Dr Ki-Bok Min

Lecturer
Rock Mechanics/Mining Engineering

Phone: +61 8 830 36471
Email: ki-bok.min@adelaide.edu.au
Room: EM112, Engineering Maths Building

Personal | Publications | Research | Teaching | Consulting

Personal

Academic Qualifications

2004 - Ph.D., Engineering Geology (Rock Mechanics), Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden
2002 - Tech Licentiate, Engineering Geology (Rock Mechanics), Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm, Sweden
1999 - M.S., Rock Mechanics, Mineral & Petroleum Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
1994 - B.S., Mineral & Petroleum Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

Employment History

Jan 2008-Present - Lecturer, School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, University of Adelaide, Australia
Jan 2006-Dec 2007 - Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Energy and Mineral (Geo-Environmental) Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
Nov 2004-Dec 2005 - Consultant, Itasca Consulting Group, Sweden
Jun 2004-Apr 2005 - Researcher, Engineering Geology and Geophysics Group, KTH, Sweden
Sep 1999-Jun 2000 - Researcher, Korea Institute of Construction Technology (KICT), Korea
Jul 1994-Dec 1997 - Civil Engineer, Dong-Bu Construction and Engineering, Korea

Professional Affiliations

Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME)
American Rock Mechanics Association (ARMA)
International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM)
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Korean Society for Rock Mechanics (KSRM)

Publications

Refereed International Journals

1. Min KB, Rutqvist J, Elsworth D, Chemically- and mechanically-mediated influences on the transport and mechanical characteristics of rock fractures, International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences, 2008 (in press)

2. Rutqvist J, Freifeld B, Min KB, Elsworth D., Tsang Y, Analysis of thermally induced changes in fractured rock permeability during eight years of heating and cooling at the Yucca Mountain Drift Scale Test, , International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences, 2008 (In press).

3. Tsang CF, Rutqvist J, Min KB, Fractured rock hydromechanics: From borehole testing, solute transport, to CO2 storage, David C & Le Ravalec-Dupin M (eds), Rock Physics and Geomechanics in the study of Reservoirs and Repositories, Geological Society, London, Special Publication, 2007;284:15-34.

4. Min KB, Rutqvist J, Tsang CF, Jing L, Thermally-induced mechanical and permeability changes around a nuclear waste repository - a far-field study based on equivalent properties determined by a discrete approach, International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences, 2005;42(5-6):765-780.

5. Min KB, Rutqvist J, Tsang CF, Jing L. Jing, Stress-dependent permeability of fractured rock masses: a numerical study, International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences; 2004;41(7):1191-1210.

6. Min KB, Jing L, Stephansson O, Determining the Equivalent Permeability Tensor for Fractured Rock Masses Using a Stochastic REV Approach: Method and Application to the Field Data from Sellafield, UK, Hydrogeology Journal, 2004;12(5):497-510.

7. Min KB, Jing L, Stress-dependent mechanical properties and bounds of Poisson's ratio for fractured rock masses investigated by a DFN-DEM technique, International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences 2004;41(3):431-432.

8. Min KB, Jing L, Numerical determination of the equivalent elastic compliance tensor for fractured rock masses using the distinct element method, International Journal of Rock Mechanics & Mining Sciences 2003;40(6):795-816.

Refereed Journal (national audiences)

1. Min KB, Effect of deformation zones on the state of in situ stress at a candidate site of geological repository of nuclear waste in Sweden, Journal of Korean Society for Rock Mechanics, Tunnel & Underground, 2008;18(2):1-15.

2. Min KB, Choi HM, Lee CI, A study on the in-situ stress measurement of anisotropic rocks by Leeman method - an experimental and numerical simulation on transversely isotropic rock, Journal of Korean Society for Rock Mechanics, Tunnel & Underground, 2002;12(4):237-247 (in Korean).

International Conferences

1. Min KB, Rutqvist J, Elsworth D, Chemically- and mechanically-mediated influences on the transport and mechanical characteristics of rock fractures, Proc 42th US symp.on rock Mechs., San Francisco, USA, 2008 (Paper No. 254).

2. Rutqvist J, Freifeld B, Min KB, Elsworth D., Tsang Y, Coupled Analysis of Change in Fracture Permeability during the Cooling Phase of the Yucca Mountain Drift Scale Test, Proc 42th US symp.on rock Mechs., San Francisco, USA, 2008 (Paper No.138).

3. Min KB, Niemeijer A, Elsworth D, Marone C, Distinct element modeling of coupled chemo-mechanical compaction of rock salt, Euroconference of rock physics and geomechanics on natural hazards: thermo-hydro-mechanical processes in rocks, Erice, Italy, 2007, 45-46.

4. Taron J, Min KB, Elsworth D, Simulating thermal-hydrologic-mechanical-chemical evolution surrounding fluid injection in a fractured porous geothermal reservoir, American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall meeting, 2006, NG54A-06.

5. Taron J, Min KB, Yasuhara H, Trakoolngam K, Elsworth D, Numerical simulation of coupled thermo-hydro-chemo-mechanical processes through the linking of hydrothermal and solid mechanics codes. Proc. 41st US Symp. on Rock Mechs., GoldenRocks, Golden, Colorado, June, 2006, ARMA/USRMS 06-1128.

6. Baghbanan A, Min KB, Jing L, Scale Effect on Hydraulic Properties of Fractured Rock Mass by Correlated Fracture Length and Aperture, EURO-Conference on Rock Physics and Geomechanics - Integration and application to reservoirs and repositories, 2005, Oléron, France, pp.72 (abstract and oral presentation).

7. Min KB, Jing L, Rutqvist J, Tsang CF, Stephansson O, Representation of fractured rock masses as equivalent continua using a DFN-DEM approach, In: Barla G & Barla M (eds), The 11th Int'l Conf of IACMAG, Turin, Italy, 2005, 531-538.

8. Min KB, Jing L, Stephansson O, Effect of stress on mechanical and hydraulic rock mass properties - application of DFN-DEM approach on the data from Site Investigation at Forsmark, Sweden, EUROCK 2005, Brno, Czech Republic, 2005, pp.389-395.

9. Min KB, Thoraval A, Jing L, Comparison of two- and three-dimensional approaches for the determination of equivalent hydraulic and mechanical properties of fractured rock masses, EURO-Conference on Rock Physics and Geomechanics - Scaling Laws in Space and Time, Potsdam, 2004 (abstract and poster presentation).

10. Stephansson O, Min KB, Thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) coupled processes for Performance and Safety Assessments of nuclear waste repository: lessons learnt from EC BENCHPAR project, EURADWASTE 04, 6th EC Conference on the Management and Disposal of Radioactive Waste, 2004, pp. 445-449.

11. Min KB, Lee CI, Choi HM, An experimental and numerical study of the in-situ stress measurement on transversely isotropic rock by overcoring method, In:Sugawara K et al (eds), 3rd International Symposium on Rock Stress - RS Kumamoto '03, Kumamoto, 2003, pp.189-195.

12. Min KB, Rutqvist J, Tsang CF, Jing L, A block-scale stress-permeability relationship of fractured rock determined by numerical experiments, GeoProc2003, International Conference on Coupled T-H-M-C processes in Geosystems: Fundamentals, modeling, experiments and applications, Stockholm, 2003, pp.257-262.

13. Jing L, Min KB, Stephansson O, Numerical models for coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical processes in fractured rocks-continuum and discrete approaches, ICADD-5, Wuhan, China, 2002, pp.57-67.

14. Min KB, Jing L, Stephansson O, Determination of the permeability tensor of fractured rock masses based on stochastic REV approach, ISRM regional symposium, 3rd Korea-Japan Joint symposium on rock engineering, Seoul, Korea, 2002, Vol. 1, pp.289-296.

15. Stephansson O, Min KB, Overview of 'BENCHPAR' project and implications of THM coupling process on the near-field safety of a waste repository, EC 2nd CLUSTER URL's Seminar, Mol, Belgium, EUR 19954, 2001, pp.159-170.

16. Min KB, Mas Ivars D, Jing L, Numerical derivation of the equivalent hydro-mechanical properties of fractured rock masses using Distinct Element Method, DC Rocks 2001 38th U.S. Symposium on Rock Mechanics, Washington D.C., 2001, pp.1469-1476.

17. Mas Ivars D, Min KB, Jing L, Homogenization of mechanical properties of fractured rocks by DEM modeling, 2nd Asian Rock Mechanics Symposium, Beijing, China, 2001, pp.311-314.

Theses

1. Min KB, Fractured Rock Masses as Equivalent Continua - A Numerical Study, Ph.D. Thesis, 2004, KTH, Stockholm.

2. Min KB, Determination of equivalent hydraulic and mechanical properties of fractured rock masses using the distinct element method, Licentiate Thesis, 2002, KTH, Stockholm

3. Min KB, A basic study on rock stress measurement of anisotropic rock by Leeman method in a single borehole, M.S. thesis, 1999, Seoul National University (in Korean), Seoul

Research

Research Interests

Rock Mechanics and Fractured rock Hydrogeology
Discrete Element Method (DEM) for granular material and fractured rock
Coupled Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical-Chemical (THMC) processes in geological media
Mass mining technology
Underground construction and slope stability
Geological repository for nuclear waste/Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Rock stress and rock stress measurement

Research Grant

April 2008 - July 2009 (10,000 A$), Investigation of the strength of fractured rock mass by numerical experiment using discrete element method (DEM), Funded by Faculty of ECM, start-up grant.

June 2008 - Dec 2008 (43,000 A$), Shear-induced fracture slip and permeability change - implications for long term performance of a deep geological repository, Funded by Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate (SKI), CIs: Ki-Bok Min, Ove Stephansson (GFZ).

Research Experience

Integrated Assessment of mechanical and chemical effects on the performance of a repository at Yucca Mountain (sponsored by US Department of Energy, 2006-2007)

Investigated strength of fractured rock mass by the bonded-particle method using PFC (a consortium of mining companies, 2005)

Effect of large-scale fracture on rock stress measurement in Simpevarp (Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB), 2005)

Modeling of forced fluid flow through simulated fractured rock masses: Evaluation of the potential of the Björkö site for geothermal energy recovery in Sweden (KTH, 2004 -2005)

Understanding the impact of Upscaling on the THM processes on Performance Assessment, DECOVALEX III and BENCHPAR project (Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate (SKI) and European Commission (EC 5th Euratom frame work), 2000-2004)

Elaboration of hydromechanical coupled models by interpretation of the disturbances observed during the sinking of the main shaft of an underground laboratory in Eastern France, MODEX-REP (The French National Agency for Radioactive waste management (ANDRA), 2000-2004)

Development and Operation of a Road-cut Slope Management System, (Korea Ministry of Construction & Transportation, 1999-2000)

Editorial Board

Geosystem Engineering (Journal of the Korean Society for geosystem engineering, in English)

Journal Reviewer

International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, Rock mechanics and rock engineering, Hydrogeology Journal, Engineering Geology, Environmental Geology, Journal of Geophysics and Engineering, Computers and Geosciences, Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Journal of Korean Society for Rock Mechanics, Advances in Geosciences (book series).

Conferences/session Organisation

Convener and chairman of the session on 'coupled processes, flow and transport' for 42nd US rock mechanics symposium, San Francisco, USA, June 2008.
Member of organizing committee for International Conference on Coupled T-H-M-C Processes in Geo-Systems, GeoProc2003, Stockholm - Practical preparation and operation of the conference.

Numerical Codes

UDEC (Ph.D. thesis work), 3DEC (ITASCA), FLAC3D (M.S. thesis work), PFC 2D/3D (ITASCA), ROCMAS (a FEM code in LBNL, Ph.D. thesis work), COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS (postdoctoral research), FLOBALL (a DEM code that I developed at Penn State)

Other Experience

Consulting for Steph Rock Consulting AB, Involved in the SKI (Swedish Nuclear Power Inspectorate) expert group that oversees the site investigation for the high-level nuclear waste repository in Sweden (2004)

Visiting scientist, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, UC Berkeley, USA (five months in the aggregate during 2001-2003)

Secretariat of DECOVALEX III (www.decovalex.com) and EC-supported BENCHPAR project which were international projects for geological repository of high-level nuclear waste (2000 - 2004)

Teaching

1st semester 2008
C&ENVENG 1010 Engineering Mechanics - Statics (Tutorial)

2nd semester 2008
C&ENVENG 1011 Introduction to mining engineering (partially responsible)
C&ENVENG 1009 Civil and Environmental Engineering 1A (partially responsible)
C&ENVENG 2015 Construction and surveying