• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.113-123
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• 2017

This study investigated effects of physical and chemical cleaning methods on the initial flux recovery of fouled membrane in membrane distillation process. A laboratory scale direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) experiment was performed to treat digested livestock wastewater with 3.89 mg/L suspended solids, 874.7 mg/L COD, 543.7 mg/L nitrogen, 15.6 mg/L total phosphorus, and pH of 8.6. A hydrophobic PVDF membrane with an average pore size of $0.22{\mu}m$ and a porosity of 75 % was installed inside a direct contact type membrane distillation module. The temperature difference between feed and permeate side was maintained at $40^{\circ}C$ with the feed and permeate stream velocity of 0.18 m/s. The results showed that the permeate flux decreased from $22.1L{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}hr^{-1}$ to $19.0L{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}hr^{-1}$ after 75 hours of distillation. The fouled membrane was cleaned first by physical flushing and consecutively by chemicals with NaOCl and citric acid. After the physical cleaning the flux was recovered to 92 % as compared with the initial clean water flux of the virgin membrane. Then 94 % of the flux was recovered after cleaning by 2,000 ppm NaOCl for 90 minutes and finally 97 % of flux recovered after 3 % citric acid for 90 minutes. SEM-EDS and FT-IR analysis results presented that the foulants on the membrane surface were removed effectively after each cleaning step. The contact angle measurement showed that the hydrophobicity of the membrane surface was also restored gradually after each cleaning step to reach nearly the same hydrophobicity level as the virgin membrane.

• Journal of Climate Change Research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.249-256
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• 2016

Porous $Al_2O_3$ hollow fiber membranes were successfully prepared by dry-wet spinning/sintering method. The SEM image shows that the $Al_2O_3$ hollow fiber membrane consists mostly of sponge pore structure. The contact angle and the breakthrough pressure were $126^{\circ}$ and 1.91 bar, respectively. This results indicate that the $Al_2O_3$ hollow fiber membranes were successfully modified to hydrophobic surface. The hydrophobic modified $Al_2O_3$ hollow fiber membranes were assembled into a membrane contactor system to separate $CO_2$ from a model gas mixture of the flue gas at elevated gas velocity. The $CO_2$ absorption flux was enhanced when the gas velocity increased from $1{\times}10^{-3}$ to $6{\times}10^{-3}$ m/s. Whereas the $CO_2$ absorption flux was decreased with the number of hollow fiber membrane of a module because of the concentration polarization. Furthermore, we developed an lab-scale $Al_2O_3$ hollow fiber membrane contactor modules and their system (i.e., $CO_2$ absorption using the $Al_2O_3$ membrane and monoethanolamine (MEA)) that could dispose of over $0.02Nm^3/h$ mixture gas (15% $CO_2$) with the removal efficiency higher than 95%. The results can be useful in a field of the membrane contactor for $CO_2$ separation, helping to design and extend a equipment.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.283-298
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• 2022

Landslides triggered by the combination of heavy precipitation and anthropological disturbance in hilly areas cause severe damage to human lives, properties, and infrastructure constructions. A comprehensive investigation of the influencing factors and failure mechanisms of landslides are significant for disaster mitigation and prevention. This paper utilized the combination of detailed geological investigation, physical experimental testing as well as numerical modelling to determine the failure mechanism, and proposed a countermeasures of the Lantian landslide occurred on 2, July 2017. The results reveal that the Lantian landslide is a catastrophic reactivated slide which occurred in an active tectonic region in Southwest China. Because of the unique geological settings, the fully to highly weathered basalts in the study area with well-developed fractures favored the rainwater infiltration, which is the beneficial to slide reactivation. Engineering excavation and heavy precipitation are the main triggering factors to activate the slide motion. Two failure stages have been identified in the landslide. The first phase involves a shallow mass collapse originated at the upper slopes, which extends from the road to platform at rear part, which is triggered by excavation in the landslide region. Subjected to the following prolonged rainfall from 19 June to 2 July, 2017, the pore water pressure of the slope continually increased, and the groundwater table successively rise, resulting in a significant decrease of soil strength which leads to successive large-scale deep slide. Thereinto, the shallow collapse played a significant role in the formation of the deep slide. Based on the formation mechanisms of the landslide, detailed engineering mitigation measures, involving slope cutting, anchor cable frame, shotcrete and anchorage, retaining wall and intercepting ditch were suggested to reduce the future failure risk of the landslide.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.11
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• pp.31-42
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• 2022

This study verified numerical analysis of the liquefaction phenomenon using LEAP-2017 international round-robin centrifuge test results. Dynamic centrifuge test is performed by applying a 1 Hz tapered sine wave to the model soil deposit, which was formed under a water table in a surface slope of 5° using Ottawa F-65 sand. A numerical model was made on a prototype scale and analyzed using the finite difference method in 2D and 3D conditions. The analyses were verified for acceleration and pore-water pressure histories with depth and residual displacement. Verification results revealed that all numerical liquefaction models agree reasonably with the test result for acceleration histories but not for pre-water pressure histories. Numerical analyses showed much smaller residual displacement than the centrifuge test. Thus, it is necessary to compare the results of numerical analysis with the centrifuge test performed by other institutes in the future.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.265-280
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• 2023

Water leakage in tunnels is a defect that can affect tunnel stability and the ground movement by changing the stress and pore water pressure of the surrounding ground. Long-term or large-scale water leaks may lead to damage of tunnel structure and the surrounding environment, such as tunnel lining instability and ground surface settlement. The present study numerically investigated the effects of water leakage on the structural stability of a tunnel and the ground behavior. The tunnel was assumed to be under undrained conditions for preventing the inflow of the surrounding water and leaks occurred in the concrete lining after completion of the tunnel construction. A coupled hydro-mechanical analysis using a TOUGH-FLAC simulator developed in Python was conducted for assessing the leakage induced-behavior of the tunnel structure and ground under different conditions of the amount and location of water leak. Additionally, the effect of hydro-mechanical coupling terms on the results of coupled response was investigated and discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.49-58
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• 2007

Numerical experiments using a distinct element code (PFC3D) were carried out for the analysis of grout-material transfer in soil layers and also for the analysis of increase in mechanical strength after permeation grouting. For rapid analysis, up-scaling analysis in length scale was adopted, and the following observations were made from the numerical experiments. Firstly, the relative size of grout material with respect to the in situ soil particles controlled the transfer distance of the grout particles. When the size of grout particle was 0.2 to 0.25 times of the in situ soil particles, clogging of pore spaces among the in situ soil particles occurred, resulting in restricted propagation of grout particles. It was also found that there was a threshold value in the size of grout particle. Below the threshold value, the transfer distance of the grout particle did not increase with the decrease of particle size of the grout material. Secondly, the increase in cohesion and internal friction angle was observed in the numerical specimen with grouting treatment, but not with the untreated specimen.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.41-47
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• 2006

Global climatic changes are expected to influence various biogeochemical processes in wetland ecosystems. In particular, coastal mud flat is anticipated to be affected directly by temperature increase as well as indirectly by a sea level rise and changes in precipitation. This study aimed to determine changes in methane production under different temperature and salinity by employing a laboratory-scale manipulation experiment. Soil samples were collected from a mud flat in Dong-Gum Kang-Hwa island in winter and two types of experiments were conducted. In the first experiment soil samples at 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm depth were incubated under same salinity with pore water and diluted salinity to 50 % of natural condition for 20 days and methane production was measured every other days. In the second experiment, soil samples at 5-10 cm depth were incubated in different temperature, $5^{\circ}C$ and $15^{\circ}C$, under same salinity conditions with first experiment for 31 days and methane production was measured. Results of the first experiment revealed that higher amount of methane was produced at 5-10 cm depth, and salinity effect was predominant at the end of the experiment. The second experiment showed that methane production was higher in $15^{\circ}C$ than $5^{\circ}C$. In addition, methane production was higher when sea water diluted to 50 % compared to control. Global climatic changes are expected to influence various biogeochemical processes in wetland ecosystems. In particular, coastal mud flat is anticipated to be affected directly by temperature increase as well as indirectly by a sea level rise and changes in precipitation. This study aimed to determine changes in methane production under different temperature and salinity by employing a laboratory-scale manipulation experiment. Soil samples were collected from a mud flat in Dong-Gum Kang-Hwa island in winter and two types of experiments were conducted. In the first experiment soil samples at 0-5 cm, 5-10 cm depth were incubated under same salinity with pore water and diluted salinity to 50 % of natural condition for 20 days and methane production was measured every other days. In the second experiment, soil samples at 5-10 cm depth were incubated in different temperature, $5^{\circ}C$ and $15^{\circ}C$, under same salinity conditions with first experiment for 31 days and methane production was measured. Results of the first experiment revealed that higher amount of methane was produced at 5-10 cm depth, and salinity effect was predominant at the end of the experiment. The second experiment showed that methane production was higher in $15^{\circ}C$ than $5^{\circ}C$. In addition, methane production was higher when sea water diluted to 50 % compared to control. These results suggest that methane production is highly influenced by changes in temperature and salinity in coastal mud flat. And that global climatic change may induce biological feedback by affecting production of another greenhouse gas, namely methane from coastal mud flat.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.585-596
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• 2020

The 2017 Pohang Earthquakes occurred near a drill site in the Pohang Enhanced Geothermal System. Water injected for well stimulation was believed to have reactivated the buried near-critically stressed Miocene faults by the accumulation of the Quaternary tectonic strain. However, surface expressions of the Quaternary tectonic activity had not been reported near the epicenter of the earthquakes before the site construction. Unusual, large-scale water-escaped structures were identified 4 km away from the epicenter during a post-seismic investigation. The water-escaped structures comprise Miocene mudstones injected into overlying Pleistocene coastal sediments that formed during Marine Isotope Stage 5. This indicates the vulnerable state of the mudstones long after deposition, resulted from the combined effects of rapid tectonic uplift (before significant diagenesis) and the development of an aquifer at their unconformable interface of the mudstone. Based on the detailed field analysis and consideration of all possible endogenic triggers, we interpreted the structures to have been formed by elevated pore pressures in the mudstones (thixotropy), triggered by cyclic ground motion during the earthquakes. This interpretation is strengthened by the presence of faults 400 m from the study area, which cut unconsolidated coastal sediment deposited after Marine Isotope Stage 5. Geological context, including high rates of tectonic uplift in SE Korea, paleo-seismological research on Quaternary faults near the study area, and historical records of paleoearthquakes in SE Korea, also support the interpretation. Thus, epicenter and surrounding areas of the 2017 Pohang Earthquake are considered as a paleoseismologically active area, and the causative fault of the 2017 Pohang Earthquakes was expected to be nearly critical state.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.566-573
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• 2016

In order to support effective usage of groundwater as an alternative water resource in future, we investigated distribution characteristics of minerals related with human health. While recent studies tended to focus on small scale, this study broadened research area up to nationwide scale to understand groundwater hydrology and regional, geological distributions of minerals in wide area; we investigated mineral distributions of national groundwater monitoring networks, developed GIS-based mineral maps, and reviewed correlation with geological features. As a result, calcium showed the highest concentration among 5 minerals (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Si) and potassium showed the lowest. Calcium concentration in limestone and sedimentary zone was the highest, and that in pore-volcanic-rock zone was the lowest. While calcium, magnesium and sodium showed differences in concentrations in intrusive-igneous-rock and sedimentary zone, potassium was not within geological features. When we studied regional differences, there were no tendency, but Jeju and Gangwon area showed differences in concentrations of calcium and silica.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.135-145
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• 2004

A zeolitic bentonite, which exhibits whitish appearance and contains considerable amounts (nearly 〉 5%) of zeolites, frequently occurs as thin beds less than 1 m in Yeongil area. The bentonites are mostly found in closely association with zeolite beds in the Nuldaeri Tuff and Coal-bearing formations of the Janggi Croup. A discordant occurrence of the bentonite against the bedding plane is also locally found. Montmorillonite, the major mineral constituent of the bentonite, is mostly associated with clinoptilolite as a zeolite. However, instead of clinoptilolite, mordenite is sometimes included in the case of more silicic bentonite, and heulandite in the less silicic one. It is characteristic that the mordenite is accompanied by lots of opal-CT in the silicic bentonite. SEM observations characteristically indicate that these authigenic phases, especially the montmorillonite and zeolite, nearly coexist as mixtures not forming a fine-scale zoning. The zeolitic bentonite seems to be formed in the comparatively silicic pore fluid at the alkaline condition accompanying pH fluctuation Compared to the zeolite-free normal bentonite, the zeolitic types exhibit somewhat higher REE abundance. These chemical characteristics, together with modes of occurrences and authigenic mineral associations, may suggest that the zeolitic bentonite is not merely diagenetic products and a possible hydrothermal alteration could not be excluded in the bentonite genesis.