Japanese underground research laboratory project and prediction of rock mass behavior around deep shafts and galleries using continuous and discontinuous models

Sato, Toshinori  ; Mikake, Shinichiro ; Nakama, Shigeo ; Seno, Yasuhiro; Mori, Takayuki*; Iwano, Keita*; Goke, Mitsuo*; Tada, Hiroyuki*

Two one-thousand meter deep shafts and research galleries at several levels will be excavated in granite for the Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory (MIU) project. Research on the deep geological environment in this project will provide the basis for Research and Development on geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. The site of MIU project is located in Mizunami, Gifu, in the central part of the main island of Japan. By July 2003, entrances to the shafts were constructed, and excavation of lower part of shaft entrance was started in March 2004. Current status (September 2005) of construction is excavation of the shafts to a depth of 150 m has been done. Mechanical investigations including hydraulic fracturing test and laboratory tests on core samples were performed, and numerical analysis using continuous model and discontinuous model; MBC (Micro-mechanics based continuum model), Crack tensor model and FRACOD (fracture propagation code), were also performed to predict mechanical stability of openings and support systems, and rock mass behavior around openings. In this analysis EDZ (Excavation Damaged Zone) due to blasting and excavation step were considered in same cases. This paper describes the current status of Mizunami Underground Research Laboratory for crystalline rock and the results of prediction for rock mass behavior around the deep underground openings using some analytical methods. Measurements during shaft sinking and future plan of investigations in the URL are also describes in this paper.