• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.93-104
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• 2004

This paper intended to assess the hydro-structure characteristics of volcanic rocks based on the hydrogeological data obtained from the underground storage cavern during construction. The variation of groundwater levels was periodically measured from the 28 surface monitoring holes(NX size) and the hydraulic pressures and injection rates were daily monitored from the water curtain holes(95 horizontal holes and 63 vertical holes). The hydraulic interference tests were performed in whole water curtain holes. The distribution patterns of hydraulic pressure are closely related to the dip angles of fracture intersected to the water curtain holes. Three domains can be grouped by the distribution of hydraulic pressures in the horizontal water curtain holes. The initial hydraulic pressures measured immediately after drilling of water crutain holes are high in ascending order of the cavern C-2, C-1, and C-3. The priliminary hydrochemical data also indicate that the portions of the deep groundwater composition is relatively great in the cavern C-3 area. Some of the horizontal water curtain holes in the cavern C-3 show a steady higher groundwater pressure with the composition of shallow groundwater indicating the outer boundary as constant hydraulic boundary. The water curtain holes in the cavern C-2 is characterized as low initial hydraulic pressure and less injection rates, suggesting poor hydraulic connectivity to a shallow groundwater system. The results of the study can help to understand a hydraulic compartment concept in a fracture hydro-geology and be utilized during the surface investigation for a groundwater system.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.17-29
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• 1999

There are three major processes to impact the groundwater flow near underground storage caverns in the coastal area; effect of topography, effect of sea water intrusion, and effect of excavation. In this paper, the effects of three items were numerically studied to identify the major cause for altering the flow pattern. It turned out that the excavation is the most significant effect on the groundwater flow system. The groundwater pressure distributions and consequent groundwater pathways were significantly altered near the openings. By increasing the groundwater pressures from water curtain holes, the potential leakage of storage cavern was properly prevented

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.38 no.7 s.156
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• pp.537-544
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• 2005

For the proper management of high pressurized gas storage caverns, analysis of groundwater flow field and inflow quantity according to the groundwater head, gas storage pressure and water curtain head should be performed. The finite element method has been widely used for the groundwater flow analysis surrounding underground storage cavern because it can reflect the exact shape of cavern. But the various simulations according to the change of design factors such as the width of water curtain, shape of cavern etc. are not easy when elements were set up. To overcome these limitations, two dimensional groundwater flow model is established based on the boundary element method which compute the unknown variable by using only the boundary shape and condition. For the exact computation of drainage rate into cavern, the model test is performed by using the exact solution and pre-developed finite element model. The test result shows that the model could be used as an alternative to finite element model when various flow simulations are needed to determine the optimizing cavern shape and arrangement of water curtain holes and so forth.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.16 no.1 s.47
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• pp.69-83
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• 2006

This study aims to evaluate a complex groundwater flow system around the underground oil storage caverns using the concept of hydraulic compartment. For the hydrogeological analysis, the hydraulic testing data, the evolution of groundwater levels in 28 surface monitoring boreholes and pressure variation of 95 horizontal and 63 vertical water curtain holes in the caverns were utilized. At the cavern level, the Hydraulic Conductor Domains(fracture zones) are characterized one local major fracture zone(NE-1)and two local fracture zones between the FZ-1 and FZ-2 fracture zones. The Hydraulic Rock Domain(rock mass) is divided into four compartments by the above local fracture zones. Two Hydraulic Rock Domains(A, B) around the FZ-2 zone have a relatively high initial groundwater pressures up to $15kg/cm^2$ and the differences between the upper and lower groundwater levels, measured from the monitoring holes equipped with double completion, are in the range of 10 and 40 m throughout the construction stage, indicating relatively good hydraulic connection between the near surface and bedrock groundwater systems. On the other hand, two Hydraulic Rock Domains(C, D) adjacent to the FZ-1, the groundwater levels in the upper and lower zones are shown a great difference in the maximum of 120 m and the high water levels in the upper groundwater system were not varied during the construction stage. This might be resulted from the very low hydraulic conductivity$(7.2X10^{-10}m/sec)$ in the zone, six times lower than that of Domain C, D. Groundwater recharge rates obtained from the numerical modeling are 2% of the annual mean precipitation(1,356mm/year) for 20 years.