• 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.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2021

It is important to evaluate the fracture network in a rock volume because fractures control the ground conditions and fluid flow characteristics. Therefore, various attempts have been made to quantify fracture networks to better understand ground and flow conditions. The use of fracture density alone (a quantitative parameter based on geometric analysis) does not fully explain the evolution of fracture networks, or quantify the spatial relationship (e.g. connectivity) of fractures in a rock mass. Therefore, the need for fracture network characterization based on topological analysis has recently emerged. In Korea however, the topological analysis of fracture networks within a rock mass has rarely been studied. As such, the definition of the topological analysis of fracture networks and the graph theory related to the topological analysis are briefly summarized in this study. We also introduce an application method for these analyses to fracture characterization. If the topological method is used for the analysis of fracture networks, it can also be adopted to analyze fluid flow characteristics of groundwater, characterize petroleum reservoirs, and analyze the evolution of a fracture network. In addition, topological analysis can be useful for site selection of major facilities such as nuclear waste disposal sites because it can be used to evaluate the stability of the potential sites.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.538-546
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• 2013

This paper deals with a hydraulic fracturing technique, which is one of the methods to maximize the recovery rate and productivity of oil and gas in the petroleum industry. In the hydraulic fracturing, typically water mixed with sand and chemicals is injected into a wellbore in order to create artificial fractures along which formation fluids migrate to the well. In recent years, it is widely used in non-conventional oil and gas such as oil shale and shale gas. Three main stages of the hydraulic fracturing process, the proposed design models for the effective hydraulic fracturing and diagnostics after fracturing treatment are introduced. In addition, this paper introduces reservoir geomechanics to solve various problems in the process of hydraulic fracturing.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2014.10a
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• pp.411-414
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• 2014

Numerical modeling was conducted to estimate the amount of dislocation that may occur across a frictionless fracture during an earthquake using commercial code FLAC3D (Fast Lagrangian Analysis of Continua in 3 Dimensions). The applied motion was calculated to represent a Richter 6.0 magnitude earthquake at distances of 2 km from the fracture. The velocity-time history was generated from Svensk $K{\ddot{a}}arnbr{\ddot{a}}anslehantering$ AB report. In the report, The velocity field resulting from an earthquake on a fault located in the near-field (2 km distance) was modelled using a finite difference program, WAVE. The stress-time history was substituted for velocity-time history to perform dynamic analysis using FLAC3D. During the earthquake, the maximum dislocation and change of shear stress were about 1 cm and 2MPa, respectively. Because the fracture is frictionless in this study, all dislocations relax to zero after the earthquake motions have ceased.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1999

In the last decade, the supply of natural aggregates has been continuously increased due to the other types of aggregates. In general, aggregates constitute 70-80% of the total volume of concrete, so the quality of aggregates is main factor controlling physical characteristics of concrete. For this reason, physical properties of aggregate according to different rock types were studied. The majority of crushed aggregates is taken out of granite, gneiss, sandstone, andesite, basalt and so forth. The physical properties of these rock types were tested and most of them fell within the acceptable limit on the base of Korean standard regulation. The major lithology of the crushed aggregates is granite and gneiss, both of which are marked for more than 50% of total lithology thpes in Korea. A to the physical properties of granite, the high specific gravity coincides with low porosity, low absorption ratio, while the abrasion and soundness index show, in general, no specific trend. It has been assumed that slight differences of the physical properties of granite aggregates are related with those of the mineral composition, grain size, and so on. In comparison to granite, the physical properties of gneiss have little correlation one after another. This trend is related to different mineral composition, grain size and typical sheet fractures typically prevailing in the texture of gneiss. Spatial pattern of physical properties shows that high specific gravity of granite coincides only with low porosity and absorption ratio in all provinces except Cheolla province, and high specific gravity of gneiss coincides with low porosity and absorption ratio only in Cheolla and Gandwon provinces.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.459-468
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• 2018

In this paper, the effect of non-persistent joints was determined on the behavior of concrete specimens subjected to biaxial loading through numerical modeling using particle flow code in two dimensions (PFC2D). Firstly, a numerical model was calibrated by uniaxial, Brazilian and triaxial experimental results to ensure the conformity of the simulated numerical model's response. Secondly, sixteen rectangular models with dimension of 100 mm by 100 mm were developed. Each model contains two non-persistent joints with lengths of 40 mm and 20 mm, respectively. The angularity of the larger joint changes from $30^{\circ}$ to $90^{\circ}$. In each configuration, the small joint angularity changes from $0^{\circ}$ to $90^{\circ}$ in $30^{\circ}$ increments. All of the models were under confining stress of 1 MPa. By using of the biaxial test configuration, the failure process was visually observed. Discrete element simulations demonstrated that macro shear fractures in models are because of microscopic tensile breakage of a large number of bonded discs. The failure pattern in Rock Bridge is mostly affected by joint overlapping whereas the biaxial strength is closely related to the failure pattern.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.481-492
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• 2019

Due to the underground openings, the tangentially concentrated stress of the tunnel remains larger at excavation boundary and decreases toward the interior of the surrounding rock with a certain gradient. In order to study the effect of different gradient stress on rockburst, the true-triaxial gradient and hydraulic-pneumatic combined test apparatus were carried out to simulate the rockburst processes. Under the different gradient stress conditions, the rock-like specimen (gypsum) was tested independently through three principal stress directions loading--fast unloading of single surface--top gradient and hydraulic-pneumatic combined loading, which systematically analyzed the macro-mesoscopic damage phenomena, force characteristics and acoustic emission (AE) signals of the specimen during rockburst. The experimental results indicated that the rockburst test under the gradient and hydraulic-pneumatic combined loading conditions could perfectly reflect the rockburst processes and their stress characteristics; Relatively high stress loading could cause specimen failure, but could not determine its mode. The rockburst under the action of gradient stress suggested that the failure mode of specimen mainly depended on the stress gradient. When the stress gradient was lower, progressive and static spalling failure occured and the rockburst grades were relatively slight. On the other hand, shear fractures occurred in rockbursts accounted for increasingly large proportion as the stress gradient increased and the rockburst occurred more intensely and suddenly, the progressive failure process became unconspicuous, and the rockburst grades were moderate or even stronger.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.350-360
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• 2008

Electrical resistivity is one of physical property of the earth and measured by electrical resistivity survey, electrical resistivity logging and laboratory test. Recently, electrical resistivity is widely used in determination of rock quality in support pattern design of road and railway tunnel construction sites. To get more reliable rock quality data from electrical resistivity, it needs a lot of test and study on correlation of resistivity and rock quality. Firstly, we did rock property test in laboratory, such as P wave velocity, Young's modulus, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and electrical resistivity. We correlate each test results and we found out that electrical resistivity has highly related to P wave velocity, Young's modulus and UCS. Next, we accomplished electrical resistivity survey in field site and carried out electrical resistivity logging at in-situ area. We also performed rock classification, such as RQD, RMR and Q-system and we correlate electrical resistivity to RMR data. We found out that electrical resistivity logging data are highly correlate to RMR. Also we found out that electrical resistivity survey data are lower than electrical resistivity logging data when there are faults or fractures. And it cause electrical resistivity survey data to lowly correlate to RMR.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.569-583
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• 2004

The rock properties of the West pagoda in the Gameunsaji temple site are composed mainly of dark grey porphyritic granodiorite with medium grained equigranular texture and developed with small numerous dioritic xenoliths. These xenoliths occurred with small holes due to different weathering processes. As a weathering results, the rock properties of this pagoda occur wholly softened to physical hardness because of a complex result of petrological, meteorological and biological causes. Southeastern part of the pagoda deteriorated seriously that the surface of rock blocks showed partially exfoliations, fractures, open cavities in course of granular decomposition of minerals, sea water spray and crystallization of salt from the eastern coast. The Joint between blocks has small or large fracture cross each other, contaminated and corrupted for inserting with concrete, cement mortar, rock fragments and iron plates, and partially accelerated coloration and fractures. There are serious contamination materials of algae, fungus, lichen and bryophytes on the margin and the surface on the roof stone of the pagoda, so it'll require conservation treatment biochemically for releasing vegetation inhabiting on the surface and the discontinuous plane of the blocks because of adding the weathering activity of stones and growing weeds naturally by soil processing on the fissure zone. Consisting rock for the conservation and restoration of the pagoda would be careful choice of new rock properties and epoxy to reinforce for the deterioration surfaces. For the attenuation of secondary contamination and surface humidity, the possible conservation treatments are needed.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.33-44
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• 2002

A field technique for assessing the transmissive fractures in an aquifer was applied to a fractured rock formation in Youngchun area Korea. Geological mapping and detailed acoustic borehole teleview(BHTV) logging were performed to obtain information about the fractures. The study area consists predominantly of two types of fractures. The fracture sets of low angle partings such as bedding and sheeting plains have strike N70-80$^{\circ}$W, 25$^{\circ}$-30$^{\circ}$SW and N3S$^{\circ}$W, 12$^{\circ}$NE, respectively. In areas of high fractures, on the other hand, the major fracture sets show strike N80$^{\circ}$W and dip 70$^{\circ}$-85$^{\circ}$SW, N10$^{\circ}$E.85$^{\circ}$SE in sedimentry rocks, N40-50$^{\circ}$E.85$^{\circ}$SE/85$^{\circ}$NE, N70$^{\circ}$E.80$^{\circ}$SE, and N7$^{\circ}$-75$^{\circ}$W.80$^{\circ}$SW in granites and volcanic rocks. Injection tests have been performed to identify discrete production zones and quantify the vertical distribution of hydraulic conductivity. The calculated hydraulic conductivities range from 3.363E-10 to 2.731E-6, showing that the difference between maximum and minimum value is four order of magnitude. Dominant section in hydraulic conductivity is extensively fractured. Geophysical logging was carried out to clarify characterization of the distribution of fracture zones. Transmissive fractures were evaluated through the comparison of the results obtained by each method. The temperature logs appeared to be a good indicator that can distinguish a high transmissive fractures from a common fractures in hydraulic conductivity. In numerous cases, evidence of fluid movement was amplified in the temperature gradient log. The fracture sets of N70-80$^{\circ}$W.60-85$^{\circ}$NE/SW N75-80$^{\circ}$W.25-30$^{\circ}$SW, N50-64$^{\circ}$W.60-85$^{\circ}$NE, N35-45$^{\circ}$E.65-75$^{\circ}$SE, and N65-72$^{\circ}$E.80$^{\circ}$SE/60$^{\circ}$NW were idenfied as a distinct transmissive fractures through the results of each tests.