Tunnelling and

Underground Space
Technology
incorporating Trenchless
Technology Research
Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology 21 (2006) 403
www.elsevier.com/locate/tust

Discrete fracture network and equivalent hydraulic conductivity

for tunnel seepage analysis in rock mass
H.S. Lee a, B.K. Son b, Y.G. Kim c, S.W. Jeon b

a
SK Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd., Seoul, Korea
b
School of Civil, Urban and Geosystem Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
c
Sambo Engineering Co. Ltd., Seoul, Korea

Proper evaluation of groundwater inflow into tunnel face during and after construction is very important at tunnel
design stage. Conventional seepage analyses in porous media have been preferred for design purpose, but flow character-
istics is quite different for tunnels in rock mass because groundwater mainly flows through natural fractures such as faults,
joints and cracks. Discrete fracture network (DFN) model can be an alternative for tunnel design in this case. Recently, the
DFN model has been widely applied for the problems of groundwater flow in fractured rock masses at near-field scale
because fracture network provides major pathways for fluid flow while the conductivity of the intact rock matrix is gen-
erally very low. In larger scale problems, however, explicit representation of large numbers of fractures is less efficient, and
the continuum model using equivalent properties is more attractive. In this case, proper characterization of the equivalent
conductivity of fractured rock mass is important because this property is used for input parameter in the larger scale anal-
ysis such as regional groundwater drawdown due to excavation.
Studies on determining the equivalent conductivity for fractured rock masses have been developed continuously with
many applications in civil and environmental engineering. Although previous studies have suggested valuable techniques
on evaluation of equivalent properties, broad application should be needed especially in the field of seepage analysis for
tunnel and underground spaces in fractured rock mass.
In this study, DFN models are applied for tunnel seepage analysis. A series of discrete fracture networks were generated
based on the detailed investigation of tunnelling site for the urban subway line 9, Seoul, Korea. The statistical properties of
fractures such as orientation, frequency and intensity were characterized with detailed analysis of core logging and surface
mapping. Tunnelling site was divided into three equivalent regions showing the same characteristics of fracture properties,
and DFN models were generated for each region with FracMan. Stress-dependent equivalent conductivities are obtained
from groundwater seepage analysis with UDEC with generated representative DFNs. Use of DFN models in tunnel design
has still many limitations due to involved uncertainties related with inherent site information. However, it is more realistic
to apply DFN models for tunnel design when complicated fracture systems are dominated in rock mass. To reduce the
uncertainty, equivalent conductivities obtained from DFN realizations under actual in-situ stresses can be validated by cal-
ibrating to the field hydraulic test data.
Two-dimensional hydro-mechanical analysis with UDEC was carried out to determine the amount of groundwater
inflow into a tunnel using DFN model from the equivalent hydraulic conductivity in near field problem. The results
obtained more realistic groundwater inflow through tunnel face in rock mass. It is noted from the study that stress depen-
dent DFN models reflect more realistic field conditions compared with conventional seepage only DFN models. Contin-
uum modeling can be performed to predict groundwater drawdown caused by tunneling using the equivalent conductivities
from DFN modeling.

Keywords: Discrete fracture network; Tunnel seepage; Equivalent hydraulic conductivity

doi:10.1016/j.tust.2005.12.212