• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.251-268
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• 1986

Selecting a site for the safe disposal of radioactive waste requires the evaluation of a wide range of geologic, mineralogic, hydrologic, and physicochemical properties. Although highly diverse, these properties are in fact interrelated. Site requirements are also diverse because they are influenced by the nature of the radionuclides in the waste, for example, their half-lives, specific energy, and chemistry. A fundamental consideration in site selection is the mineralogy of the host rock, and one of the most ubiquitous mineral groups is clay minerals. Clays and clay minerals as in situ lithologic components and engineered barriers may playa significant role in retarding the migration of radionuclides. Their high sorptivity, longevity (stability), low permeability, and other physical factors should make them a very effective retainer of most radionuclides in nuclear wastes. There are, however, some unanswered questions. For example, how will their longevity and physicochemical properties be influenced by such factors as radionuclide concentration, radiation intensity, elevated temperatures, changes in redox condition, pH, and formation fluids for extended periods of time? Understanding of mechanisms affecting clay mineral-radionuclide interactions under prevailing geochemical conditions is important; however, the utilization of experimental geochemical information related to physicochemical properties of clays and clay-bearing materials with geohydrologic models presents a uniquely challenging problem in that many assessments have to be based on model predictions rather than on experiments. These are high-priority research investigations that need to be addressed before complete reliance for disposal area performance is made on clays and clay minerals.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.215-224
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• 2019

Excavation of long tunnels by shielded TBMs is a safe, fast, and efficient method of tunneling that mitigates many risks related to ground conditions. However, long-distance tunneling in great depth through adverse geological conditions brings about limitations in the application of TBMs. Among various harsh geological conditions, squeezing ground as a consequence of tunnel wall and face convergence could lead to cluttered blocking, shield jamming and in some cases failure in the support system. These issues or a combination of them could seriously hinder the performance of TBMs. The technique of excavation has a strong influence on the tunnel response when it is excavated under squeezing conditions. The Golab water conveyance tunnel was excavated by a double-shield TBM. This tunnel passes mainly through metamorphic weak rocks with up to 650 m overburden. These metamorphic rocks (Shales, Slates, Phyllites and Schists) together with some fault zones are incapable of sustaining high tangential stresses. Prediction of the convergence, estimation of the creeping effects and presenting strategies to overcome the squeezing ground are regarded as challenging tasks for the tunneling engineer. In this paper, the squeezing potential of the rock mass is investigated in specific regions by dint of numerical and analytical methods. Subsequently, several operational solutions which were conducted to counteract the challenges are explained in detail.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.517-532
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• 2021

Safe geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) requires knowledge of the deep hydrochemical characteristics of the repository site. Here, we conducted a set of deep hydrochemical investigations using a 750-m borehole drilled in a model granite system in Wonju, South Korea. A closed investigation system consisting of a double-packer, Waterra pump, flow cell, and water-quality measurement unit was used for in situ water quality measurements and subsequent groundwater sampling. We managed the drilling water labeled with a fluorescein dye using a recycling system that reuses the water discharged from the borehole. We selected the test depths based on the dye concentrations, outflow water quality parameters, borehole logging, and visual inspection of the rock cores. The groundwater pumped up to the surface flowed into the flow cell, where the in situ water quality parameters were measured, and it was then collected for further laboratory measurements. Atmospheric contact was minimized during the entire process. Before hydrochemical measurements and sample collection, pumping was performed to purge the remnant drilling water. This study on a model borehole can serve as a reference for the future development of deep hydrochemical investigation procedures and techniques for siting processes of SNF repositories.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.233-244
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• 2023

With the increasing amount of resources required by the society development, mining operations go deeper, which raises the requirements of studying the effects of temperature on the physical and mechanical properties of coal and adjacent rock. For now, these effects are yet to be fully revealed. In this paper, a mechanical-electromagnetic radiation (EMR) test system was established to understand the mechanical deterioration characteristics of coal by the effect of thermal treatment and its deformation and fracture characteristics under thermo-mechanical coupling conditions. The mechanical properties of high-temperature-treated coal were analyzed and recorded, based on which, reasons of coal mechanical deterioration as well as the damage parameters were obtained. Changes of the EMR time series under unconstrained conditions were further analyzed before characteristics of EMR signals under different damage conditions were obtained. The evolution process of thermal damage and deformation of coal was then analyzed through the frequency spectrum of EMR. In the end, based on the time-frequency variation characteristics of EMR, a method of determining combustion zones within the underground gasification area and combustion zones' stability level was proposed.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.12-25
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• 2017

In local underground mines heavily depending on the natural ventilation, ducted fan auxiliary ventilation system is strongly recommended instead of the total mine ventilation system requiring large capital and operating costs. Optimizing the installation of ducted fans in series in long large-opening mines is required to assure the economy and efficiency of the ventilation system. The two most critical design parameters for optimization are the wall separation distance and gap length between adjoining ducts. This study aims at deriving the optimal values for those two parameters concerning the economic and environmental aspects through the extensive CFD analysis, which minimizes pressure loss, leakage and entrainment of the contaminated air in the gap space. The ranges of the wall separation distance and gap length for study are selected by taking into consideration the existing recommendations and guidelines. The ultimate goal is to optimize the auxiliary ventilation system using ducted fans in series to provide a reliable and efficient solution to maintain clean and safe workplace environment in local long underground mines.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1778-1785
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• 2014

In order to construct offshore structures safely, geotechnical investigation should be carried out with high accuracy. Up to now, onshore geotechnical investigation equipments installed on the barge are used for offshore geotechnical investigation. In this case, many limitations can be confronted such as deep water depth, high wave, strong current, severe wind and so on. For the safe and economic offshore geotechnical investigation with high precision, a seabed type unmanned automated site investigation equipment is developed. It can be operated remotely underwater conditions with 100m water depth and can explore the ground depth of 50m. Also, the standard penetration test (SPT), soil boring, soil sampling and rock coring can be possible using the equipment. Numerical analysis was conducted to secure the stability of the equipment against current of 4 knot. Energy efficiency of SPT apparatus which is attached to the equipment shows 78% in average.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.15 no.6 s.59
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• pp.452-461
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• 2005

In a bidirectional tunnel, the accident rate is 1.5 times as high as that of one directional tunnel , the risk of a fire is increased. On fire, there is a problem that the jet fan should not be operated until completion of refuge. To be special, as the great damages occur owing to the expansion of smoke in long tunnels, there is a need to minimize fatality by constructing cross passage and smoke removal system. This study aims at verifying the efficiency of smoke exhaust system through fire propagation simulation as well as scale model test. The results show that completion of escape through emergency exit requires 335 seconds, while addition of smoke exhaust system reduce the escape time to 185 seconds. Also, near the fire source temperature decreased by about $60^{\circ}C$. Without the exhaust system, fire propagation speed was in the range of 0.36 and 0.82 m/s, and it dropped to $0.27\~0.58\;m/s$ with the exhaust system on. Taking into account the escape speed of tunnel users, usually $0.7\~1.0\;m/s$, the emergency exit built every 150m is sufficient for the safe egress. The ultimate goal of this study is to provide fundamental information for the smoke exhaust system in bidirectional tunnels.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.568-576
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• 2015

In this study, scenarios based on the leakage of highly compressed air and fire occurrence turned out to be high risks in an operation stage of CAES facility were constructed and estimated. By combining Bernoulli equation with momentum equation, an expression to calculate an impact force of a jet flow of compressed air was derived. An impact force was found to be proportional to the square of diameter of fracture and the pressure of compressed air. Four types of fire scenarios were composed to evaluate an effects that seasonal change and location of fire source have on the spread behavior of smoke. Smoke from the fire ignited in the vicinity of CAES opening descended more quickly below the limit line of breathing than one from the fire occurred 10 m away from CAES opening, which is expected to occur due to a propagation of wave front of smoke. It was shown that a rate of smoke spread of the winter fire is faster than one of the summer fire and smoke from the winter fire spreads farther than one of the summer fire, which are dependent on the direction of air flow into access opening. Evacuation simulation indicated that the required safe evacuation time(RSET) of the summer and winter fires are 262, 670 s each.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.343-350
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• 2017

Amid increasingly saturated ground space, development of underground space has been booming throughout the world and excavation has been underway near the structure above or under the ground level. But the ground subsidence caused by improper or poor construction technologies, underground water leakage, sudden changes of stratum and the problem with earth retaining system component has been emerged as hot social issue. To deal with such problems nationwide, establishment of preventive and proactive disaster management and rapid restoration system has been pushed now. In this study, collection of the data on technology development trend to secure the underground safety was made, taking into account of internal change elements (changing groundwater level, damage to underground utilities, etc) and external change elements (vehicle load, earthquake and ground excavation, etc) during excavation. Amid the growing need of ground behavior analysis, ground subsidence evaluation technology, safe excavation to prevent ground subsidence and reinforcement technology, improvement of rapid restoration technology in preparation for ground subsidence and development of independent capability, this study is intended to introduce the technology development in a bid to prevent the ground subsidence during excavation. It's categorized into prediction/evaluation technology, complex detect technology, waterproof reinforcement technology, rapid restoration technology and excavation technology which, in part, has been in process now.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.480-507
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• 2019

This paper aims at optimizing the auxiliary ventilation system in large-opening limestone mines with unducted fans. An extensive CFD and also site study were carried out for optimization at the blind entries. The fan location, operating mode, and layout are the parameters for optimization. Since the jet stream discharged from the auxiliary fan is flowing faster than 15 m/s in most of the cases, the stream collides with floor, sides or roof and even with the jet stream generated from the other fan placed upstream. Then, it is likely to lose a large portion of its inertial force and then its ventilation efficiency drops considerably. Therefore, the optimal fan installation interval is defined in this study as an interval that maximizes the uninterrupted flowing distance of the jet stream, while the cross-sectional installation location can be optimized to minimize the energy loss due to possible collision with the entry sides. Consequently, the optimization of the fan location will improve ventilation efficiency and subsequently the energy cost. A number of different three-dimensional computational domains representing a full-scale underground space were developed for the CFD study. The velocity profiles and the CO concentrations were studied to design and optimize the auxiliary ventilation system without duct and at the same time mine site experiments were carried out for comparison purposes. The ultimate goal is to optimize the auxiliary ventilation system without tubing to provide a reliable, low-cost and efficient solution to maintain the clean and safe work environment in local large-opening underground limestone mines.