Fracture characterization and rock mass damage induced by different excavation methods in the Horonobe URL of Japan

Tokiwa, Tetsuya*; Tsusaka, Kimikazu*; Aoyagi, Kazuhei

International Journal of Civil Engineering, 16(4), p.371 - 381, 2018/04

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40999-016-0126-y

Effective 3D data visualization in deep shaft construction

Inagaki, Daisuke*; Tsusaka, Kimikazu*; Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Nago, Makito*; Ijiri, Yuji*; Shigehiro, Michiko*

Proceedings of ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress 2015 (WTC 2015)/41st General Assembly, 10 Pages, 2015/05

A Study on the strength properties of the rock mass based on triaxial tests conducted at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory

Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Ishii, Eiichi; Kondo, Keiji*; Tsusaka, Kimikazu*; Fujita, Tomoo

JAEA-Research 2015-001, 46 Pages, 2015/03

JAEA-Research-2015-001.pdf:4.92MB
JAEA-Research-2015-001-appendix(CD-ROM).zip:67.95MB

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been conducting R&D activities at the off-site URL at Horonobe, Hokkaido, Japan in order to enhance reliability of technology related to deep geological disposal of HLW in sedimentary rocks. In this report, strength properties (cohesion and frictional angle) of rock masses in the Koetoi and Wakkanai formations are investigated on the basis of triaxial tests conducted in the Horonobe URL considering the relative depths to the formation. Strength properties investigated in this report are compared with the properties obtained in the designing phase. The cohesion in the Koetoi Formation increased with increasing depth. On the other hand, in the transition zone of the Wakkanai Formation, the cohesion increased significantly in the shallow Wakkanai formation (transition zone). Below the transition zone, the cohesion does not significantly depend on the depth. Thus the strength properties between two formations were found to be different. Comparing the cohesions and frictional angles determined from triaxial tests with the values determined in the designing phase, there was no agreement between these values in almost all the depth. Thus it is essential to determine cohesion and frictional angle considering the relative depths to the formation for detailed understanding of strength properties of rock mass.

Hydrogeomechanical investigation of an excavation damaged zone in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory

Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Tsusaka, Kimikazu*; Nohara, Shintaro*; Kubota, Kenji*; Tokiwa, Tetsuya*; Kondo, Keiji*; Inagaki, Daisuke*

Proceedings of 8th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium (ARMS-8) (USB Flash Drive), 8 Pages, 2014/10

A Study of mechanical stability of support elements and surrounding rock mass during shaft sinking through a fault

Tsusaka, Kimikazu*; Inagaki, Daisuke*; Nago, Makito*; Ijiri, Yuji*

Proceedings of 8th Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium (ARMS-8) (USB Flash Drive), 9 Pages, 2014/10

Quantitative assessment of an Excavation Damaged Zone from variations in seismic velocity and fracture distribution around a gallery in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory

Aoyagi, Kazuhei; Tsusaka, Kimikazu; Kondo, Keiji; Inagaki, Daisuke

Rock Engineering and Rock Mechanics; Structures in and on Rock Masses, p.487 - 492, 2014/05

https://doi.org/10.1201/b16955-82

In a high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal project, it will be important to evaluate an Excavation Damaged Zone (EDZ). In particular, in an EDZ, new fractures are expected to develop in response to excavation. These fractures can cause increase in permeability of rock mass around the gallery. In order to investigate density of these fractures in an EDZ, the authors integrated information of fracture mapping of a gallery into a result of seismic tomography survey conducted in the Horonobe underground Research Laboratory. As a result, seismic velocity decreased almost linearly as the density of fracture increased. Also, it was found that density of fracture in an EDZ is expected to be evaluated by the trend which is calculated from simple numeric model. This analysis provides useful data for HLW disposal from a viewpoint that one can evaluate condition of fractures in an EDZ using the result of seismic tomography survey.

Influence of fracture orientation on excavatability of soft sedimentary rock using a hydraulic impact hammer; A Case study in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory

Tsusaka, Kimikazu; Tokiwa, Tetsuya

Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 38, p.542 - 549, 2013/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2013.08.007

In the Japanese deep geological disposal project for high-level radioactive waste, the ease of excavation of a potential host rock is a key issue for the economics of project implementation. This is because it is estimated that about 300-kilometers of disposal drifts will need to be excavated for the disposal of 40,000 waste packages deep underground. In this study, the influence not only of the mechanical properties of intact host rock, but also fracture characteristics and their effect on the practical excavation rate of drifts using a hydraulic impact hammer were analyzed. The drifts were excavated through soft sedimentary rock in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory. Fracture mapping was conducted at the excavation face before every excavation round for the evaluation of fracture characteristics. Equotip hardness testing was also conducted to estimate the strength of intact rock. The results indicate that the excavation rate of the drift excavated in the direction perpendicular to pre-existing fractures was faster than the excavation of the drift excavated in the direction parallel to pre-existing fractures. In addition, the drift excavated in the direction perpendicular to pre-existing fractures had a good correlation with fracture frequency. This result suggests that the preferred direction of disposal drifts should be perpendicular to the major pre-existing fractures in the host rock to optimize excavatability in any deep geological disposal project.

Rock spalling and countermeasures in shaft sinking at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory

Tsusaka, Kimikazu; Inagaki, Daisuke; Nago, Makito*; Aoki, Tomoyuki*; Shigehiro, Michiko*

Proceedings of 6th International Symposium on In-situ Rock Stress (RS 2013) (CD-ROM), p.339 - 346, 2013/08

The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory is planned to consist of the Ventilation Shaft (4.5 m in diameter), the East and West Access Shafts (6.5 m in diameter). The host rock of the URL site comprises Neogene sedimentary rocks. The unconfined compressive strength of the rocks is less than 20 MPa on average. Anisotropic stress distribution around the URL is also confirmed. Because several highly permeable fractures (hydraulic transmissivity: approximately 10m/s) with the size greater than the shaft diameter develop under the condition of around 2 in competence factor (i.e., the ratio of the unconfined compressive strength of rock to the initial stress) below a depth of 250 m, shaft sinking is a challenging issue from the viewpoint of tunnel engineering in the Horonobe URL Project. In this paper, the construction of the Ventilation Shaft below a depth of 250 m at the Horonobe URL is reported. During shaft sinking, fracture mapping of the shaft wall was performed. The geometry of the shaft wall was also measured using a three-dimensional laser scanner in order to investigate the shape and volume of rock spalling in the shaft wall resulting from the excavation work. Rock spalling was predominantly observed on the south and north wall rock corresponding to the direction of the minimum horizontal initial stress. A large amount of rock spalling also developed along a large-scale fault. With respect to the lining span and the layout of rockbolts, several support patterns were designed and installed as the countermeasures to prevent the development of excessive rock spalling. A flowchart for selecting the optimum support design was then developed.

The Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory

Tsusaka, Kimikazu

Chika Kukan Riyo Gaidobukku 2013, p.350 - 354, 2013/04

no abstracts in English

Influence of rock spalling on concrete lining in shaft sinking at the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory

Tsusaka, Kimikazu; Inagaki, Daisuke; Nago, Makito*; Koike, Masashi*; Matsubara, Makoto*; Sugawara, Kentaro*

Dai-13-Kai Iwa No Rikigaku Kokunai Shimpojiumu Koen Rombunshu (CD-ROM), p.911 - 916, 2013/01

A repository for high-level radioactive waste in deep underground consists of several underground structures such as access and disposal drifts and shafts. In deep geological disposal project, a shaft is the first underground structure to be constructed and the last one to be backfilled. Therefore, the stability of shaft is one of key factors to steadily manage the project in the construction and operation phases. In this paper, the authors discuss influence of rock spalling on concrete lining in shaft sinking. Japan Atomic Energy Agency has been constructing three shafts (one is for ventilation and the others are for access use) up to a depth of 500 m in the Horonobe Underground Research Laboratory. During the construction of the Ventilation Shaft (4.5 m in diameter) below a depth of 250 m, rock spalling occurred at several depths and an open crack has developed in a concrete lining installed just above rock spalling. The authors have measured geometry of shaft wall by using three-dimensional laser scanner. They also conducted numerical analysis in order to calculate change in stress distribution and deformation induced by rock spalling in a concrete lining and the surrounding rock. As a result, it was clarified that rock spalling induced tensile stress in the vertical direction in a concrete lining. Especially, the tensile stress in a concrete lining was likely to exceed tensile strength of a concrete lining in the case that it developed more than 100 cm in depth.