• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.399-410
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• 2022

The solubility and species distribution of radionuclides in groundwater are essential data for the safety assessment of deep underground spent nuclear fuel (SNF) disposal systems. Americium is a major radionuclide responsible for the long-term radiotoxicity of SNF. In this study, the solubility of americium compounds was evaluated in synthetic groundwater (SynDB3), simulating groundwater from the DB3 site of the KAERI Underground Research Tunnel. Geochemical modeling was performed using the ThermoChimie_11a thermochemical database. Concentration of dissolved Am(III) in Syn-DB3 in the pH range of 6.4-10.5 was experimentally measured under over-saturation conditions by liquid scintillation counting over 70 d. The absorption spectra recorded for the same period suggest that Am(III) colloidal particles formed initially followed by rapid precipitation within 2 d. In the pH range of 7.5-10.5, the concentration of dissolved Am(III) converged to approximately 2×10^-7 M over 70 d, which is comparable to that of the amorphous AmCO₃OH(am) according to the modeling results. As the samples were aged for 70 d, a slow equilibrium process occurred between the solid and solution phases. There was no indication of transformation of the amorphous phase into the crystalline phase during the observation period.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2016

Groundwater flow paths and groundwater ages at a radioactive waste repository located in a coastal area of South Korea were evaluated using the hydrochemical and hydrogeological characteristics of groundwater, surface water, rain water, and seawater, as well as by numerical modeling. The average groundwater travel time in the top layer of the model, evaluated by numerical modeling and groundwater age (34 years), approximately corresponds to the groundwater age obtained by chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-12 analysis (26-34 years). The data suggest that the groundwater in wells in the study area originated up-gradient at distances of 140-230 m. Results of CFC analyses, along with seasonal variations in the δ¹⁸O and δD values of groundwater and the relationships between ²²²Rn concentrations and δ¹⁸O values and between ²²²Rn concentrations and δD values, indicate that groundwater recharge occurs in the summer rainy season and discharge occurs in the winter dry season. Additionally, a linear relationship between dissolved SiO₂ concentrations and groundwater ages indicates that natural mineralization is affected by the dilution of groundwater recharge in the rainy summer season.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.117-121
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• 2010

The continual extraction and indiscriminante use of groundwater for residential sectors could cause a decrease in the groundwater level in Para$\tilde{n}$aque river and Las Para$\tilde{n}$aque City; and allows saltwater to penetrate into the aquifer due to the proximity of Manila Bay. This study models the present condition and extent of saltwater intrusion in the aquifer bounded by Para$\tilde{n}$aque river River and Manila Bay. The model is simulated using a 3D finite element modeling software (FEMWATER) that is capable of modeling the groundwater flow condition in the aquifer. Moreover, the model can also be used to predict the future condition of the aquifer for better groundwater management. This study aims to raise public awareness of the extent of the problem and the possible side effects incurred. The model will serve as a basis for further studies on remediation techniques and saltwater intrusion control in the coastal aquifer of Para$\tilde{n}$aque river City.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.54-61
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• 2008

The drawdown distribution due to pumping by horizontal or slanted wells is analyzed by numerical modelling. In the numerical modelling uses 1-D discrete element feature included in commercial groundwater modeling program FEFLOW (version 5.1) and the results are compared with the semi analytic solution which uses superposition of successive point sources proposed by Zhan and Zlotnik (2002). Results of the numerical modeling agree well with the semi analytic solution except for very near field region of sink sources. The drawdown distribution due to pumping in riverbank filtration(RBF) plan site can be evaluated quantitatively by the numerical modeling in this study.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.248-260
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• 2009

With regard to oversea mineral resources development, recent trend has been changed from a simple capital investment to a direct development of the resources. In relation to the stability of a slope in large open-pit coal mine, groundwater system was investigated and the validity of horizontal drainage hole was evaluated in Pasir coal mine, Indonesia. In this work, various field tests were carried out for a characterization of groundwater system, which included in-situ permeability measurement, tracer test and monitoring of groundwater levels. Especially, the influence of SM river on the characteristics of the groundwater flow system was mainly inspected. For the permeability measurement, Guelph permeameter was employed, and was found that sandstone was more permeable than mudstone and coal seam. From a comparison of lithological structure and the results of groundwater level monitoring, sandstone and thin coal seam with fractures were found to be a main channel for groundwater flow. In the results of tracer tests, the effect of SM river on the groundwater system depends on the geological structure of its base. To identify the effect of horizontal drainage holes, 2-D groundwater modeling was performed. Four different cases were tested, which are different from the length of drainage hole and the existence of pond on top of the slope. To enhance the drainage effect and slope stability, the drainage hole should be drilled to the depth of coal seam layer, which provides a main pathway of groundwater flow and embedded by sandstone. For this purpose, correct identification of surrounding geology should be preceded.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.15 no.2 s.55
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• pp.145-156
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• 2005

MODFLOW, 3-D finite difference code, is widely used to model groundwater flow and has been used to assess the effect of excavations on the groundwater system due to construction of subways and mountain tunnels. The results of numerical analysis depend on boundary conditions, initial conditions, conceptual models and hydrogeological properties. Therefore, its accuracy can only be enhanced using more realistic and field oriented input parameters. In this study, SA(simulated annealing) was used to integrate hydraulic conductivities from a few of injection tests with geophysical reference images. The realizations of hydraulic conductivity random field are obtained and then groundwater flows in each geostatistically equivalent media are analyzed with a numerical simulation. This approach can give probabilistic results of groundwater flow modeling considering the uncertainty of hydrogeological medium. In other words, this approach makes it possible to quantify the propagation of uncertainty of hydraulic conductivities into groundwater flow.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.369-375
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• 2020

The section of this study is the geological vulnerable zone where groundwater leakage occurred through the tunnel barrier during excavation of the shield tunnel boring machine(TBM) for the construction of the electric power unit. Therefore, a Three D imensions(3D) numerical analysis was performed to analyze the actual situation from before construction to the time when the change in groundwater level occurred, and to reflect the surrounding ground conditions based on the observed change in groundwater level during construction. As a result of the study, the correlation between groundwater level change and tunnel construction around the site was identified. Therefore, it was similar to the measurement result of groundwater level at the target ground. The amount of groundwater discharge to the entrance of the tunnel construction was also similar to the actual measured result, and the numerical analysis method and modeling in this study were analyzed to reflect the site conditions.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.16 no.1 s.47
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• pp.69-83
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• 2006

This study aims to evaluate a complex groundwater flow system around the underground oil storage caverns using the concept of hydraulic compartment. For the hydrogeological analysis, the hydraulic testing data, the evolution of groundwater levels in 28 surface monitoring boreholes and pressure variation of 95 horizontal and 63 vertical water curtain holes in the caverns were utilized. At the cavern level, the Hydraulic Conductor Domains(fracture zones) are characterized one local major fracture zone(NE-1)and two local fracture zones between the FZ-1 and FZ-2 fracture zones. The Hydraulic Rock Domain(rock mass) is divided into four compartments by the above local fracture zones. Two Hydraulic Rock Domains(A, B) around the FZ-2 zone have a relatively high initial groundwater pressures up to $15kg/cm^2$ and the differences between the upper and lower groundwater levels, measured from the monitoring holes equipped with double completion, are in the range of 10 and 40 m throughout the construction stage, indicating relatively good hydraulic connection between the near surface and bedrock groundwater systems. On the other hand, two Hydraulic Rock Domains(C, D) adjacent to the FZ-1, the groundwater levels in the upper and lower zones are shown a great difference in the maximum of 120 m and the high water levels in the upper groundwater system were not varied during the construction stage. This might be resulted from the very low hydraulic conductivity$(7.2X10^{-10}m/sec)$ in the zone, six times lower than that of Domain C, D. Groundwater recharge rates obtained from the numerical modeling are 2% of the annual mean precipitation(1,356mm/year) for 20 years.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2018

The KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel) is a research tunnel which is located in KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) site. At KURT, researches on engineering and natural barrier system, which are the most important components for geological disposal system for high level radioactive waste, have been conducted. In this study, we synthesized the site characteristics obtained by various types of site investigation to introduce the geological model for KURT site, and induced the 3-D hydrogeological model for KURT site from the geological model. From the geological investigation at the surface and boreholes, four geological elements such as subsurface weathered zone, upper fractured rock, lower fractured rock and fracture zones were determined for the geological model. In addition, the geometries of these geological elements were also analyzed for the geological model to be three-dimensional. The results from 3-D geological model were used to construct the hydro-geological model for KURT site, which is one of the input data for groundwater flow modeling and safety assessment.

• Journal of the Geological Society of Korea
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.545-556
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• 2018

This study was conducted to estimate the deep percolation using numerical modeling and field observation data based on rainfall in Haean basin. Soil moisture sensors were installed to monitoring at 30, 60 and 90 cm depths in four sites (YHS1-4) and automatic weather station was installed to around YHS3. Soil moisture and meteorological data was observed from March 25, 2017 to March 25, 2018 and May 06, 2016 to May 06, 2018, respectively. Numerical analysis was performed from June to August, 2017 using the HYDRUS-1D. Average soil moisture contents were high to generally in YHS3 for 0.300 to $0.334m^3/m^3$ and lowest in YHS1 for 0.129 to $0.265m^3/m^3$ during the soil moisture monitoring period. The results of soil moisture flow modeling showed that field observations and modeling values were similar but the peak values were larger in the modeling result. Correlation analysis between observation and modeling data showed that r, $r^2$ and RMSE were 0.88, 0.77, and 0.0096, respectively. This show high correlation and low error rate. The total deep percolation was 744.2 mm during the period of modelling at 500 cm depth. This showed that 61.3% of the precipitation amount (1,214 mm) was recharged in 2017. Deep percolation amount was high in the study area. This study is expected to provide basic data for the estimation of groundwater recharge through unsaturated zone.