• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2019

Earthquake can change underground stress condition around the hypocenter and affect the fracture systems of the rocks. In Korea, the M5.8 Gyeongju earthquake on September 12, 2016 and M5.4 Pohang earthquake on November 15, 2017 occurred inside the Yangsan fault zone and possibly affected the fracture systems in the Yangsan fault zone and nearby rock masses. In this study, the characteristics of the fracture system (fracture orientation, number of the fractures, fracture spacing and aperture, dip angle, fracture density along depth, and relative rock strength) of the rocks in the low/intermediate level radioactive waste repository site located in the coastal area of the East Sea are analyzed by the impact of the Gyeongju and Pohang earthquakes using acoustic televiewer data taken from the boreholes at the radioactive waste repository site in 2005 and 2018. As a result of acoustic televiewer logging analysis, the fracture numbers, fracture aperture, and fracture density along depth overall increased in 2018 comparing to those in 2005. This increase tendency may be due to changes in the fracture system due to the impact of the earthquakes, or due to weathering of the wall of the boreholes for a long period longer than 10 years after the installation of the boreholes in 2005. In the borehole KB-14, on the whole, the orientation of the fractures and the average fracture spacing are slightly different between 2005 and 2018, while dip angle and relative rock strength in 2005 and 2018 are similar each other.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.57-69
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• 2023

In this study, we simulated induced seismicity in the Groningen natural gas reservoir using 2D hydro-mechanical coupled discrete element modelling (DEM). The code used is PFC2D (Particle Flow Code 2D), a commercial software developed by Itasca, and in order to apply to this study we further developed 1)initialization of inhomogeneous reservoir pressure distribution, 2)a non-linear pressure-time history boundary condition, 3)local stress field monitoring logic. We generated a 2D reservoir model with a size of 40 × 50 km² and a complex fault system, and simulated years of pressure depletion with a time range between 1960 and 2020. We simulated fault system failure induced by pressure depletion and reproduced the spatiotemporal distribution of induced seismicity and assessed its failure mechanism. Also, we estimated the ground subsidence distribution and confirmed its similarity to the field measurements in the Groningen region. Through this study, we confirm the feasibility of the presented 2D hydro-mechanical coupled DEM in simulating the deformation of a complex fault system by hydro-mechanical coupled processes.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.551-559
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• 2016

The chemical composition and noble gas isotopes of 10 deep groundwater samples were analyzed to know the circulation of groundwaters in the Yangsan fault and the Gampo fault. The chemical types of groundwaters show the $Ca-HCO_3$ type and $Ca-SO_4(Cl)$ type, and show indistinct relationship with geology. Noble gas isotopic data of most groundwaters were plotted along the air-crust mixing line on $^3He/^4He$ vs. $4^He/^{20}Ne$ diagram, and show dominant $^3He$ of air origin except one sample that shows helium mixing of crust origin. This indicates that groundwater actively circulates along fault, and fault could not play an role of upward pathway of a deep-seated helium gas. A comparatively high $^4He$ indicates that groundwater flows in an aquifer assuring relatively enough water-rock interaction.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.191-200
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• 2004

The Ubo fault Bone, which cross over the northwestern to southeastern direction at the Hwabuk damsite in Hakseongri, Gunwigun, Gyeongsangbukdo Province, has length about 20km. The Ubo fault zone in this area is segmented to several small faults and makes a gentle slope and hill along the right side of the drainage in the Hwabuk dam. In the storage area of Hwabuk dam, 2 pairs of faults occur and the width of fracture zones are about 2m. To define the fracture Bone using the geochemical data, the samples were collected at 0.5m, 1m, 2m, 4m, 8m, 16m and 32m apart from the center of the main fracture Bone toward north and south, respectively, and analyzed for major elements and mineral content Approaching the fracture Bone, Fe$_2$O$_3$, MgO, K$_2$O, quartz, muscovite and chlorite are increasing and Na$_2$O, CaO, plagioclase and biotite are decreasing, respectively. Based on the rock chemistry and mineral content, the range of the main fracture zone affected by the Ubo fault at Hakseongri is 2m width in total, the secondary deformed zone is 8m width in total. Finally the maximum affected range by the Ubo fault is inferred to 16m width in total.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Earth Science Education
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.128-138
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to examine potential as a geological field course of Odongdo located to the east of Yeosu city, Korea. The total area and the height from the sea level of Odongdo is about 0.13km2 and 42m, respectively. Odongdo area belongs to the Hallyeohaesang National Marine Park, and is famous for rock scenery in the rocky coast and living of rare plants. For this study, diversity of geomorphology and geology was investigated at the sites called as dragon cave, windy area, seal rocks, sunrise viewing platform, second seashore rocks and first seashore rocks along the coast of Odongdo. The results of this study are as follows: A lot of geomorphological and geological resources like sea cliff, sea cave, strata, various sedimentary rocks(conglomerate, sandstone, mudstone), andesite, fault and examples of rock weathering were found in the rocky coast of the study area. These field resources are pertinent to the field work materials for the teaching and learning of geology units in elementary school science. Odongdo is to be recommended as a site of outdoor geological field course for the elementary school students inhabited in Yeosu city and neighborhood area because each site of the rocky coast in this study area has various field work materials and the wide space for observe activities, and is equipped with the facilities as a trail for rock observation.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.373-386
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• 2023

To analyze the prediction of geological conditions and water-bearing zones, TSP was performed in the collapse zone of the fault zone. The results of the TSP were verified by comparing them to the face mapping results of the prediction zone. The rock quality prediction result of the TSP had an error of about 3 to 10 meters compared to the face mapping result, but the overall rock quality change and ground condition were analyzed to be relatively similar. In the water-bearing zones of the face mapping results, the Vp/Vs ratio ranges from 1.79 to 2.37 and the Poisson's ratio ranges from 0.27 to 0.39. In the sections other than the water-bearing zones, the Vp/Vs ratio ranges from 1.61 to 1.89, and the Poisson's ratio ranges from 0.19 to 0.3. As a result of analyzing the Vp/Vs ratio and Poisson's ratio in the water-bearing zones, it is analyzed that the sections with a Vp/Vs ratio of 2.0 or more and a Poisson's ratio of 0.3 or more have a high possibility of being water-bearing zones.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.139-152
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• 2018

This study is an analysis of slope failure examples of cut sedimentary hills during construction road in Kyoungsang Basin, especially Yangsan Fault system (Ilkwang-Dongrae fault). This area involved a lot of hillslope failures compared to other areas during road construction. The exposed failure slopes were first face-mapped, and then back analyzed based on the limit equilibrium method to assess the shear strength parameters of discontinuity (bedding). The results of this analysis indicate that the shear strength parameters of discontinuity (bedding) are significantly smaller than those used in the design stage and presented in the existing works. The filling in the bedding and emerging groundwater may be decreasing strength parameters. Especially, the clay in the bedding plays a key role in the effect of the shear strength. The study also suggests that the bedding angle and the internal friction angle are proportional to each other. Using this relationship and knowing the bedding angle, the friction can easily be estimated.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.189-214
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• 2000

Three study areas of Kwanak campus(Seoul National University), Gapyung and Boeun were selected and classified according to bedrock types in order to investigate soil-gas radon concentrations. Several soil-gas samples showed relatively high radon concentrations in the residual soils which derived from granite bedrock. It also showed that water content of soil and the degree of radioactivity disequilibrium was a secondary factor governing radon emanation and distribution of radon radioactivity. The results of radon concentrations and working levels for forty rooms in Kwanak campus, Seoul National University, showed that indoor basement rooms under poor ventilation condition can be classified as high radon risk zone having more than EPA guideline(4 pCi/L). Some results of section analysis which was surveyed in the fault zone of Kyungju and Gapyung area confirmed the existence of fault-associated radon anomalies with a meaning of radon risk zone.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.531-549
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship of hydrochemistry, geology, fault with occurrence of uranium and radon-222 from the groundwater in the Yeongdong area. In this study, 49 groundwater and 4 surface water samples collected in the study area were collected on two separate occasions. The surface radioactivities were measured at 40 points to know the relationship between the occurrence of uranium in groundwater and surface geology. The chemical composition of groundwater showed three types : $Ca-HCO_3$, $Na-HCO_3$ and $Ca-HCO_3(SO_4,\;NO_3)$. Two groundwater of 49 samples exceeded the maximum contaminant levels of uranium, $30{\mu}g/L$, proposed by the Ministry of Environment of Korea and 11 groundwater of 40 samples for Rn-222 concentrations exceeded the 148 Bq/L maximum contaminant level of US EPA. Most of unsuitable groundwater are located in the geological boundary related with the biotite gneiss and the surface radioactivities of rock samples showed no relationship with groundwater geochemical constituents. The strike-slip fault, Youngdong fault, is $N45^{\circ}E$ direction and the high concentrations of uranium in upper part of fault, consisted of granite and granitic gneiss are detected but in lower part, consisted of metamorphic sedimentary rock are not detected. It suggests that the natural radioactive concentrations are related with the geologic characteristics and the migration and diffusion of natural radioactive materials are affected by the fault.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.2 s.52
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• pp.289-297
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• 2007

Slope failure that is occurred by rainfall generates a lot of property damages and loss of lives. Slope stability management and reinforcement countermeasure can be attained through continuous monitoring about various slope types that adjoin in human's life for reducing slope failure from natural and artificial cut slope hazards. The study area is rock slope that is consisted of gneiss, and large scale joint set is ranging by fault activity. This rock mass is exposed during long period and has lithological weathering property of weathered rock or soft rock. In-situ investigation carried out after divide by natural slope and cut slope. As a result, the natural slope appeared to high possibility of planar failure and wedge failure in few joint points that main joint set is formed. On the other hand, slope failure conformation in cut slope was superior only wedge failure occurrence possibility in eight joint points. In result of numerical analysis using SLIDE 2D, the minimum safety factor was analyzed slope stability for cut slope relatively low than natural slope in this study.