisition methods, procedures, and analysis results proposed in this report can be used to build a database of hydraulic characteristics data for high-depth rock aquifers in Korea. In addition, it is expected that it will play a role in improving technical know-how to be applied to research on hydraulic characteristic according to various bedrock types in the future.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.28-53
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• 2024

In general, high-level radioactive waste (HLW) generated as a result of nuclear power generation should be disposed within the country. Determination of the disposal site and host rock for HLW deep geological repository is an important issue not only scientifically but also politically, economically, and socially. Considered host rock types worldwide for geological disposal include crystalline rocks, sedimentary rocks, volcanic rocks, and salt dome. However, South Korea consists of various rock types except salt dome. This paper not only analyzed the geological and rock mechanical characteristics on a nationwide scale with the preliminary results on various rock type studies for the disposal host rock, but also reviewed the characteristics and possibility of various rock types as a host rock through deep drilling surveys. Based on the nationwide screening for host rock types resulted from literature review, rock distributions, and detailed case studies, Jurassic granites and Cretaceous sedimentary rocks (Jinju and Jindong formations) were derived as a possible candidate host rock types for the geological disposal. However, since the analyzed data for candidate rock types from this study is not enough, it is suggested that the disposal rock type should be carefully determined from additional and detailed analysis on disposal depth, regional characteristics, multidisciplinary investigations, etc.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.89-103
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• 2024

In the disposal environment, gases can be generated at the interface between canister and buffer due to various factors such as anaerobic corrosion, radiolysis, and microbial degradation. If the gas generation rate exceeds the diffusion rate, the gas within the buffer may compress, resulting in physical damage to the buffer due to the increased pore pressure. In particular, the rapid movement of gases, known as gas breakthroughs, through the dilatancy pathway formed during this process may lead to releasing radionuclide. Therefore, understanding these gas generation and movement mechanism is essential for the safety assessment of the disposal systems. In this study, an experimental apparatus for investigating gas migration within buffer was constructed based on a literature review. Subsequently, a gas injection experiment was conducted on a compacted bentonite block made of Bentonile WRK (Clariant Ltd.) powder. The results clearly demonstrated a sharp increase in stress and pressure typically observed at the onset of gas breakthrough within the buffer. Additionally, the range of stresses induced by the swelling phenomenon of the buffer, was 4.7 to 9.1 MPa. The apparent gas entry pressure was determined to be approximately 7.8 MPa. The equipment established in this study is expected to be utilized for various experiments aimed at building a database on the initial properties of buffer and the conditions during gas injection, contributing to understanding the gas migration phenomena.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.330-354
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• 2024

In site characterization of high-level radioactive waste, discontinuity(joint) distribution and rock mass classification, which are key evaluation parameters in the rock engineering field, were evaluated using deep boreholes in the Wonju granite and Chuncheon granite, which belong to Mesozoic Jurassic era. To evaluate joint distribution characteristics, fracture zones and joint surfaces extracted from ATV data were used, and major joint sets were evaluated along with joint frequency according to depth, dip direction, and dip. Both the Wonju and Chuncheon granites that were studied showed a tendency for the frequency of joints to increase linearly with depth, and joints with high angles were relatively widely distributed. In addition, relatively large amounts of weathering tended to occur even in deep depth due to groundwater inflow through high-angle joints. RQD values remained consistently low even at considerable depth. Meanwhile, joint groups with low angles showed different joint characteristics from joint sets with high angles. Rock mass classification was performed based on RMR system, and along with rock mass classification for 50 m intervals where uniaxial compressive strength was performed, continuous rock mass classification according to depth was performed using velocity log data and geostatistical techniques. The Wonju granite exhibited a superior rock mass class compared to the Chuncheon granite. In the 50 m interval and continuous rock mass classification, the shallow part of the Wonju granite showed a higher class than the deep part, and the deep part of the Chuncheon granite showed a higher class than the shallow part.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.355-373
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• 2024

The Generalized Hoek-Brown (GHB) criterion is a nonlinear failure criterion specialized for rock engineering applications and has recently seen increased usage. However, the GHB criterion expresses the relationship between minimum and maximum principal stresses at failure, and when GSI≠100, it has disadvantage of being difficult to express as an explicit relationship between the normal and shear stresses acting on the failure plane, i.e., as a Mohr failure envelope. This disadvantage makes it challenging to apply the GHB criterion in numerical analysis techniques such as limit equilibrium analysis, upper-bound limit analysis, and the critical plane approach. Consequently, recent studies have attempted to express the GHB Mohr failure envelope as an approximate analytical formula, and there is still a need for continued interest in related research. This study presents improved formulations for the approximate GHB Mohr failure envelope, offering higher accuracy in predicting shear strength compared to existing formulas. The improved formulation process employs a method to enhance the approximation accuracy of the tangential friction angle and utilizes the tangent line equation of the nonlinear GHB failure envelope to improve the accuracy of shear strength approximation. In the latter part of this paper, the advantages and limitations of the proposed approximate GHB failure envelopes in terms of shear strength prediction accuracy and calculation time are discussed.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1125-1146
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• 2018

Segment lining applied to the TBM tunnel is mainly made of concrete, and it requires sufficient structural capacity to resist loads received during the construction and also after the completion. When segment lining is design to the Limit State Design, both Ultimate Limit State (ULS) and Service Limit State (SLS) should be met for the possible load cases that covers both permanent and temporary load cases - such as load applied by TBM. When design segment lining, it is important to check structural capacity at the joints as both temporary and permanent loads are always transferred through the segment joints, and sometimes the load applied to the joint is high enough to damage the segment - so called bursting failure. According to the various design guides from UK (PAS 8810, 2016), compression stress at the joint surface can generate bursting failure of the segment. This is normally from the TBM's jacking force applied at the circumferential joint, and the lining's hoop thrust generated from the permanent loads applied at the radial joint. Therefore, precast concrete segment lining's joints shall be designed to have sufficient structural capacity to resist bursting stresses generated by the TBM's jacking force and by the hoop thrust. In this study, bursting stress at the segment joints are calculated, and the joint's structural capacity was assessed using Leonhardt (1964) and FEM analysis for three different design cases. For those three analysis cases, hoop thrust at the radial joint was calculated with the application of the most widely used limit state design codes Eurocode and AASHTO LRFD (2017). For the circumferential joints bursting design, an assumed TBM jack force was used with considering of the construction tolerance of the segments and the eccentricity of the jack's position. The analysis results show reinforcement is needed as joint bursting stresses exceeds the allowable tensile strength of concrete. This highlights that joint bursting check shall be considered as a mandatory design item in the limit state design of the segment lining.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.305-330
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• 2023

Unlike NATM tunnels, Shield TBM tunnels have split linings. Therefore, the stress distribution of the lining is different even if the lining is under the same load. Representative methods for analyzing the stress generated in lining in Shield TBM tunnels include Non-joint Mode that does not consider connections and a 2-ring beam-spring model that considers ring-to-ring joints and segment connections. This study is an analysis method by Break-joint Mode. However, we do not consider the structural role of segment lining connections. The effectiveness of the modeling is verified by analyzing behavioral characteristics against vibration loads by modeling with segment connection interfaces to which vertical stiffness and shear stiffness, which are friction components, are applied. Unlike the Non-joint mode, where the greatest stress occurs on the crown for static loads such as earth pressure, the stress distribution caused by contact between segment lining and friction stiffness produced the smallest stress in the crown key segment where segment connections were concentrated. The stress distribution was clearly distinguished based on segment connections. The results of static analysis by earth pressure, etc., produced up to seven times the stress generated in Non-joint mode compared to the stress generated by Break-joint Mode. This result is consistent with the stress distribution pattern of the 2-ring beam-spring model. However, as for the stress value for the train vibration load, the stress of Break-joint Mode was greater than that of Non-joint mode. This is a different result from the static mechanics concept that a segment ring consisting of a combination of short members is integrated in the circumferential direction, resulting in a smaller stress than Non-joint mode with a relatively longer member length.