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Evaluation of rock fracture patterns based on the element-free Galerkin method for stability assessment of a highly pressurized gas storage cavern

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Abstract

Reasonable failure paths are crucial in the stability assessment of a highly pressurized gas storage cavern in a rock mass using limit equilibrium analysis. In this study, the fracture patterns in the rock mass around a gas storage cavern are evaluated based on the element-free Galerkin (EFG) method with a cohesive crack model. The proposed analysis method was first validated through scaled-down model testing results before extending to a full-scale problem. Using the current approach, a parametric sensitivity analysis was performed by taking into account the influences of the stress ratio, the depth of the cavern, and the tensile strength of the rock mass. Based on the analysis results obtained, this research showed that the representative failure paths, in which the uplift evaluation is necessary, can be established from the EFG results with careful consideration of crack initiation and the propagation direction. The site having an in situ stress ratio greater than 1.2 is preferred for operation of underground gas storage caverns. By performing the limit equilibrium analyses for stability assessment of the rock mass above the pressurized cavern, we demonstrated that the factor of safety against uplift computed from the failure paths established in this study is higher than or equal to those obtained from analyses with the simplified models in previous studies without considering the influence parameters on the fracture patterns.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Institutional Research Capability Development grant from Thailand Research Fund (TRF) and King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT). The support from the NRU Project of Thailand, Office of the Higher Education Commission, and that from Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin Wang Klai Kangwon Campus are also acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rajamangala University of Technology Rattanakosin Wang Klai Kangwon Campus, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand

    Jukkrawut Tunsakul

  2. Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha Uthit, Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Pornkasem Jongpradist

  3. Department of Energy and Mineral Resources Engineering, College of Engineering, Sejong University, Seoul, Korea

    Hyung-Mok Kim

  4. School of Civil Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology, Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand

    Pruettha Nanakorn

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  1. Jukkrawut Tunsakul
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  2. Pornkasem Jongpradist
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  3. Hyung-Mok Kim
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  4. Pruettha Nanakorn
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Correspondence to Pornkasem Jongpradist.

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Tunsakul, J., Jongpradist, P., Kim, HM. et al. Evaluation of rock fracture patterns based on the element-free Galerkin method for stability assessment of a highly pressurized gas storage cavern. Acta Geotech. 13, 817–832 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-017-0594-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-017-0594-5

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