• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.495-508
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• 2019

We measured the concentrations of natural radionuclides (uranium and radon) and major elements in groundwater collected from forty wells located in Wonju area to investigate the hydrochemistry and the occurrence of these radionuclides. The range of electrical conductivity (EC) value in the study area was 73~400 μS/cm. In addition to the increase of EC value, the content of cations and anions also tends to increase. Uranium concentrations ranged from 0.06~50.5 ㎍/L (median value, 1.55 ㎍/L) and radon concentrations ranged from 67~8,410 pCi/L (median value, 1,915 pCi/L). Uranium concentrations in 3 well, 7.5% of the samples, exceeded 30 ㎍/L, the maximum contaminant level (MCL) proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), based on the chemical toxicity of uranium. Radon concentrations in 9 wells, 22.5% of the samples, and 1 well, 2.2% of the samples, exceeded 4,000 pCi/L (AMCL of the US EPA) and 8,100 pCi/L (Finland's guideline level), respectively. Concentrations of uranium and radon related to geology of the study area showd the highest values in groundwater of the biotite granite area. Uranium and radon contents in the groundwater are comparatively low compared to those in other countries with similar geological settings. It is likely that the measured value was lower than the actual content due to the inflow of shallow groundwater by the lack of casing and grouting.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.259-269
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• 2011

Concentrations of uranium (U) and radon (Rn) were measured in groundwater from 74 wells in the Icheon area, with the aim of determining the range and distribution of concentrations in an area underlain by granite (in this case, the Icheon granite). U concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 1,640.0 ${\mu}g/L$ (median value, 2.03 ${\mu}g/L$) and Rn concentrations ranged from 40 to 23,400 pCi/L (median value, 4,649 pCi/L). U concentrations in 10.8% of the samples exceeded 30 ${\mu}g/L$, which is the maximum contaminant level (MCL) proposed by the US Environmental Protection agency (EPA), based on the chemical toxicity of U. In addition, U concentrations in 59.5% and 13.5% of the samples exceeded 4,000 pCi/L (the Alternative MCL (AMCL) of the US EPA) and 8,100 pCi/L (Finland’s guideline level), respectively. We found no significant correlations between U (Rn) and other constituents, except for U-$HCO_3$ (correlation coefficient of 0.71), U-Ca (0.69), U-Li (0.45), U-Sr (0.43), and U-F (0.42). U and Rn contents in the groundwater are low relative to those in areas in other countries with similar geological settings, possibly due to the inflow of shallow groundwater to the wells in the Icheon area.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.751-758
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• 2019

This study tested various assumptions that simplified the configuration of the numerical model for unsaturated zone's contaminant transport to simulate the pathway to exposed point. This study investigated the contaminant migration through in the pollutant exposure pathway of vadoze zone for risk assessment of the contaminated site. For the purpose, generic scenarios as well as contaminant-based scenarios were simulated using the numerical code for transport of the contaminant in the pathway. The finite-difference one-dimensional transport with adsorption and biodegradation were considered, and it also assumed that the initial concentration was also depleted over time. The results of the generic-scenario show that as the groundwater infiltration rate decreases, the longer the path from the source to the groundwater level, the lower the concentration at the point of inflow into the groundwater level. In particular, in the case of high biodegradation rate and rapid depletion of pollutant sources, statistically outliers were found in the simulated results and generic scenarios was good at prediction.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.561-570
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• 2016

For the investigation of hydrochemical changes in hot spring waters from the Onyang hot spring area, we analyzed water chemistry of 24 hot spring waters in 2011 and 2016. The results showed that there is no significant change in temperature and properties of the hot spring waters. The relationship of 2016 between temperature and $SiO_2$ and F reveals a positive trend ($r^2=0.60$, 0.47), and the relationship between temperature and Ca, Mg, Cl, $SO_4$, $HCO_3$, EC reveals a negative trend ($r^2=0.50$, 0.11, 0.50, 0.63, 0.23, 0.51). The relationship between temperature and pH is a positive trend, while the one between temperature and DO is a negative trend, indicating that the source is from deep groundwater. When plotted on Piper diagram, most of which are $Na-HCO_3$ but several hot waters are classified as the $Na(Ca)-HCO_3$, indicating inflow of shallow groundwater was occurred.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.1040-1048
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• 2010

An infiltration storage can be installed as a method of reducing runoff from catchment and increasing stream flow during the dry period by recharging groundwater. However, there is no proper model and method that can be used to design storage capacity of an infiltration storage in Korea. The purpose of the study is to evaluate capacities of infiltration storages planned on Jeju-do in Korea by modifying Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). The basic equations for the infiltration storage are same as those of the infiltration trench used in MIDUSS. Infiltration rates of the infiltration storages were first measured by double ring infiltrometers, and then the modified model was applied to evaluate adequacy for the capacities of three infiltration storages planned on Jeju-do in Korea. The application results show that the two infiltration storages with higher infiltration rates have adequate capacities to infiltrate the total water inflow to the storages. However, the other infiltration storage with lower infiltration rates has not sufficient capacity to infiltrate the total water inflow to the storage and release occurs to the downstream region. The simulation model and method applied can be used for capacity evaluation of future infiltration storages on highly pervious areas in Jeju-do.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.339-347
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• 2003

Using 171 groundwater chemistry data, seawater intrusion in the Ulsan area was studied. The area near the downstream area of the Taehwa River shows the higher Cl concentrations(11,300 mg/L in maximum), whereas the Cl concentrations are generally low in the eastern coastal area maybe due to the geology of the area. When Cl concentrations are very low, groundwater shows Br:Cl weight ratios significantly deviating from the Br:Cl ratio of seawater($34.7{\times}10^{-4}$). However, Br:Cl ratios are very close to the value of seawater when Cl concentrations are higher than 100 mg/L. Eleven groundwater samples having very high Cl concentrations(>500 mg/L) show that ionic ratios for Ca, Mg, $SO_4$, $HCO_3$ and $SiO_2$ are considerably different from those of seawater. This indicates that the origin of the high Cl groundwaters occurring along the Taehwa River are likely to be the residual salines from the salterns previously located on the alluviums rather than the seawaters intruded recently. These waters seem to be accumulated in the sediments before the drastic expansion of the city. Considering the characteristics of the urban groundwater system where the inflow exceeds the outflow, it is anticipated that the high Cl concentration in the groundwater show a decreasing trend in the future.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.215-222
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• 2010

This research aims to gain the result of assessment of inflow categorized by runoff path using DIROM (Daily Irrigation Reservoir Operation Model) for Baengnyeong-myeon reservior which was built for residents of Baengnyeong island to solve the shortage of drinking water and stable supply of domestic water. The simulation results of DIROM and actual hydrograph of the reservoir show very low correlation with geological characteristics. The simulation results by DIROM after adjusting with modified Tank III model which considers all outflow from Tank II model as interflow among 3 level tanks show good correlation of its regional runoff and inflow characteristics with $R^2$=0.9058. In the study area, diffluence of 37% of rain fall of the study year has been simulated, which shows low result compared to the average river runoff of national water resource. In addition, 34.5% of total inflow to the study reservoir is mainly interflow and baseflow among expected several channels.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.221-242
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• 2021

A numerical study of the performance assesment of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) processes in improved Korean reference disposal system (KRS⁺) for high-level radioactive waste is conducted using TOUGH2-MP/FLAC3D simulator. Decay heat from high-level radioactive waste increases the temperature of the repository, and it decreases as decay heat is reduced. The maximum temperature of the repository is below a maximum temperature criterion of 100℃. Saturation of bentonite buffer adjacent to the canister is initially reduced due to pore water evaporation induced by temperature increase. Bentonite buffer is saturated 250 years after the disposal of high-level radioactive waste by inflow of groundwater from the surrounding rock mass. Initial saturation of rock mass decreases as groundwater in rock mass is moved to bentnonite buffer by suction, but rock mass is saturated after inflow of groundwater from the far-field area. Stress changes at rock mass are compared to the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion and the spalling strength in order to investigate the potential rock failure by thermal stress and swelling pressure. Additional simulations are conducted with the reduced spacing of deposition holes. The maximum temperature of bentonite buffer exceeds 100℃ as deposition hole spacing is smaller than 5.5 m. However, temperature of about 56.1% volume of bentonite buffer is below 90℃. The methodology of numerical modeling used in this study can be applied to the performance assessment of coupled THM processes for high-level radioactive waste repositories with various input parameters and geological conditions such as site-specific stress models and geothermal gradients.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.561-577
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• 2021

The compacted bentonite buffer in a geological repository for high-level radioactive waste disposal is saturated due to groundwater inflow. Saturation of the bentonite buffer results in bentonite swelling and bentonite penetration into the rock discontinuities present around the disposal hole. The penetrated bentonite is exposed to groundwater flow and can be eroded out of the repository, resulting in bentonite mass loss which can affect the physical integrity of the engineered barrier system. Hence, the evaluation of buffer-rock interactions and coupled behavior due to groundwater inflow and bentonite penetration is necessary to ensure long-term disposal safety. In this study, the effects of the bentonite penetration and swelling on the physical properties of jointed rock mass were evaluated using the quasi-static resonant column test. Jointed rock specimens with bentonite penetration were manufactured using Gyeongju bentonite and hollow cylindrical granite rock discs obtained from the KAERI underground research tunnel. The effects of vertical stress and saturation were assessed using the P-wave and S-wave velocities for intact rock, jointed rock and jointed rock with bentonite penetration specimens. The joint normal and joint shear stiffnesses of each joint condition were inferred from the wave velocity results assuming an equivalent continuum. The joint normal and joint shear stiffnesses obtained from this study can be used as input factors for future numerical analysis on the performance evaluation of geological waste disposal considering rock discontinuities.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.1895-1899
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• 2006

Seawater intrusion phenomenons of coastal area happen by natural or artificial factor. For example, density difference of seawater and fresh water, surface of the water change by tidal current, pumping, aggregate picking from mouth of a river, large scale reclamation in water area business etc. This research analyzed effect that groundwater TDS changed by pumping.As a result, it was expose that TDS density increases by sudden inflow of seawater when do pumping up more than $200m^3/day$. Finally, We are expected to prevent calamity by seawater intrusion in coastal area through this study and propose optimum pumping amount to use groundwater safety.