• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.35-42
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• 2015

This is conducted to observe underground temperature and to analyze its change affected by climate condition and soil infiltration in the mountainous area, Yesan region, Chungcheong-namdo province. Additionally, underground temperature change is also simulated using air temperature and soil thermal properties with a numerical model. Soil temperature monitoring data acquired from each depth, 20 cm, 50 cm, and 100 cm, indicates that the data within 50 cm in depth shows peak-shaped big fluctuation directly affected by air temperature and it at 100 cm has open-shaped small fluctuation. Underground temperature variation, a difference between high and low values, during monitoring period is weakly proportional to hydraulic conductivity of the sediment and it is assumed that water plays a part in delivering air temperature in soil. The underground temperature estimated by a numerical model is very similar to the observed data with an average value of 0.99 cross-correlation coefficient. From the result of this study, the aquifer unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of the soil and the groundwater recharge is likely to be able to estimate with underground temperature profile calculated using a numerical model.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.17-29
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• 2014

A remedial investigation was conducted at five military training ranges in northern Gyeonggi province to collect information necessary for the design of on-site treatment facilities for the abatement of explosive compounds release to the environment. These information includes (i) identification of dominant explosive compounds in each range, (ii) discharge/migration routes, and (iii) contaminant distribution in particle size fraction and settling velocity of the soils. The results of investigation showed that TNT and RDX are the major contaminants but the extent of contamination varied depending on the types of military training practices and topography of the site. RDX was also detected in the subsurface soil and in the nearby stream within the training ranges, suggesting release of contaminants to streams. The median concentrations of explosives in the surface soil were less than 20 mg/kg despite several 'hot spots' in which explosives concentrations often exceeds several hundred mg/kg. The average clay contents in the soil of target area was less than 5 % compared to 12 % in the control, indicating loss of smaller particles by surface runoff during rainfall due to lack of vegetative land cover. Analysis of explosive compounds and particle size distribution showed that the amount of explosive compounds in soil particles smaller than 0.075 mm was less than 10 % of the total. Settling column tests also revealed that the quantity of explosive compounds in the liquid phase of the effluent was greater than that in the solid phase. Therefore, pre-treatment of particulate matter in surface runoff of shooting range with a simple settling basin and subsequent effluent treatment with planted constructed wetlands as polishing stage for explosives in the aqueous phase would provide the shooting ranges with a self-standing, sustainable, green solution.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.139-156
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• 1995

A set of field investigations was performed to estimate accurately the predominant periods of seismic 8round motions and the attenuation characteristics of the seismic ground vibration. Predominant periods of ground motions were estimated from the measurement of the continuous microseismic vibratins of certain periods, inherent in the ground and in the buildings, utilizing the high sensitivity digital velocity seismometer consisting of 3-component geophones and a digital seismograph. Estimated predominant periods of microseismic vibraion of the ground(measured on'the ground surface) and the building (measured on the second floor) were in the range of 0.18~0.235 sec. and 0.26~0.31 sec. respectively. The subsurface structure of the site ground was surveyed by the seismic refraction method utilizing the digital seismicwave probing system. The ground structure was found to be a two-layered system : an upper top soil layer of 7m in thickness with the P-wave velocity of 662m1sec and a lower layer of silty-clayey soils with the P -wave velocity of 2210m1 sec. The attenuation characteristics of the seismic ground vibrations were determined by the amplitude decay measurement method us;ng the Seisgun, which produces strong artificial seismic energy. Measured spatial attenuation coefficients of the ground vibration in vertical(Z) longitudinal(X), transverse(Y) direction were 0.1137, 0.0025, and 0.0290 respectively. Estimated Spartial QP's (inverse of the specific dissipation constant w.r.t. shear waved of X, Y, and Z directions were in the range of 5.913~7.575, 32.371~41.452, 2.794~3.579 re spectively. This indicates that aseimic design of the structures on the site should take stronger consideration regarding the earthquake resistance characteristics of the structures against longitudinal ground motion.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2009.09a
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• pp.133-144
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• 2009

Incheon Bridge, 18.4 km long sea-crossing bridge, will be opened to the traffic in October 2009 and this will be the new landmark of the gearing up north-east Asia as well as the largest & longest bridge of Korea. Incheon Bridge is the integrated set of several special featured bridges including a magnificent cable-stayed girder bridge which has a main span of 800 m width to cross the navigation channel in and out of the Port of Incheon. Incheon Bridge is making an epoch of long-span bridge designs thanks to the fully application of the AASHTO LRFD (load & resistance factor design) to both the superstructures and the substructures. A state-of-the-art of the geotechnologies which were applied to the Incheon Bridge construction project is introduced. The most Large-diameter drilled shafts were penetrated into the bedrock to support the colossal superstructures. The bearing capacity and deformational characteristics of the foundations were verified through the world's largest static pile load test. 8 full-scale pilot piles were tested in both offshore site and onshore area prior to the commencement of constructions. Compressible load beyond 30,000 tonf pressed a single 3 m diameter foundation pile by means of bi-directional loading method including the Osterberg cell techniques. Detailed site investigation to characterize the subsurface properties had been carried out. Geotextile tubes, tied sheet pile walls, and trestles were utilized to overcome the very large tidal difference between ebb and flow at the foreshore site. 44 circular-cell type dolphins surround the piers near the navigation channel to protect the bridge against the collision with aberrant vessels. Each dolphin structure consists of the flat sheet piled wall and infilled aggregates to absorb the collision impact. Geo-centrifugal tests were performed to evaluate the behavior of the dolphin in the seabed and to verify the numerical model for the design. Rip-rap embankments on the seabed are expected to prevent the scouring of the foundation. Prefabricated vertical drains, sand compaction piles, deep cement mixings, horizontal natural-fiber drains, and other subsidiary methods were used to improve the soft ground for the site of abutments, toll plazas, and access roads. Light-weight backfill using EPS blocks helps to reduce the earth pressure behind the abutment on the soft ground. Some kinds of reinforced earth like as MSE using geosynthetics were utilized for the ring wall of the abutment. Soil steel bridges made of corrugated steel plates and engineered backfills were constructed for the open-cut tunnel and the culvert. Diverse experiences of advanced designs and constructions from the Incheon Bridge project have been propagated by relevant engineers and it is strongly expected that significant achievements in geotechnical engineering through this project will contribute to the national development of the longspan bridge technologies remarkably.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.29-38
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• 2013

The G-class cement is commonly used in practice for geothermal well cementing in order to protect a steel casing that is designed to transport hot water/steam from deep subsurface to ground surface during operating a geothermal power plant. In order to maintain optimal performance of geothermal wells, physical properties of the cementing material should be satisfactory. In this paper, relevant factors (i.e., groutability, uniaxial compression strength, thermal conductivity and free fluid content) of the G-class cement were experimentally examined with consideration of various water-cement (w/c) ratios. Important findings through the experiments herein are as follows. (1) Groutability of the G-class cement increases by adding a small dose of retarder. (2) There would be a structural defect caused when the w/c ratio is kept higher in order to secure groutability. (3) Thermal conductivity of the G-class cement is small enough to prevent heat loss from hot steam or water to the outer ground formation during generating electricity. (4) The G-class cement does not form free water channel in cementing a geothermal well. (5) The Phenolphthalein indicator is applicable to the distinction of the G-class cement from the drilling mud.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 1999

Although faults can be found by geological surveys, the surface traces of faults are not easily discovered by traditional geological surveys due to alluvia. In and around faults and fracture zones, the electrical resistivity appears to be lower than that of the surroundings due to the content of groundwater and clay minerals. Therefore, electrical resistivity surveys are effective to search buried faults and fracture zones. The dipole-dipole array electrical resistivity surveys, which could show the two dimensional subsurface electrical resistivity structure, were carried out in two areas, Yongdang-ri, Woongsang-eup, Yangsan-si, Kyungsangnam-do and Malbang-ri, Woedong-eup, Kyungju-si, Kyungsangpook-do. The one was next to the Dongrae Fault and the other near the Ulsan Fault was close to the region in which debatable quaternary fault traces had been found recently. From each measured data set, the electrical resistivity cross-section was obtained using the inversion program the reliability of which was analyzed using analytic solutions. A low resistivity zone was found in the inverted cross-section from the Yongdang-ri area survey data, and two low resistivity zones were found in that from the Malbang-ri area survey data. They were almost vertical and were 15∼20 m wide. Accounting the shape and the very low resistivity values of those zones (<100 Ωm)in the inverted section, they were interpreted as fracture zones although they should be proven by trenching. The reliability of the interpretation might be improved by adding some more parallel resistivity survey lines and interpreting the results in 3 and/or adding other geophysical survey.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.119-125
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• 2003

The small-loop electromagnetic (EM) technique has been used successfully for many geophysical investigations, particularly for shallow engineering and environmental surveys. In conventional small loop EM operating at small induction numbers, geometric sounding has been widely used because the depth of penetration of EM energy depends only on the source-receiver separation. Recently developed small loop EM system, however, measures the secondary magnetic field, $H^S$, at multiple frequencies with a fixed source-receiver separation and frequency sounding is tried actively. In this study, we analyzed the behavior of in-phase and quadrature components of ${H^S}_z$, for horizonal coplanar (HCP) configuration over two-layer models. Through this theoretical analysis, it was found that the in-phase component of ${H^S}_z$ is more suitable for frequency sounding than the quadrature component. But, the in-phase component of ${H^S}_z$ is too small to measure, especially in resistive and noisy environment like Korea. Using the fact that the quadrature component is much greater than the in-phase component and the difference of quadrature component of ${H^S}_z$ measured at two frequencies shows the same behavoir as the in-phase component, we suggested an alternative frequency sounding technique. Also, we defined an apparent conductivity, which reflects well the conductivity of subsurface layers.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.111-120
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• 2016

In order to enhance the connectivity of fracture network as fluid path in enhanced/engineered geothermal system (EGS), the exact locating of hydraulic fractured zone is very important. Hydraulic fractures can be tracked by locating of microseismic events which are occurred during hydraulic fracture stimulation at each stage. However, since the subsurface velocity is changed due to hydraulic fracturing at each stage, in order to find out the exact location of microseismic events, we have to consider the velocity change due to hydraulic fracturing at previous stage when we perform the mapping of microseimic events at the next stage. In this study, we have modified 3D locating algorithm of microseismic data which was developed by Kim et al. (2015) and have developed 3D velocity update algorithm using occurred microseismic data. Eikonal equation which can efficiently calculate traveltime for complex velocity model at anywhere without shadow zone is used as forward engine in our inversion. Computational cost is dramatically reduced by using Fresnel volume approach to construct Jacobian matrix in velocity inversion. Through the numerical test which simulates the geothermal survey geometry, we demonstrated that the initial velocity model was updated by using microseismic data. In addition, we confirmed that relocation results of microseismic events by using updated velocity model became closer to true locations.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.31-34
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• 2015

A gravity meter has been used for exploring subsurface mineral resources and monitoring long-period events such as Earth tides. Recently, researchers found several other intriguing features that we could even detect large teleseismic earthquakes and monitor seismic ambient noise using gravimeters. The zero-length spring suspension technology gives the gPhone (Micro-g LaCoste) excellent low frequency sensitivity, which may have implications for investigating much longer-period natural events (e.g., Earth's hum, tsunami waves, etc.). In this study, we present preliminary results through temporary operation of the gPhone at Geumsan in South Korea for 9 months (Nov. 2008-Jul. 2009). The gPhone successfully recorded large teleseismic events and showed a clear seasonal variation of the Double frequency microseisms during its operation period.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.76-83
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• 2016

Migration image can be distorted due to reflected waves in the source and receiver wavefields when discontinuities of input velocity model exist in seismic imaging. To remove reflected waves coming from layer interfaces, it is a common practice to smooth the velocity model for migration. If the velocity model is smoothed, however, the subsurface image can be distorted because the velocity changes around interfaces. In this paper, we attempt to minimize the distortion by reducing reflection energy in the source and receiver wavefields through acoustic impedance homogenization. To make acoustic impedance constant, we define fake density model and use it for migration. When the acoustic impedance is constant over all layers, the reflection coefficient at normal incidence becomes zero and the minimized reflection energy results in the improvement of migration result. To verify our algorithm, we implement the reverse-time migration using cell-based finite-difference method. Through numerical examples, we can note that the migration image is improved at the layer interfaces with high velocity contrast, and it shows the marked improvement particularly in the shallow part.