Modeling mechanical layering effects on stability of underground openings in jointed sedimentary rocks

This paper examines the significance of mechanical layering for “blocky” rock mass deformation around underground openings excavated through sedimentary rocks. The analysis is based on an integration of geologically based discrete fracture models (“geoDFN”), which incorporate “mechanical layering”, with the numerical discrete element method—the discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA). We begin with addressing limitations of classical solutions for mine roof stability in layered and jointed rock masses via the analysis of the free standing, unsupported, 2000-year-old underground quarry known as Zedekiah's cave below the old city of Jerusalem, Israel. We show that both the “clamped beam” model and the “Voussoir beam analogue” fail to predict the observed roof stability. Only application of discrete element modeling, which allows for interactions between multiple blocks in the rock mass, can capture correctly the arching mechanism which takes place in the roof and which properly explains the long-term stability of this underground opening.We continue with examining the effect of joint trace geometries on “blocky” rock mass deformation using the hybrid geoDFN-DDA approach. We show that with increasing joint length and decreasing bridge length vertical deformations in the rock mass are enhanced. We explain this by the greater number of distinct blocks in the rock mass due to the greater joint intersection probability in such geometries. We find that rock bridge length is particularly important when considering the stability of the immediate roof. With increasing rock bridge length the number of blocks in immediate roof decreases and consequently individual block width is increased. Increased block width in immediate roof layers enhances stable arching development, thus improving their load carrying capacity and overall stability of the underground structure.     

Experimental study of the effect of fracture size on closure behavior of a tensile fracture under normal stress

Tensile fractures that measured from 37.5 mm×37.5 mm to 260 mm×260 mm were created in sandstone perpendicular to the bedding plane by intending steel wedges, and closure of these fractures under normal stresses of up to 10 MPa was measured in the laboratory to investigate the effect of fracture size on closure behavior. Prior to the tests, the aperture distributions were determined by measuring the topography of the upper and lower surfaces using a non-contact surface profile measurement system with a laser profilometer, and the power spectral densities (PSDs) of the initial aperture and the surface heights were calculated by using a standard fast Fourier transform (FFT). The experimental results showed that at a given normal stress, closure significantly increases with an increase in fracture size. However, the relation between normal stress and closure, normalized by the standard deviation (SD) of the initial aperture, is almost independent of the fracture size, since the SD of the initial aperture also increases with fracture size. Thus, the size effect on the closure of a fracture under normal stress is governed by that on the SD of the initial aperture.     

Development of DETAC and its application to the hydrogen detonation analysis

In this study, a numerical analysis code (DETAC, Detonation Analysis Code) for hydrogen detonation during the reactor severe accident was developed using Fortran 90 language, and the simulation was performed for the hydrogen detonation. A global-chemistry model was adopted to simulate the chemical reaction. The Euler equations were solved using third-order Runge-Kutta method with fifth-order weighted essentially non-oscillatory scheme handling the convection flux. Afterward, the hydrodynamics solver was verified by comparison of predicted results and exact solutions of four cases of shock tube problems. A hydrogen detonation in a pipe was simulated to verify this code by comparing the results with the classical C-J theory. Furthermore, this code was applied to the hydrogen detonation analysis in the compartment of BWR building. Two cases with different ignition locations were analyzed in this paper and the maximum pressure of these cases were 7.5 MPa and 8.0 MPa, respectively. The pressure and the temperature during detonation were affected by the ignition location. The results indicated that the possibility of reactor building destruction exists if the hydrogen detonation occurs.     

Security constrained optimal power flow solution using new adaptive partitioning flower pollination algorithm

In this paper, a flexible power system planning strategy using a novel population-based metaheuristic algorithm inspired by the pollination process of flowers named adaptive flower pollination algorithm (APFPA) has been proposed. The proposed power system planning strategy implemented and successfully applied for solving the security optimal power flow (OPF) considering faults at critical generating unit. The main particularity of the proposed variant is that the control variables are optimized based on an adaptive and flexible structure. Also the performances of the standard FPA is improved by dynamically adjusting their control parameters, this allows creating diversity and balance between exploration and exploitation during search process. The robustness of the proposed planning strategy, is demonstrated on the IEEE 30-Bus, and IEEE 57-Bus tests power system for different objectives such as fuel cost, power losses, and voltage deviation. Considering the quality of the obtained results compared with various recent methods reported in the literature, the proposed strategy seems to be a competitive tool for solving with accuracy the security OPF considering critical situations.     

Destabilization analysis of overlapping underground chambers induced by blasting vibration with catastrophe theory

1 Introduction At present, boring and blasting construction methods are mostly used in underground engineering, for example excavation in mine, building of tunnels and subways, large underground power houses and so on. However, the damage blasting operat…     

Shrinkage and strength of alkaline activated ground steel slag/ultrafine palm oil fuel ash pastes and mortars

This study evaluated the contributions of steel slag and activators ratio to the shrinkage of the alkali-activated ground steel slag (G)/ultrafine palm oil fuel ash (U) or AAGU pastes and mortars. The base materials were combined such that G/U+G varied from 0 to 0.8 (pastes) and 0–0.6 (mortars) with the use of 10M-NaOH_aq and Na₂SiO_3aq (Ms = SiO₂/Na₂O of 3.3) as activators whose ratios (Na₂SiO_3aq/10M NaOH_aq) were varied as 1.0/1.0 and 2.5/1.0. The findings revealed that steel slag reduced the AAGU shrinkage through pore-refinement, elimination of microcracks, and improvement in the microstructural density and strength. The changing of Na₂SiO₃/10NaOH ratio in the synthesis of AAGU products from 2.5 to 1.0 slightly reduced the shrinkage through the modification of amorphousity and nature of the products (C-A-S-H/C-S-H). The maximum 90-day slag-free AAGU paste and mortar shrinkages were 60.80 × 10³ με and 11.82 × 10³ με but reduced to 25.88 × 10³ and 2.71 × 10³ με, respectively as G/(U+G) = 0.4 in AAGU_0.4.     

A new estimation method and an anisotropy index for the deformation modulus of jointed rock masses

The deformation modulus of a rock mass is an important parameter to describe its mechanical behavior.In this study,an analytical method is developed to determine the deformation modulus of jointed rock masses,which considers the mechanical properties of intact rocks and joints based on the superposition principle.Due to incorporating the variations in the orientations and sizes of joint sets,the proposed method is applicable to the rock mass with persistent and parallel joints as well as that with nonpersistent and nonparallel joints.In addition,an anisotropy index AIdmfor the deformation modulus is defined to quantitatively describe the anisotropy of rock masses.The range of AIdmis from 0 to 1,and the more anisotropic the rock mass is,the larger the value of AIdmwill be.To evaluate the proposed method,20 groups of numerical experiments are conducted with the universal distinct element code(UDEC).For each experimental group,the deformation modulus in 24 directions are obtained by UDEC(numerical value)and the proposed method(predicted value),and then the mean error rates are calculated.Note that the mean error rate is the mean value of the error rates of the deformation modulus in 24 directions,where for each direction,the error rate is equal to the ratio of numerical value minus predicted value to the numerical value.The results show that(i)for different experimental groups,the mean error rates vary between 5.06%and 22.03%;(ii)the error rates for the discrete fracture networks(DFNs)with two sets of joints are at the same level as those with one set of joints;and(iii)therefore,the proposed method for estimating the deformation modulus of jointed rock masses is valid.