• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.312-329
• /
• 2024

In various underground research projects such as energy storage and development and radioactive waste disposal targeting deep underground, the characteristics of permeable rock fractures that serve as major pathway of groundwater flow in deep rock aquifer are considered as an important evaluation factor in the design, construction, and operation of research facilities. In Korea, there is little research and database on the location and hydraulic characteristics of permeable rock fractures and the pattern of groundwater flow patterns that may occur between fractures in deep rock boreholes. In this paper, the hydraulic characteristics of permeable rock fractures in deep rock aquifer were evaluated through the analysis of geothermal gradient and pumping test data. First, the deep geothermal distribution was identified through temperature logging, and the geothermal gradient was obtained through linear regression analysis using temperature data by depth. In addition, the hydraulic characteristics of the fractured rock were analyzed using outflow temperature obtained from pumping tests. Ultimately, the potential location and hydraulic characteristics of permeable rock fractures, as well as groundwater flow within the boreholes, were evaluated by integrating and analyzing the geophysical logging and hydraulic testing data. The process and results of the evaluation of deep permeable rock fractures proposed in this study are expected to serve as foundational data for the successful implementation of underground research projects targeting deep rock aquifers.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.177-183
• /
• 2005

The subject of this paper is research into the application of electrical resistivity monitoring to detecting the water leakage of water utilization facilities. For this purpose, we installed a comprehensive monitoring system consisting of resistivity measurement, inclinometer, piezometer, and water gauge at an embankment. Using this monitoring system, we monitored the various kinds of measurement data and compared the resistivity structures and that of hydrological and engineering data in order to investigate the water leakage and stability of the embankment. The variant images of electrical resistivity at the embankment were provided from the monitoring data and we could accurately locate the portion of which resistivities have sharply changed. Furthermore, we could estimate the stability of the embankment more effectively and quantitatively by jointly interpreting the monitoring data of resistivity, water level, pore water pressure, and subsurface displacement. The monitoring experiments in this study led us to the conclusion that for the efficient maintenance of the water utilization facilities, monitoring the resistivity data and hydrological data would be much more preferable to performing the just one-time measurements.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.387-392
• /
• 2017

Recently, road cave-ins, also referred to as ground sinking, have become a problem in urban environments. Public utility facilities such as sewage pipelines, communications pipes, gas pipes, power cables, and other types of underground structures are installed below the roads. It was reported that cave-ins are caused by the aging and lack of proper maintenance of underground facilities, as well as by construction problems. A road cave-in is first initiated by the formation of cavities typically induced by the breakage of underground pipelines. The cavities then grow and reach the base of the pavement. The traffic load applied at the surface of the roads causes an abrupt plastic deformation. This type of accident can be considered as a type of disaster. A road cave-in can threaten both human safety and the economy. It may even result in the loss of human life. In the city of Seoul, efforts to prevent damage before cave-ins occur have been prioritized, through a method of discovering and repairing joints through the 3D GPR survey.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.501-508
• /
• 2023

There are various factors that have a negative impact on safety over a long period of time after the closure of a radioactive waste disposal facility. In particular, it is important to limit substances that accelerate radionuclide migration while inhibiting adsorption between radionuclides and the subsurface medium. Through this study, a method for deriving a quantitative criteria evaluation method is proposed for cellulose among materials that accelerate the movement of these radionuclides after closure of the disposal facility. Since Sweden's SKB is representative worldwide for preparing criteria for cellulose in disposal facilities, it analyzed Sweden's acceptance criteria method and presented a method that can be applied domestically. The decomposition characteristics of cellulose and the adsorption and dissolution characteristics of ISA among degradation products were reviewed, and quantitative analysis of cement materials that create a high pH environment favorable for cellulose decomposition was also included. In addition, the total amount of the finally disposable cellulose material can be derived by using the volume information of the waste containing the cellulose material. Through this methodology for calculating the total amount of cellulose, it is expected that subsequent studies will be conducted to secure data reflecting the environmental conditions of radioactive waste disposal facilities in Korea. In addition, it is expected to be utilized as a good method to evaluate the impact of other complexing agents other than cellulose and to suggest the amount of disposal.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.107-119
• /
• 2022

Excavation-Disturbed Zone (EDZ) is an important design factor in constructing final disposal facilities for spent nuclear fuel, since EDZ affects mechanical stability including a spacing between disposal holes, and the hydraulic properties within EDZ plays a significant role in estimating in-flow rate of groundwater as well as a subsequent corrosion rate of a canister. Thus, it is highly required to characterize in-situ EDZ with precision and control the EDZ occurrence while excavating disposal facilities and constructing relevant underground research facilities. In this report, we not only reviewed EDZ-related researches carried out in the ONKALO facility of Finland but also examined appropriate methods for field inspection and quality control of EDZ occurrence. From the review, GPR can be the most efficient method for in-situ characterization of EDZ since it does not demand drilling a borehole that may disturb a surrounding environment of caverns. And the EDZ occurrence was dominant at a cavern floor and it ranged from 0 to 70 cm. These can provide useful information in developing necessary EDZ-related regulations for domestic disposal facilities.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.109-119
• /
• 2023

Ground subsidence in urban areas due to excessive development and degraded underground facilities is a serious problem. Geophysical surveys have been conducted to estimate the distribution and scale of cavities and subsidence. In this study, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) was performed near an area of road subsidence in an urban area. The subsidence arose due to groundwater leakage that carried soil into a neighboring excavation site. The ERT survey line was located between the main subsidence area and an excavation site. Because ERT data are affected by rapid topographic changes and surrounding structures, the influence of the excavation site on the data was analyzed through field-scale numerical modeling. The effect of an excavation should be considered when interpreting ERT data because it can lead to wrong anomalous results. A method for performing 2D inversion after correcting resistivity data for the effect of the excavation site was proposed. This method was initially tested using a field-scale numerical model that included the excavation site and subsurface anomaly, which was a loosened zone, and was then applied to field data. In addition, ERT data were interpreted using an existing in-house 3D algorithm, which considered the effect of excavation sites. The inversion results demonstrated that conductive anomalies in the loosened zone were greater compared to the inversion that did not consider the effects of excavation.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.455-463
• /
• 2011

Conventional construction technologies have been continually applied without consideration of its impact to the environment. This resulted to various problems including the negative responses of local citizens that regarded some constructed facilities as aversive facilities causing environmental and hydraulic problems in the urban area, etc. To prevent these problems, therefore, alternative methods should be undertaken. A new approach termed "Low Impact Development (LID)" technology is currently adapted in developed countries around the world. This study aims to investigate the efficiency of the developed small constructed wetland (SCW) with horizontal subsurface flow as a LID technique applicable in urban areas. Two test-bed facilities were constructed and monitoring had been conducted between July 2010 and June 2011. Based on the findings, the removal efficiencies achieved for TSS, $COD_{Cr}$, TN, TP, Total Fe, Total Pb for the SCW-1 were 66, 53, 46, 55, 67 and 50%, respectively. On the other hand, the SCW-2 attained 82, 62, 51, 48, 74 and 42% efficiency for TSS, $COD_{Cr}$, TN, TP, Total Fe, Total Pb, respectively. The results indicated that the removal of particulate matter and heavy metals which are considered as main pollutants from stormwater runoff in urban areas was satisfactory in the system. Therefore, the test-beds proved to be appropriate for the treatment of pollutants in urban landuses such as road, parking lot, etc. The results of this study can contribute to the conservation of aquatic ecosystems and restoration of natural water cycle in the urban areas.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.79-85
• /
• 2016

A concrete silo plays an important role in subsurface low- and intermediate-level waste facilities (LILW) by limiting the release of radionuclides from the silo geosphere. However, due to several physical and chemical processes the performance of the concrete structure decreases over time and consequently the concrete loses its effectiveness as a barrier against groundwater inflow and the release of radionuclides. Although a number of processes are responsible for degradation of the silo concrete, it is determined that the main cause is corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Therefore, the time it takes for the silo concrete to fail is calculated based on two factors: the initiation time of corrosion, defined as the time it takes for chloride ions to penetrate through the concrete cover, and the propagation time of corrosion. This paper aims to estimate the time taken for concrete to fail in a LILW disposal facility. Based on the United States Department of Energy (DOE) approach, which indicates that concrete fails completely once 50% of the volume of the reinforcing steel corrodes, the corrosion propagation time is calculated to be 640 years, which is the time it takes for corrosion to penetrate 0.640 cm into the reinforcing steel. In addition to the corrosion propagation time, a diffusion equation is used to calculate the initiation time of corrosion, yielding a time of 1284 years, which post-dates the closure time of the LILW disposal facility if we also consider the 640 years of corrosion propagation. The electrochemical conditions of the passive rebar surface were modified using an acceleration method. This is a useful approach because it can reduce the test time significantly by accelerating the transport of chlorides. Using instrumental analysis, the physicochemical properties of corrosion products were determined, thereby confirming that corrosion occurred, although we did not observe significant cracks in, or expansion of, the concrete. These results are consistent with those of Smartet al., 2006 who reported that corrosion products are easily compressed, meaning that cracks cannot be discerned by eye. Therefore, it is worth noting that rebar corrosion does not strongly influence the hydraulic conductivity of the concrete.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.193-206
• /
• 2006

Among various borehole seismic testing techniques for determining body wave velocity, crosshole seismic method has been known as one of the most suitable technique for evaluating reliably geotechnical dynamic properties. In this study, to perform successfully the crosshole seismic test for rock as well as soil layers regardless of the groundwater level, multi-purposed spring-loaded source which impact horizontally a subsurface ground in vertical borehole was developed and applied at major facility sites in Korea. The geotechnical dynamic properties were evaluated by determining efficiently the body wave velocities such as shear wave velocity and compressional wave velocity from the horizontally impacted crosshole seismic tests at study sites, and were provided as the fundamental parameters for the seismic performance evaluation and seismic design of the target facilities.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.26 no.5B
• /
• pp.511-517
• /
• 2006

Flood damage is one of the most important and influential natural disaster which has an effect on human beings. Local concentrated heavy rainfall in urban area yields flood damage increase due to insufficient capacity of drainage system. When the excessive flood occurs in urban area, it yields huge property losses of public facilities involving roadway inundation to paralyze industrial and transportation system of the city. To prevent such flood damages in urban area, it is necessary to develop adequate inundation analysis model which can consider complicated geometry of urban area and artificial drainage system simultaneously. In this study, an urban flood analysis model adopting the unstructured computational grid was developed to simulate the urban flood characteristics such as inundation area, depth and integrated with subsurface drainage network systems. By the result, we can make use of these presented method to find a flood hazard area and to make a flodd evacuation map. The model can also establish flood-mitigation measures as a part of the decision support system for flood control authority.