• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
• /
• v.2 no.3
• /
• pp.155-168
• /
• 1999

The paleoseismological importance of the Yangsan fault zone was examined by historical earthquake data, aerial photograph, and trench survey of the area. Occurrences of great earthquakes during the historical time indicate that the Yangsan and/or Ulsan fault have been active during the late Quaternary and generated historical events. Geomorphological evidences of the recent fault activity are clearly shown both in the northern segment (Yugye-ri, Tosung-ri and Naengsu-ri areas) and in the southern segment (Eonyang to Tongdosa areas) of the Yangsan fault. The main Yangsan fault is characterized by fault gouges and NNE-SSW lineaments. The reverse faulting in the Yugye-ri area generated about three-mater displacement of the lower terrace deposits. On the other hand, a major strike-slip movement with a minor component of 5-12 m vertical displacement was identified by the offset of the higher terrace surface in the Eonyang area.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.151-164
• /
• 2022

According to the records of historical and instrumental earthquakes, the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula is considered the highest seismic activity area. Owing to recent reports of numerous Quaternary faults along the Yangsan and Ulsan fault zones, paleoseismological studies are being actively conducted in these areas. The study area is located in the central part of the Ulsan fault zone, where the largest number of active faults have been reported. Based on lineament and geomorphic analysis using LiDAR images and aerial photographs, fault-related landforms showing topographic relief were observed and a trench survey was conducted. The trench length 20 m, width 5 m, depth 5 m is located approximately 300 m away to the northeast from the previously reported Malbang fault. From the trench section, we interpreted the geometric and kinematic characteristics of the fault based on the deformed features of the Quaternary sedimentary layers. The attitude of the reverse fault, N26°W/33°NE, is similar to those of the reported faults distributed along the Ulsan fault zone. Although a single apparent displacement of approximately 40 cm has been observed, the true displacement could not be calculated due to the absence of the slickenline on the fault plane. Based on the geochronological results of the cryogenic structure proposed in a previous study, the most recent faulting event has been estimated as being earlier than the late Wurm glaciation. We interpreted the thrust fault system of the study area as an imbrication structure based on the previous studies and the fault geometry obtained in this additional trench. Although several previous investigations including many trench surveys have been conducted, they found limited success in obtaining the information on fault parameters, which could be due to complex characteristics of the reverse fault system. Additional paleoseismic studies will contribute to solving the mentioned problems and the comprehensive fault evolution.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.187-197
• /
• 2010

The paleoseismological study in Korea has begun along the Yangsan fault zone (YFZ) and Ulsan fault zone (UFZ) since 1994. Some evidences related to late Quaternary movement are found at only some part of the YFZ, such as Pyonghae, Yuge, and Eonyang-Tongdosa areas. However, it is found along the most of the UFZ except the northen and southern ends of the fault. The dominant time span of faulting events along the YFZ and UFZ are quite different, and 500 ka to 200 ka and 300 ka to recent time, respectively. The dominant faulting senses of the YFZ and UFZ are right-lateral strike slip and reverse, respectively. These senses correspond well with the focal mechanism of recent occurring earthquakes along these two fault zones. If we evaluate the intensity of the activity of the YFZ from the average slip rate, which is 0.1~0.04 m/ka, it is comparable with the faults of higher C class in Japan. The slip rate of UFZ, which is 0.2~0.06 m/ka, is comparable with the faults of lower B to higher C class. Based on the relationship between maximum displacement and magnitude, the maximum earthquake magnitude is evaluated to be 6.8 and 7.0 in the YFZ and UFZ, respectively. An intensive studies are needed to clarify the problems such as segmentation of faults, return period, and geological evidences related to historical earthquakes.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.81-90
• /
• 1997

The Korean historical 1iteratures describe that great eaathquakes with destructive damages occurred mainly in Kyongju-Ulsan areas during the period of 1 to 8 century and 16 to 17 century. It seems that the Ulsan fault system shows a little curved ttend with N-S strike in the southern part and diverges into three directions from the mid-northern lart of the fault. The dominant trends of the lineaments are NNE-SSW, NE-SW and NS directions. Trench excavation in the mid-northern part of the Ulsan fault shows thrust facies cutting slope deposit containing a compacted laminar structure whose origin may due to severe cryogenic activities of the last cold period(ahout 25OOO B.P.). Detailed observation of the facies gives some evidences related to two earthquake episodes of thrust components along the Ulsan fault system. Fault outcrop and trench study suggest that Ulsan fault seems to he one of the active fault which has reworked several times even in the late Quaternary.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.485-498
• /
• 2015

Structural analysis for a large-scale fault in Maegok-dong, Ulsan, was carried out based on filed-works to investigate the geometric and kinematic characteristics of the fault as well as its Quaternary slip. As results, a series of repeated stratigraphy, minor faults, fracture zones, and deformation band clusters are observed over a distance of about 100 m in the first studied site consisting of sedimentary rocks, which may indicate the damage zone of a large-scale fault in this site. In the second site, mainly composed of granitic clastic rocks, a large-scale thrust fault is expected based on low-angle dipping faults showing branched and/or merged patterns. Age of the last slip on this fault was restrained as after 33,275 ± 355 yr BP based on radiocarbon dating for organic material included in the gouge zone. Dimension of fault damage zone, dominant sense of slip, and age of the slip event associated with the fault suggest that these structures have a close relationship with the Ulsan Fault and/or Yeonil Tectonic Line, which are well-known large-scale neotectonic structural features around the study area. Therefore, it is necessary to study the characteristics of the faults in detail based on structural geology and paleoseismology in order to ensure seismic and geologic stability of the buildings under construction, and to prevent geologic hazards in this area.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.149-166
• /
• 2018

Many large earthquakes have continuously been reported and resulted in significant human casualties and extensive damages to properties globally. The accident of Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan was caused by a mega-tsunami, which is a secondary effect associated with the Tohoku large earthquake (M=9.0, 2011. 3. 11.). Most earthquakes occur by reactivation of pre-existing active faults. Therefore, the importance of paleoseismological study have greatly been increased. The Korean peninsula has generally been considered to be a tectonically stable region compared with neighboring countries such as Japan and Taiwan, because it is located on the margin of the Eurasian intra-continental region. However, the recent earthquakes in Gyeongju and Pohang have brought considerable insecurity on earthquake hazard. In particular, this region should be secure against earthquake, because many nuclear facilties and large industrial facilities are located in this area. However, some large earthquakes have been reported in historic documents and also several active faults have been reported in southeast Korea. This study explains the evaluation methods of geological structures on active fault, fault damage zone, the relationship between earthquake and active fault, and respect distance. This study can contribute to selection of safe locations for nuclear facilities and to earthquake hazards and disaster prevention.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.202-213
• /
• 2007

The Odaesan earthquake $(M_L=4.8)$ occurred near Mt. Odae, Jinbu-Myon, Pyongchang-Gun, Kangwon Province on January 20, 2007. It has a shallow focal depth about 10 km. Its felt area covers most of the southern peninsula except some southern and western inland area. The maximum MM intensity was VI in the areas including Jinbu, Doam, Kangreung, Jumunjin, and Pyongchang. In these areas, there was a very strong shaking that caused several cracks on the walls of buildings and houses, slates falling off the roof, tiles being off the wall, things falling off the desk, and rock falling from the mountains. In order to get fault plane solutions, grid searches were performed by fitting distributions of P-wave first-motion polarities and SH/P amplitude ratios for each event. The results showed that the main shock represented right-lateral strike-slip sense and two aftershocks, reverse sense. It seems that the seismogenic fault may be the NNE-SSW trending Weoljeongsa fault near the epicenter based on the distribution of epicenters (foreshock, main shock, and aftershocks), damage area, and fault plane solution. The distribution of the epicenters indicates that the length of the subsurface rupture is estimated to be about 2 km.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.167-176
• /
• 2018

It is necessary to consider various geological parameters such as lithology, geological structure, earthquake, hydraulic geology, geochemistry, geological engineering, and geothermal in order to select potential sites for HLW(high-level radioactive waste) geological disposal. In particular, the geological lineament reflects the characteristics of various geological parameters and can be used as an important criterion for site selecting such as nuclear power plants and HLW repositories. In this paper, the Finnish lineament classification method for HLW disposal site selection through the lineament analysis was applied to the lineament data in the Korean peninsula. For this purpose, we used previous lineament data from the KIGAM(Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources) and obtained new lineament data from the field geologists such as structural geologist, paleoseismologist, and geomorphologist. To ensure the reliability of the new lineament analysis data, we used high-resolution satellite images and hill-shade relief maps which were constructed by a digital elevation model. In the prevailing direction analysis from the acquired lineament data, the NNE-SSW direction was the most dominant, but the ENE-WSW and NNW-SSE directions also showed highly frequency depending on the experts. Applying the Finnish classification method, the geometrical development characteristics of the lineament corresponding to the Class 1 and 2 used for the wide-wide candidate site were compared. As a result of direction analysis for Class 1, the NNE-SSW direction was the most dominant and the WNW-ESE direction also showed a high frequency. In the case of Class 2, the NNE-SSW is the most prevalent and WNW-ESE or ENE-WSW direction also had highly frequency depending on the experts. Different lineament analysis results based on the same data are interpreted as a result of subjective experience and analytical criteria from the every experts. Therefore, it is necessary to establish integrated criteria and consider geophysical data for the publication of reliable nation-wide lineament map.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.195-209
• /
• 2016

The understanding of geometric complexity of strike-slip Fault system can be an important factor to control fault reactivation and surface rupture propagation under the regional stress regime. The Kumamoto earthquake was caused by dextral reactivation of the Futagawa-Hinagu Fault system under the E-W maximum horizontal principal stress. The earthquakes are a set of earthquakes, including a foreshock earthquake with a magnitude 6.2 at the northern tip of the Hinagu Fault on April 14, 2016 and a magnitude 7.0 mainshock which generated at the intersection of the two faults on April 16, 2016. The hypocenters of the main shock and aftershocks have moved toward NE direction along the Futagawa Fault and terminated at Mt. Aso area. The intersection of the two faults has a similar configuration of ${\lambda}$-fault. The geometries and kinematics, of these faults were comparable to the Yansan-Ulsan Fault system in SE Korea. But slip rate is little different. The results of age dating show that the Quaternary faults distributed along the northern segment of the Yangsan Fault and the Ulsan Fault are younger than those along the southern segment of the Yansan Fault. This result is well consistent with the previous study with Column stress model. Thus, the seismic activity along the middle and northern segment of the Yangsan Fault and the Ulsan Fault might be relatively active compared with that of the southern segment of the Yangsan Fault. Therefore, more detailed seismic hazard and paleoseismic studies should be carried out in this area.