• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2009

Use of nuclear energy inevitably brings the problem of radioactive waste disposal. Repositories for disposing radioactive waste use underground space that is unconnected with the outside and the diagonal system, which allows the waste to be deposited. Ventilation if necessary because high-level radioactive waste generates heat. In this study, the air velocity through diagonal branches with regulators of different sizes and in different locations, was measured. The air velocity is determined by the size of the first and last regulators, regardless of the size of other regulators. In the diagonal system. Consequently, once the desired total airflow rate has been achieved by installing the appropriate first and last regulators, the other regulators fan be evenly installed to maintain the minimum air velocity needed.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.10-17
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• 2017

In this study, the evolution and origin of major dissolved constituents of crystalline bedrock groundwater in a coastal area were evaluated using multivariate statistical and groundwater quality analyses. The groundwater types mostly belonged to the $Na(Ca)-HCO_3$ and $Ca-HCO_3$ types, indicating the effect of cation exchange. Stable isotopes of water showed two areas divided by first and secondary evaporative effects, indicating a pattern of rapid hydrological cycling. Saturation indices of minerals showed undersaturation states. Thus, the degree of evolution of groundwater is suggested as in the low to intermediate stage, based on field and laboratory analytical conditions. According to the principal component analysis (PCA) results, the chemical components of EC, $Ca^{2+}$, $Mg^{2+}$, $K^+$, $HCO_3{^-}$, $SO{_4}^{2-}$ (PCA 1), $F^-$ (PCA 3), $SiO_2$ (PCA 4), and $Fe^{2+}$ (PCA 5) are derived from various water-rock interactions. However, $NO_3{^-}$, $Na^+$, and $Cl^-$ (PCA 2) represented the chemical characteristics of both anthropogenic sources and natural sea spray.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.281-294
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• 2012

The current status of the computer codes for the analysis of coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical behavior occurred in a high-level waste repository was investigated. Based on the reported results on the comparison between the predictions using the computer codes and the experimental data from the in-situ tests, the reliability of the existing computer codes was analyzed. The presented codes simulated considerably well the coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical behavior in the near-field rock of the repository without buffer, but the predictions for the engineered barrier system of the repository located at saturated hard rock were not satisfactory. To apply the current thermal-hydrological-mechanical models to the assessment of the performance of engineered barrier system, a major improvement on the mathematical models which analyze the distribution of water content and total pressure in the buffer is required.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.207-222
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• 2014

In order to recover the metallic copper powder from the mine-waste rock, heap bioleaching, Fe removal and electrowinning experiments were carried out. The results of heap leaching with the mine-waste rock sample containing 0.034% Cu showed that, the leaching rate of Cu were 61% and 62% in the bacteria leaching and sulfuric acid leaching solution, respectively. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) and calcium hydroxide ($Ca(OH)_2$) were applied to effectively remov Fe from the heap leaching solution, and then $H_2O_2$ was selected for the most effective removing Fe agent. In order to prepare the electrolytic solution, $H_2O_2$ were again treated in the heap leaching, and Fe removal rates were 99% and 60%, whereas Cu removal rates were 5% and 7% in the bacteria and sulfuric acid leaching solutions, respectively. After electrowinning was examined in these leaching solution, the recovery rates of Cu were obtained 98% in bacteria and obtained 76% in the sulfuric leaching solution. The dendritic form of metallic copper powder was recovered in both leaching solutions.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.530-548
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• 2022

The site selection process for deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste will be conducted in stages, and 103 evaluation parameters related to site selection have been proposed. In the field of rock mechanics and rock engineering, there are 33 evaluation parameters for intact rock, joint and rock mass, and they are applied in the basic and detailed investigation stages. In this report, uniaxial compressive strength, in-situ stress, joint distribution, and rock mass classification were selected as the main evaluation parameters, and among them, uniaxial compressive strength and in situ stress were selected as key evaluation parameters. Statistical techniques or regression analysis were performed for granite in Wonju and Chuncheon to evaluate the distribution range for the selected key evaluation parameters. The average of the uniaxial compressive strength in the Wonju area estimated through the posterior distribution is about 171 MPa, and about 123 MPa in the Chuncheon area. The maximum in situ stress acting in the Wonju area was less than 30 MPa and less than 40 MPa in the Chuncheon area. The direction of the maximum horizontal stress calculated by regression analysis was 101° in Wonju, and in the case of Chuncheon, it was 95°, respectiviely.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.267-276
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• 1989

A numerical model for nuclide migration through fractured rock media has been developed. Nuclide transport with groundwater in rock fissures and the diffusion of nuclides into rock matrix are considered one-dimensionally . In the safety assessment of the repository for radioactive waste, this one-dimensional model by the finite-difference scheme, which enables us not only to use more realistic boundary conditions but also to model the nonhomogeneous rock medium as the multilayered media, can be used effectively with the analytical mode. The solution by the numerical model will be verified analytically, and then extended to the double-layered rock medium transport model.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.218-231
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• 2002

Using a three-dimensional numerical code, B3R developed for nuclide transport of an arbitrary length of decay chain in the buffer between the canister and adjacent rock in a high- level radioactive waste repository by adopting a finite difference method utilizing the control- volume scheme, some illustrative calculations have been done. A linear sorption isotherm, nuclide transport due to diffusion in the buffer and the rock matrix, and advection and dispersion along thin rigid parallel fractures existing in a saturated porous rock matrix as well as diffusion through the fracture wall into the matrix is assumed. In such kind of repository, buffer and rock matrix are known to be important physico-chemical harriers in nuclide retardation. To show effects of buffer and rock matrix on nuclide transport in HLW repository and also to demonstrate usefulness of B3R, several cases of breakthrough curves as well as three- dimensional plots of concentration isopleths associated with these two barriers are introduced for a typical case of decay chain of $^{234}$ Ulongrightarrow$^{230}$ Thlongrightarrow$^{226}$ Ra, which is the most important chain as far as the human environment is concerned.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.212-223
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• 1992

The distinct element method(DEM) si well suited to the kinematic analysis of blocky rock masses. Two distinctive problems, a rock avalache and tunnel in jointed rock masses, are chosen to apply the DEM which is based on perfectly rigid behaviour of blocks. Investigated for both problems are the effects of the input parameters such as contact stiffnesses, friction coefficient and damping property. Using various types of models of the avalanche and tunne, an extensive parametric study is done to gain experiences in the method, and then to alleviate difficulties in determining parameter values suitable for a given problem. The coefficient of frictio has significant effects on all aspects of avalanche motion(travel distance, velocity and travel time), while the stiffnesses affect the rebounding and jumping motions after collision. The motion predicted by the models having single and mutiple blocks agrees well to the observations reported on the actual avalache. For the tunnel problem, the behaviour of the key block in an example tunnel is compared by testing values of the input parameters. The stability of the tunnel is dependent primarily on the friction coefficient, while the stiffness and damping properties influence the block velocity. The kinematic stability of a tunnel for underground unclear waste repository is analyzed using the joint geometry data(orientation, spacing and persistence) occurred in a tailrace tunnel. Allowing a small deviation to the mean orientation results in different modes of failure of the rock blocks around the tunnel. Of all parameters tested, the most important to the stability of the tunnel in blocky rock masses are the geometry of the blocks generated by mapping the joint and tunnel surfaces in 3-dimensions and also the friction coefficient of the joints particularly for the stability of the side walls.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.225-234
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• 2011

In this study, an in situ heater test for investigating the thermo-mechanical behavior related to heat flow was carried out. It was the first in situ heater test in Korea. For the test, an adequate design of heater, observation sensors, and data logging system was developed and installed with a consideration of the site condition and the test purposes. It was possible to observe that steep joints are overwhelmingly developed in the test area from a joint survey. The major rock and rock mass properties at the test site could be determined from the thermal and mechanical laboratory tests using the rock cores from the site. From the measured rock temperature distribution, it was possible to observe the influence of the rock joints and the heat flow through tunnel wall. When the heater temperature was maintained as $90^{\circ}C$, the rock temperature at 0.3 m from the heater hole was increased up to $40^{\circ}C$.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.411-434
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• 2022

In deep geological disposal concept for spent nuclear fuel, it is well-known that rock mass at near-field experiences the thermal-hydraulic-mechanical (THM) coupled behavior. The mechanical properties of rock changes during the coupled process, and it is important to consider the changes into the analysis of numerical simulation and in-situ tests for long-term stability evaluation of nuclear waste disposal repository. This report collected the previous studies on indirect coupled behaviors of rock. The effects of water saturation and temperature on some mechanical properties of rock was considered, while the change in hydraulic conductivity of rock due to stress was included in the indirect coupled behavior.