• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.131-147
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• 2018

In the present study, the safety of the near surface disposal facility for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) is examined based on the fluid-flow simulation model. The effects of the structural design and hydrological properties of the disposal system are quantitatively evaluated by estimating the flux of infiltrated water at the boundary of the structure. Additionally, the safety margins of the disposal system, especially for the cover layer and vault, are determined by applying the various scenarios with consideration of possible facility designs and precipitation conditions. The overall results suggest that the disposal system used in this study is sufficiently suitable for the safe operation of the facility. In addition, it is confirmed that the soundness of both the cover layer and the vault have great impact on the safety of the facility. Especially, as shown in the vault degradation scenario, capability of the concrete barrier of the vault make more positive contribution on the safe operation of the facility compared to that of the cover layer.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.323-336
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• 2011

The hydro-mechanical behavior of the Earth's crust is strongly dependent on the fractional volume and geometrical structure of effective pore spaces. This study aims to understand the characteristics of pores using electrical impedance. We measured the electric impedance of core samples (diameter, 38-50 mm; length, 70-100 mm) of three types of granite (Hwangdeung, Pocheon, and Yangsan) and two types of sandstone (Boryung and Berea) with different porosities and pore structures, after saturation with saline water of varying salinities. The results show that resistance decreases but capacitance increases with increasing salinity of the pore fluid. For a given salinity, the resistivity and formation factor are reduced with increasing porosity of the rocks, and the capacitance increases. Berea sandstone shows anisotropy in resistance, tortuosity, and cementation factor, with these factors being highest normal to bedding planes. This result indicates that the connectivity of pores is weakest normal to bedding. In conclusion, the electrical characteristics of the tested samples are related not only to their porosity but also to the pore geometry.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.207-225
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• 1999

Twenty water samples (eleven groundwater and nine geothermal water samples) were collected to elucidate hydrogeochemical characteristics of the groundwater and geothermal water in the Dongrae hot-spring area and its vicinity. Major and minor elements were analyzed for ground and geothermal water samples. Physicochemical properties of the groundwater and the geothermal water were examined and chemical composition of the two waters were compared. Factor and correlation analyses were carried out to simplify the physicochemical data into grouping some factors and to find interaction between them. The groundwaters belong to $Ca-HCO_3$ type, while the geothermal waters belong to Na-Cl type. The Na and Cl concentrations in the Dongrae hot-spring area are higher than those of other granite areas in South Korea. The Na/Cl weight ratio ranges from 0.7 to 1.3 for the geothermal waters. On the phase stability diagram groundwaters fall effectively in the field of stability of kaolinite, while geothermal waters fall in the stability field of microcline or kolinite depending on the chemical composition system. Based on the Na-K, Na-K-Ca and Na-K-Ca-Mg geothermometers, the geothermal reservoir is estimated to have equilibrium temperature between 115 and $145^{\circ}C$.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.16 no.2 s.48
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• pp.125-134
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• 2006

In order to establish the in-situ application of the artificial storage and recovery (ASR) technology which is used the property of the aquifer storage of groundwater. We carried out to the in-situ experiments such as borehole TV logging, pumping test and artificial hydraulic fracturing in volcanic island, Ulleungdo. In-situ experiments were conducted to divide the before- and after-hydraulic fracturing. Pumping test was achieved to confirm the two fracture zones, GL-13m and GL-21m, which are determined by the borehole TV logging. From the results of the before- and after-pumping tests, the hydraulic connectivity was confirmed to locate at GL-13m in the residual deposit zone of pumice media as alluvium. However, in the bedrock tone at GL-21m the hydraulic connectivity could be considered to faulty. Consequently, in this study area the artificial recharge has a little unsatisfied to geo-structural condition and desired to more detail investigation works.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.16 no.4 s.50
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• pp.393-402
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• 2006

The contamination characteristics of BTEX and TPH components in silty soils with the oil leakage event from point source were studied. The over ratios of three soil pollution standard for TPH component were $1.5{\sim}1.7$ times higher than that of BTEX component. The mean and maximum values of BTEX and TPH components with sample points were B-zone > A-zone > C-zone, and the highest concentrations were measured at $1{\sim}2m$ depth below surface. BTEX and TPH components were increased with linear distance in zone within 120 m and 80 m from point source. For the zone more than 120 m, BTEX and TPH concentrations were under soil pollution standard. The cutoff values of indicator kriging using BTEX and TPH components were defined as confirmative limit, warn- ing limit and counterplan limit. The variograms of indicator-transformed data were selected linear model. The contamination ranges of BTEX and TPH components using confirmative limit and warning limit were estimated similar, but the contamination range of those using counterplan limit was much reduced. The maximum contamination probabilities were estimated by probability maps usinB confirmative limit, warning limit and counterplan limit. The maximum contamination probabilities with three soil pollution standard were estimated 26%, 26% and 13% for BTEX component, and 44%, 38% and 26% for TPH component.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.167-183
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• 2023

Gases originated from the final SNF (spent nuclear fuel) disposal site are very mobile in the barrier and they may also affect the migration of radioactive nuclides generated from the SNF. Mechanisms of gas-nuclide migration in the multi-barrier and their influences on the safety of the disposal site should be understood before the construction of the final SNF disposal site. However, researches related to gas-nuclide coupled movement in the multi-barrier medium have been very little both at home and abroad. In this study, properties of gas generation and migration in the SNF disposal environment were reviewed through previous researches and their main mechanisms were summarized on the hydrogeological evolution stage of the SNF disposal site. Gas generation in the SNF disposal site was categorized into five origins such as the continuous nuclear fission of the SNS, the Cu-canister corrosion, the oxidation-reduction reaction, the microbial activity, and the inflow from the natural barriers. Migration scenarios of gas in porous medium of the multi-barrier in the SNF repository site were investigated through reviews for previous studies and several gas migration types including ① the free gas phase flow including visco-capillary two-phase flow, ② the advection and diffusion of dissolved gas in pore water, ③ dilatant two-phase flow, and ④ tensile fracture flow, were presented. Reviewed results in this study can support information to design the further research for the gas-nuclide migration in the repository site and to evaluate the safety of the Korean SNF disposal site in view points of gas migration in the multi-barrier.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.163-172
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• 1989

In order to study spatial variability of soil physical properties accross the land-partitioned boundary on Hwadong silt clay loam soil (Fine clayey, mixed, mesic family of Aquic Hapludalfs), all measured data were analyzed by means of kriging, fractile diagram, smooth frequency distribution, and autocorrelation. Sampling for soil particle size distribution analysis was made at 225 intersections of $15{\times}15$ grid with 10m interval. Field capacity, bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity were measured in situ at 594 intersections of $33{\times}18$ grid with 2.5m interval in only $6,000m^2$ reselected from $22,500m^2$ of sampling area for particle size distribution analysis. Sampled or measured soil depths were 0 to 10cm 25 to 35cm and 50 to 60cm at each intersections. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The coefficient of variance (CV) of various physical properties ranges from 4.8 to 128.8%. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is classified into the high variation group with CV greater than 100%, while the low variation group with CV smaller than 10% consists of bulk density. Other properties belong to the medium variation group with CV between 10 and 100%. 2. The appropriate number of soil samples for the determination of various physical properties with error smaller than 10% are calculated as one for bulk density, six for field moisture capacity, 16 for silt, 19 for clay, 69 for sand and 686 for saturated hydraulic conductivity. 3. Smooth frequency distribution and fractile diagram show that saturated hydraulic conductivity is in lognormal distribution while other physical properties are in normal distribution. 4. Serial correlation analysis reveals that the soil physical properties have spatial dependence between two nearest neighbouring grid points. Autocorrelation analysis of physical properties measured between the serial grid points in the direction of south to north following section boundary shows that the zone of influence showing stationarity ranges from 7.5 to 40m. In the direction of east to west across section boundary, the autocorrelogram of many physical properties shows peaks with the periodic interval of 30m, which are similar to the partitioned land width. This reveals that the land-partitioned boundary causes soil variability.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.33-44
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• 2002

A field technique for assessing the transmissive fractures in an aquifer was applied to a fractured rock formation in Youngchun area Korea. Geological mapping and detailed acoustic borehole teleview(BHTV) logging were performed to obtain information about the fractures. The study area consists predominantly of two types of fractures. The fracture sets of low angle partings such as bedding and sheeting plains have strike N70-80$^{\circ}$W, 25$^{\circ}$-30$^{\circ}$SW and N3S$^{\circ}$W, 12$^{\circ}$NE, respectively. In areas of high fractures, on the other hand, the major fracture sets show strike N80$^{\circ}$W and dip 70$^{\circ}$-85$^{\circ}$SW, N10$^{\circ}$E.85$^{\circ}$SE in sedimentry rocks, N40-50$^{\circ}$E.85$^{\circ}$SE/85$^{\circ}$NE, N70$^{\circ}$E.80$^{\circ}$SE, and N7$^{\circ}$-75$^{\circ}$W.80$^{\circ}$SW in granites and volcanic rocks. Injection tests have been performed to identify discrete production zones and quantify the vertical distribution of hydraulic conductivity. The calculated hydraulic conductivities range from 3.363E-10 to 2.731E-6, showing that the difference between maximum and minimum value is four order of magnitude. Dominant section in hydraulic conductivity is extensively fractured. Geophysical logging was carried out to clarify characterization of the distribution of fracture zones. Transmissive fractures were evaluated through the comparison of the results obtained by each method. The temperature logs appeared to be a good indicator that can distinguish a high transmissive fractures from a common fractures in hydraulic conductivity. In numerous cases, evidence of fluid movement was amplified in the temperature gradient log. The fracture sets of N70-80$^{\circ}$W.60-85$^{\circ}$NE/SW N75-80$^{\circ}$W.25-30$^{\circ}$SW, N50-64$^{\circ}$W.60-85$^{\circ}$NE, N35-45$^{\circ}$E.65-75$^{\circ}$SE, and N65-72$^{\circ}$E.80$^{\circ}$SE/60$^{\circ}$NW were idenfied as a distinct transmissive fractures through the results of each tests.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.16 no.4 s.50
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• pp.411-427
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• 2006

This study aimed to recognize characteristics of groundwater flow in fractured bedrocks based on zonal pump-ing tests, slug tests, water quality logs and borehole TV camera logs conducted on two boreholes (NJ-11 and SJ-8) in the city of Naju. Especially, the zonal pumping tests using sin91e Packer were executed to reveal groundwater flow characteristics in the fractured bedrocks with depth. On borehole NJ-11, the zonal pumping tests resulted in a flow dimension of 1.6 with a packer depth of 56.9 meters. It also resulted in lower flow dimensions as moving to shallower packer depths, reaching a flow dimension of 1 at a 24 meter packer depth. This fact indicates that uniform permissive fractures take place in deeper zones at the borehole. On borehole SJ-8, a flow dimension of 1.7 was determined at the deepest packer level (50 m). Next, a dimension of 1.8 was obtained at 32 meters of packer depth, and lastly a dimension of 1.4 at 19 meters of packer depth. The variation of flow dimension with different packer depths is interpreted by the variability of permissive fractures with depth. Zonal pumping tests led to the utilization of the Moench (1984) dual-porosity model because hydraulic characteristics in the test holes were most suitable to the fractured bedrocks. Water quality logs displayed a tendency to increase geothermal temperature, to increase pH and to decrease dissolved oxygen. In addition, there was an increasing tendency towards electrical conductance and a decreasing tendency towards dissolved oxygen at most fracture zones.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.77-91
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• 2008

In this study, we developed a technique of applying DRASTIC, which is the most widely used tool for estimation of groundwater vulnerability to the aqueous phase contaminant infiltrated from the surface, and a groundwater flow model jointly to assess groundwater contamination potential. The developed technique is then applied to Buyeo-eup area in Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, Korea. The input thematic data of a depth to water required in DRASTIC model is known to be the most sensitive to the output while only a few observations at a few time schedules are generally available. To overcome this practical shortcoming, both steady-state and transient groundwater level distributions are simulated using a finite difference numerical model, MODFLOW. In the application for the assessment of groundwater vulnerability, it is found that the vulnerability results from the numerical simulation of a groundwater level is much more practical compared to cokriging methods. Those advantages are, first, the results from the simulation enable a practitioner to see the temporally comprehensive vulnerabilities. The second merit of the technique is that the method considers wide variety of engaging data such as field-observed hydrogeologic parameters as well as geographic relief. The depth to water generated through geostatistical methods in the conventional method is unable to incorporate temporally variable data, that is, the seasonal variation of a recharge rate. As a result, we found that the vulnerability out of both the geostatistical method and the steady-state groundwater flow simulation are in similar patterns. By applying the transient simulation results to DRASTIC model, we also found that the vulnerability shows sharp seasonal variation due to the change of groundwater recharge. The change of the vulnerability is found to be most peculiar during summer with the highest recharge rate and winter with the lowest. Our research indicates that numerical modeling can be a useful tool for temporal as well as spatial interpolation of the depth to water when the number of the observed data is inadequate for the vulnerability assessments through the conventional techniques.