Estimation Of Long-Term Stability Of Mine Pillars In Underground Pit

S. Yamashita and F. Sugimoto

Department ofMf f2ing and Excavation Ettgineering
Akita University
Akita City, Japan

M. Yamauchi
Tosetsu Civil Consultants Co., Ltd.
Tokyo, Japan

M. Furuzumi
Departzrient of Civil and Eiiviroiimeitlal Engineering
Iwate University
Morioka City, Japan

ABSTRACT

Recently in Japan, unexpected degradation (surface subsidence) at old underground quarry sites, such
as 'Ohya-lshi' (pumice tuff) pit field has often been occurred. At these quarry sites, the excavation was
started 20 or 3O years ago with mechanical chain cutter and the Room and Pillar method, and stopped 7 or
more years ago. Therefore, a reliable method has been required for an estimation of long term mechanical
properties of the rock and for an observation of a stability of rock-pillars or structures.
In this study, creep tests under uniaxial compressive load were carried out on the 'Ohya-lshi', with the
aim of estimating the long term stability of the rock.
From these results, a creep mechanism of the rock was discussed using the failure mechanism
hypothesis proposed by Bieniawski and by others. On this basis, critical time to failure was predicted by
the relationship between the logarithm of life time and stress ratio of the sustained axial creep load.
Additionally, ouUine of the monitoring system of AE/MS activity in the field, which have set by the
Ohya Aria Consolidate Public Corporation and the others to predict or to prevent the degradation of those
residual pillars, is to be reported.
Key words : Ohya-ishi, Pumice tuff, Mine pillar, Long term stability, Creep, Critical time

1. INTRODUCTION

Recently, underground rock mass construction has been attempted to construct rock structures
such as large scale petroleum reservoirs in order to make use of excellent insulation, wall stability
against earthquake, long-term stability of the rock stricture, constant temperature or humidity
conditions and the like.
On the other hand, unexpected degradation of rock-structures (such as 'Ohya-Ishi’ pit field) have often
_ been occurred. Therefore, it has been necessary to establish methods for estimation of suitable
mechanical properties of rock and rock-mass characteristics, and to devise the methods to permit
observation of stability conditions of rock-structures, with the goal being to optimize design, construction,
maintenance and control operations in rock excavation.

1
 One of the problems for estimating the long-term stability character of rock, concerns the acquisition
of data, not only of the stress-strain relations and strength properties, but also of the time-dependent
deformation properties.
In this study, drained creep tests were carried out on Ohya-Ishi to estimate the critical failure intervals
under prescribed stresses and to develop the methods for predicting such intervals.
During these experiments, relationship between elapsed time and strain behavior under sustained
creep stress and Acoustic Emission (AE) activity were observed.
From the results of these tests, the creep behavior of the rock was assessed, and the critical times to
failure were predicted by extrapolating relationship between the logarithm of time and the stress ratio of
the sustained axial creep load.
The loading times maintained in these creep tests varied between several minuets to one month.

2. OUTLINE OF DEGRADATION OF 'OHYA-ISHI' PIT FIELD

Figure 1 shows a map of Japan and Figure 2 shows Utsunomiya City in Tochigi prefecture.
ln Kanto district of Japan, central region of Honsyu Island, 'Ohya-lshi’ blocks are being used to make a
fence of a house. Ohya-lshi is beautiful greenish-gray tuff, that is called green-tuff in Japan, and it was
deposited during the Miocene Epoch of the Tertiary Period. Therefore, there are many quarry sites to
product the green-tuff blocks, and 'Ohya’ field is one of the most famous quarry held in Japan.
At almost all the quarry sites in this fields, the quarrying method of the Room and Pillar with a
mechanical chain cutter was introduced about 40 years ago. Now, about 100 sites of large or small scale
underground pits are working in the area of about 3Km X 6Km.
Between 1952 and 1963, when the old standard of extracting plane (Fig.3; minimum pillar ratio was
about 20 •) were adopted in those quarry sites before 1980, the roof fall and large or small cave-in occurred
25 and 14 times in the field, respectively.
Then, in 1982, the standard plane for those pits was changed to enlarge the pillar ratio up to 250. But,
there are many underground pit sites excavated by the old standard of the plane, now.

Honsyu leland

Fig. 2
 New Standard-

Surf ace so i I

Standard=> l5a

Fig. 3 Old Standard Plnnea and Yertiml Section of Ohya-Iehi Pit Site.
In 1989, 1990 and 1991, large scale surface subsidence occurred at those abandoned pit sites by
the
failure of those old residual pillars. All of those
cave- ins ‹x:curred in early spring.
The plane at one of the caved sites in
Sakamoto bloclt at Ohya fields is shown in
Figure 4.
In this site area, three times sudden surface
subsidence occurred in 1989. The brst cave-in
occurred in February with the dimensions of it’s
diameter of about 60m and depth of about 20m, and
the second one occurred at the beginning of March
near the first cave-in site with the diameter of about o •
ltDm. The pillar ratio at this site is only about 20R›.
There are 4 typical quarrying blocks in Ohya-
Ishi field with diderent rock types, such as the
structure of rock and physical and mechanical
properties of the rock.
Table 1 shows typical physical and mechanical
properties of rocks of each quarrying block. Fig. 4 Place of The SaXaxoto Block In Ohya
Field.
Table 1 Physical and Mechanical.Properties of Rocks (Ohya-Ishi 6eId)
Physical & Mechanical Specific Pomsity Stre h ( ct) Young’s
Properties Gravity Uni-axinl Tensile Modulus Note
(6) Compresdon (Bmc2hn) (10’ cs/)
Area Name Grain D Wet D Wet D Wet D Wet
Sl Sai-me Fine 1.40 1.76 38.5 210 65.8 24.3 8.49 3.91 1.30 Failure
S2 Ara-me Coaree 1.40 1.76 37.9 109 M.5 16.2 8.24 4.60 2.13 Failure
S3 Tashimo Fine 1.76 2.04 29.8 314 1% 35.9 11.4 4.86 1.65 Non-Fail.
S4 Sakurada Fine 1.84 2.12 28.2 403 8fi.S 49.7 8.22 4.56 0.70 Non-Fail.

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I by mparunent of Tokyo of the Ministry of Isternntional Tnde rind l•dii*trY. th))

688
 It is noteworthy that those properties were heavily influenced by water condition. The caved site of
Sakamoto block is located in S2 area in Table 1.
By these data, the stress of residual pillar of Sakamoto block at wet condition is roughly estimated as
follows:
Vertical stress = (1.20•10+ 1.76*45)*10O/1000 = 9.12 kgfcm2 (=0.89MPa)
Vertical stress in pillar = 9.12/0.2 = 45.6 kgfcmZ (=4.47MPa)
Then, the stress severity was 0.85 (=45.6/53.5) in wet condition where the failure broke out. It
would be very severe condition!

3. FRACTURE MECHANISM AND AE ACTIVITIES OF ROCK

It has been proposed by Bieniawski (1962) that failure of rock does not occur at the critical rock stress
of the rock, but that failure takes place over a four step process occurring between beginning of loading and
to prior to critical stress loading of the rock.
In previous research studies, uniaxial and triaxial compression tests had been carried out on cylindrical
specimens of various rock types (Yamashita 1984, 1985, 1985, 198fi). In these tests, both axial and lateral
strain versus stress, as well as AE activity versus stress measurements were simultaneously observed.
The main results obtained are as follows:
a) AE activity counts rates were shown to initiate when the stress level reached to approximately 40 O
to 45 O of the rock failure strength, and a level corresponding to the point where tensile micro-fracture
growth initiates in the rock.
b) The micro-fracture propagates only if the stress is increased, and AE activity is slighUy detected in
the duration to next step c).
c) The AE counts rate increase rapidly when the stress level reaches about 70 9• of the failure strength,
and where distinct plastic strain behavior appears in the stress-axial strain curve.
In the same manner as the uniaxial compression test, uniaxial cyclic loading tests were carried out on
the same rocks. In these tests, we have newly pointed out that the Kaiser Effect could be detected on the
AE activity behavior at points below the stress level where the plastic strain is observed on the axial stress-
strain curve.

Fig. S Fracture Process and Mechanism of Brittle Rock in Compression. (by Bieniawski and our research)
 Where the stress condition can be sustained constant below the stress level, no AE activity is detected
and no plastic strain develops. If the sustained stress exceeds this level, AE activity and plastic strains are
observed to occur simultaneously.
Accordingly, we have defined this stress level as the yielding stress of a rock.
And then, at the yielding point there exists a possibility of predicting the rock failure by observing the
AE activities of the rock-structure.
The fracture process and mechanism of rock failure under compressive load is proposed by our studies
as the hypothesis shown in Fig. S.
In this study, one of the primary project goals was to assess AE activity behavior in creep tests as a
means to predict rock failure conditions.

4. TEST FOR LONG-TERM STABILITY OF OHYA-ISHI

4.1 ROCK SAMPLES AND TESTING PROCEDURE

(1) Rock samples and fundamental properties of rocks
The rock material used in this study was 'Ohya-Ishi. Four samples were collected from two diderent
sites in the Ohya-Ishi field.
Samples O and O-1 were collected in the same working pit which was situated at a depth of about 50
meters from ground surface. T series samples were collected by vertical boring from the ground surface of
the deposit. Samples T-11 and T-12 were collected at depth of at about S0 meters and 70 meters,
respectively, from the ground surface.
The physical properties of samples are given in Table 2. The averaged specific gravity, v a, value for
all samples was 1.77 in natural condition, and the average sample porosity, n, was determined as 31.4 &.
Cylindrical test specimens were prepared for uniaxial compression and creep tests by using a boring
machine and diamond rock cutter
to be 50 mm in diameter and 100 Table 2 Physicnl Proprties of Tested Ruk (Ohya— Ishi)
mm in height.
Specific Water Water Probity Wave Yel‹x:ity
Mechanical properties of the Sample Gravity Content Absorp. P S
samples ar- shown in Table 3. Name v ab W n Vp Vs
The averaged uni-axial comp- (s›) (&) (&) (m/sec) (nVsec)
ressive strength, Sc, value for all O 1.71 22.6 20.8 30.4 l,88fi 846
samples was 110 kg/cm'; for 1•77 14.2 9.1 23.6 1t903 792
tensile strength, St, by the T 11 1•77 27.2 36.9 38.2 2,550 1,085
Brazilian Test, was 13.6 kg/cm' T— 12 1.83 2t.9 30.0 33.5 2,250 1,143
for Young's Modulus, Es, was ’ 1.77 | 21.5 | 24.2 | 31.4 | 2,150 | 967
er
’
26,700 kg/cm2; and for Poisson's
Table 3 Mechanical Properties of Tested Rock (Ohya— Ishi)
Ratio, v , was 0.29.
It can therefore be said that Strength Brittle- Young’s Poisson’s
‘Ohya-Ishi’ has essentially a Sample Umax.Comp Tensile ness M‹xlulus Ratio
heterogeneous nature. Name ) ( ) Br Eg ) ve
Also remarkable was the fact o ss.8 i1.4 8.4 l9,2£D 0.25
that the Poisson's Ratio values of o—i 138.7 11.8 11.4 44,3£D 0£9
these samples were very large T—11 119.7 17.4 6.9 26,fitXi 0.2fi
compared with usual sedimentary T—12 85.1 13.6 6£ 16,8tD 0.24
rockvalues. Aver. | 109.8 | 13.6 8.1 | 26,7fD 0d9
Figure 6 shows typical relations existing between stress and strains ( i y ; axial, i x ; lateral)

689
obtained during uniaxial compression tests with
cyclic loading. By the figure, the stress at the yield
point is estimated to be about 70 s› of the uniaxial
compressive strength of the sample.
(2) Testing procedure
Creep tests were carried out under natural
water content and drained conditions and at a
sustained creep stress, • cr, which was set at a pre-
scribed stress level as a fraction of uniaxial
compressive strength, Sc, of the sample. Fig. 6 Stress— Axial and Lateral Strain Curves
The normalized stress ratio, • cr/Sc, is defined in Cyclic Loading Test.
by the term of 'creep stress ratio' in this study.
An illustration of the testing apparatus is
shown in Figure 7 (a) and (b). The creep loading
system consists of an axial loading piston and a
cantilever beam which provides a 20 times creep
load multiplied by applying dead weights at the
end of the beam. The maximum load capability of
this system is 3000 kgf.
This system was set up in a chamber to
maintain a constant temperature of 24“C and a
constant humidity of about 60 by using an air
conditioner.
Each test specimen was coated with paraffin
wax and wrapped in thin plastic film to maintain
the natural specimen conditions during the period
of creep loading.
Test measurements were made on the
changes of axial strain, c y, lateral strain, t x,
and the rate of AE activity during the entire creep
Fig. 7 Schematic Diagram of Creep Testing Apparatus.
interval time. A micro-computer system was used to acquire and store data into a FDD disk.

4.2 RESULTS OF CREEP TESTS

In this section, the results of O samples will be mainly reported and discussed, since both axial and
lateral strains were measured only on these samples.
(1) Typical experimental result
Figure 8 (a), (b) and (c) show a set of typical experimental results obtained on sample O at creep stress
ratio of 79.5 9•.
Figure 8 (a) shows the change of strans, i y, - i x and volumetric strain, - i v ( = i y - 2 * i x) with
logarithm of the elapsed time, t. In the figure, the change of AE count rate activity is shown by the height
of the histogram. On these creep curves, several processes could be seen; 1) as soon as the prescribed
creep stress is applied, some instantaneous strains are observed on these strain curves, 2) after that,
when constant load is sustained, all strains are shown to increase with increasing elapsed time, 3) then,
all strains are shown to rapidly increase, axial strain rate ( c y; expressed as 10• strain/
followed by specimen failure. sec), additional processes could be seen; 1) the
In Figure 8 (b), showing the relationship strain rate is shown to decrease during the time
between the logarithm of elapsed time versus to 300 sec. by a nearly constant rate, 2) after
690
 that, the averaged axial strain rate decreases
to a minimum value, 3) then, it rapidly
increases to failure.
Figure 8 (c) shows the normal time
creep curves of the same specimen. In this
figure, it is clear that the ame period when
the strain rate is nearly constant occupies the
larger part of the entire test interval.
On these figures, the primary creep
region, the secondary creep region and the
tertiary creep region can be easily
recognized.
(2) Behavior of strain
Figure 9 (a) and (b) show all of the creep
curves obtained for samples 0. In these
figures, the point of curve interruption
indicates the point where the creep stress is
unloaded, éther by breaking of the specimen
or by stopping of the test.
In this study, the elapsed time to failure
is defined as the 'critical creep time'.
By these curves, the test specimens were
shown to fail when the creep stress ratio
exceeded 70 O of the uniaxial compressive
strength, but the critical neep time was not
found to be proportional to the creep stress
ratio.

tel Croop S trotn 6 straln Roto ve*sus float-Ttse Cin rs es.

Fig. 8 Curvea Obtnined in Creep Test.

(Samgle of O aecies, 79.9Gc)
With regard to axial strains, t y, the instantaneous strain is nearly proportional to the creep stress
ratio, and the maximum value of axial strain at failure is not always constant. It could therefore be
said that the above mentioned dispersion is the result of a large scatter in strength and deformation
property of each specimen.
For the lateral strain, c x, behavior, the same tendency as i y has been shown.
With respect to volumetric strain, c v, behavior, the following tendency has been seen. In the case
of specimen failure, the volumetric strain curve passes through a minimum value before the creep
load is sustained constant, following which the curve is going to increase and finally approaches a
maximum value where specimen failure results. In the case of non-failure, the t v curve doesn't reach
a minimum value but the curre approaches a constant value by gradually decreasing with elapsed
time to stopping the experiment. The minimum value of i v is almost constant for each sample,
whereas the value is not
equal among tested rock samples. As has above mentioned, in these creep tests, failure

691
occurs if the creep stress ratio exceeds
about 70 & of the uniaxial compressive I 0-CIE 9t. +
strength, and failure does not occur if 3 0-4tE
the creep stress ratio is below this 5 0-35E 85.0
level. This level corresponds to the
yielding stress of Ohya-Ishi.
It is recognized that, when a creep
stress exceeds the yielding stress of 3 0*tE e.7
the rock, the load induced fracture
process approaches the 'unstable
fracture propagating region', suggested
by Bieniawski (1967), or the 'shear
fracture propagating region', have
(•J Scrato be re us Locarttba-The Cureer.
suggested by the authors (1985).
With regard to failure in creep, it
could be considered that the yielding
stress in uniaxial compression corres-
ponds to the boundary stress condi-tion
which separates the failure state of
state of specimens from failure or non-
failure in short term creep test.
(3) Behavior of strain rate
Figure 9 (b) shows the axial creep (h) M1c1 StraJo Rate versus Loycrttb•-Tue Cut•ver.
strain rate curves for specimens 0. Fig. 9 All Curves Obtained fbr Sample of O Series
These curves indicate the same
tendency as shown in Figure 8 (b), but the relationship between the minimum strain rate value and the
elapsed time are different from the applied creep stress ratio. In these cases, time intervals where the
strain rate changes in narrow range of the value are fairly long in entire creep time. Also, it is clear that
relationship between the points of minimum strain rate and those elapsed time becomes a straight line
which slop is -1.
The linear relations have been recognized in soil studies by Saito (1961) and in rock studies by Adachi
(t981). Also, Kodama (1991) has reported a similar relationship between minimum inelastic volumetric
strain rate and elapsed time.
Those relations will be discussed in following Section 5.
(4) Discussion on creep curve by normal time range
The creep curves, which expresses the relationship between strain or strain rate and logarithm of time,
are useful to permit comparison between creep curves obtained with different creep times and stresses.
From these curves, it is difficult to investigate the details of time in those relations. Therefore, normal
time creep curves, as shown in Figure 8 (c), were drawn for each of the test results obtained.
Figure 10 (a) - (d) show some of the creep curves for sample O, in which the time to failure or elapsed
time varied between 46 minutes and up to 240 hours. In the last of these figures, failure did not occur
during the test period.

692
 (b) 82. 2XSc.

(d) 7l. sssc.

Fig. 10 Creep Stnin and Stnin mte versus Real-time Curves for Sample of O Series.

According to these curves, it is clear that the change in strain rate is very rapid over the short term.
But, in terms of averaged values, it could be said that the period where creep strain rate is nearly constant,
that is, the secondary creep region, occupies a large part of whole creep time in any case.
Where failure doesn't occur, the creep strain rate remains constant.
The failure mechanism within the secondary creep region, could be explained by the stick-slip
oscillating phenomena. Namely, the strain increases by a repeating process of slow but stable sliding and
locking over a short time intervals, as have reported by Paterson (1978).
(5) Behavior of AE activity
From each of the tests performed, it was clear that a fair amount of AE activity appeared in the
primary creep region in all cases. In the secondary creep region, even if in the case of failure, the AE signal
is often not able to be separated from noise.
AE activity was found to be high in the tertiary creep region. In the case of non-failure, no AE
activity, other than some back-ground noise, was observed after the onset of the secondary creep region.
These behavior make sure the facts that the stress state in the failure hypothesis in the case of failure is in
the 'unstable' region and in the case of non-failure is in the 'stable' region.
Possibly due to the large porosity of Ohya-Ishi, it is very difficult to monitor AE activity in normal
fashion using AE sensors attached to the surface of test specimens.
Therefore, should an AE monitoring program of underground Ohya-Ishi gallery fields be planed, it
would be feasible to apply the Steel-Rod Method suggested by Nakajima (198S) to collect AE information.
However, since AE activates only at the onset of the tertiary creep region, and this time interval is
very short duration in the creep process to failure, then a more accurate investigation of the time-
dependent behavior of rock is required to permit faliire prediction, even if the method of AE monitoring for
a higher the accuracy is improved.
 5. DISCUSSION

5.1 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AXIAL STRAIN RATE AND TIME TO FAILURE

It is shown in Figure 8 (b) that the relationship between minimum axial strain rate and elapsed
time becomes linear with a slope of -1.
Figure 11 (a) and (b) show the relation between minimum strain rate, i c, and time to failure, Tc,
on a log-log graph, and straight lines are drawn by using the least squares method in these figures.

Fig. 11 Relatinnship Between Minimum Creep Stmin Rate and Creep Time at Minimum Value.
The equation of this straight line is expressed as;
log I c = a + b log Tc (l)
where a and b are constants. By using Eq. (1), the values of a and b are estimated from each line in
Figure 11 (a), and are listed in Table 3. Constant b is the slope of each line and its value varies from
-1.12 to -0.94, with an averaged value of -1.01 (Fig. 11 (b)). Constant a represents the axis intercept
of each straight line and its value ranges between 2.49 and 3.06.
In these neep curves shown in previous Figure 10, the time duration of the secondary creep
region occupies a large part of whole creep time, and the time ratios of the secondary creep region to
the entire ame of test are 94.1 & on sample O, except where sample failure occurred rapidly within
several minutes after load initiation.
ConsequenUy, it could be considered that the minimum strain rate of the creep test corresponds
to the average strain rate over the whole
cr ee p i nterval. Table 4 Creep Strain Calculated by Tested Results.
For this consideration, creep strain, Saple Constants Creep Stnin Note
c a, at failure is expressed as; Name a b r a ( ii a )
i a —• i c x Tc . (2) 0 2.49 -0.97 310
Equation (1) is transformed to; 0-1 3.06 -1.12 ll0 by Fig.11(a)
T-11 2.55 -0.94 340
i c = 10' X Tc . (3) T— 12 3.02 —1.03 1,050
Equation (3) is substituted in Equation (2); Aver. I 2.78 | —1.01 1 595 I by Fig.11(b)
 ‹a 10’ X Tc**’* (4)
From the experimental results, the averaged value of b is about -1.
Accordingly, Equa0on (4) becomes;
ia 10• (5)
From Equation (5), it is found that creep strain in the creep interval can be related with only the
constant a.
The value of the creep strain, which is obtained from Equation (4), is given in Table 4. It is thought
that the values of creep strain for samples O-l and T-l are reasonable ones, but those for the other samples
are considerably underestimated.
It is interesting to note that if the value of b in Equation (4) is -1, rock failure will occur when the
creep strain reaches a constant value in the creep test. Then, the values of creep strain of un-failed rocks,
are not so large as to make a failure in creep time.

5.2 ESTIMATION OF TIME TO FAILURE

As has been mentioned above, there is a high possibility that the failure process and the mechanism of
rock failure in sustained load will dider on each side of the yielding stress boundary. For non-failure, it is
required to complete creep tests at stress level below 70 No creep stress ratio.
But, it will be impossible, practically, to carry out such an experiment, because the expected time to
failure by this test will take several years or more, and possibly decades, to complete.
Therefore, attempts to predict the critical time to failure have been made by applying the
experimental equations derived from sample tests performed above the 70 9b creep stress ratio.
Two functional equations have shown high correlation for this relationship; one is a power function
equation suggested by Wilkins
(1973) and the other is an
exponential function equation
proposed by the authors.
Figure 12 (a) and (b) show the
line drawn by these relations,
and the correlation coefficients
of the lines for these two
functional equations are 0.96
and 0.98, respectively,.
The time to failure for
some of the tested rocks in the
case of case of a 50 No creep
stress ratio is estimated by the
extrapolated line of the
exponential equation in Figure
12 (a). It has been estimated
that the time to failure will be
several hundred years for
sample T-12 and about 10
years (— 3*1fP sec) for
sample
0. Fig. 12 Lines for Predicting Life Time With Applied Stress.

695
 For the other test samples, time to failure will be shorter than for sample 0.
Considering that the extraction ratio of the 'Ohya' pit field is about 75 &, that the uniaxial compressive
strength is about 110kg/cm' (—• 10.8MPa) and that the specific gravity of the rock is nearly 1.8, an
underground excavation where the thickness of overburden exceeds the value of 70 meters from ground
surface has a possibility of failure within 20 years to 30 years. Additionally, it must be taken into
consideration that weakening of the rock mass will take place by the environmental factors such as
humidity in the ventilation air, by mine water, etc..
The time to failure predicted in this study would be most severe because it is based on results
obtained from rock tests conducted of stress levels well above the yielding stress limit of the rock. But it
could be said that the predicted time is safety side value.
To confirm the method for predicting the long-term stability interval of rock, an additional
experimental program of creep testing is now in progress in our laboratory.

6. CONCLUSION AND THE COUNTERMEASURE

6.1 CONCLUSION OF CREEP TESTS

To evaluate the long-term stability of 'Ohya-Ishi' rock, creep behavior of the rock, such as the elapsed
time versus strain, strain rate and AE activity of samples under sustained creep stress, were investigated
in this study.
Some general observations made are:
1) The creep stress in any case of failure must exceed 70 of the uniaxial compressive strength, which
corresponds to the yielding stress of the rock.
2) The minimum value of volumetric strain for this rock type in the creep process is nearly constant in
each sample.
3) The relationship between the minimum strain rate and the time to failure in log-log plotting is linear.
4) The strain rate in the secondary creep region is almost constant and the creep time in this region
occupies over 90 & of entire test intervals.
5) ConsequenUy, it has high possibility that failure of rock will occur when the amount of strain in creep
region reaches a constant value in each rock sample.
6) The AE activity noted to develop during the creep process is more active only for a short period in the
tertiary creep region.
Including the discussion of mechanism of AE activity in the secondary creep region, further
experiments are conducting in our laboratory.
However, a practical method for estimating the long-term stability of rock below the yielding point load
range of the rock must be developed instead of the conventional creep test.

6.2 COUNTERMEASURE
ln order to make a prediction for time to failure in that filed, it is necessary to measure the stress in
these residual pillars. But, it is difficult to set a load cell in the abandoned underground pit because the
residual pillar is in the unstable condition.
Then, next two kinds of the counterpanes are being performed by the Ohya Quarry Co-operative
Union, the Ohya Aria Consolidate Public Corporation and the Kawasaki Geo-Engineering Co., Ltd.
l) Filling back:
To prevent a sudden degradation at old un-worked quarry sites, the back-filling with volcanic ache or
pit sand are carrying out in Ohya area by the Co-operative Unions. Then about 1,000 tones of back-filling

696
 Fig. l4 Image of Monitoring Points.
Fig. 13 Monitoring Area in Sakamoto BILL

The details of this monitoring system will be shown in the Conference.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This study has been supported by a Grant-in-aid For Scientific Research Program under The
Monbusho, Japan,( No. 03044024, 1991-19953 and No. 0542315, 1994-1995) and by The Tokyo Electric
Power Services Co.,Ltd.
The authors would like to express their sincere thanks to all students and graduated students who
assisted in the experimental works.

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Rmk, Tokyo: 99-104.
Bieniawski, Z. T. 1967. “Mechanism of Brittle Fracture of Rock”, PART-l, PART-II, PART-III, Int. J. Rock
Mech. & Mining Sci., Vol.4, 395-430.
Kodama, J. & Y. Ishijima,et al.1992. Fatigue, “Creep Properties and Long-term Strength of Granite under

697
Uniaxial Compression”, J. Min. Metal. Ins. Japan, Not, Ver.108, 182-186.
Nakajima, I. et al. 1985. “The Monitoring of The Acoustic Emission, Accompanied with Advance Boring”,
J. Min. & Metal. Ins. Japan, No.1150, Vol.99, 1041-1048.
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