• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.645-654
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• 2020

We present the K-Ar age dating results of <0.1㎛ fraction of the selected fault rocks from the Yangsan fault in the Yeonghae area. Based on the mineralogical characterization, the <0.1㎛ fractions were mostly composed of 1Md illite polytype, or I-S interstratified mineral, which should be formed by fault activation. Therefore, we determined the timings of fault activation events by analyzing K-Ar age-dating for the <0.1㎛ fractions. Accordingly, the activation timings of Yangsan Fault in the Yeonghae area were determined as 45.5±1.1 Ma, 50.9±1.2 Ma, 58.2±1.3 Ma, 60.8±1.4 Ma, 65.3±1.6 Ma, 66.8±1.5 Ma, 67.1±1.5 Ma, and 75.1±1.7 Ma. These results indicate that at least 5-times of major fault events occurred in the Yangsan fault from late Mesozoic to Cenozoic Era. In the outcrop, age dating results tend to be younger age from the location of the oldest sample(75.1±1.7 Ma) toward to the both sides. From the results, it suggests that the fault activation extends from the location of oldest age saple to both sides. This geochronological research of the multiple fault activation ages for the Yangsan Fault will provide crucial information for establishing the tectonic evolution model in the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.295-306
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• 2012

In this study, the Singal fault zone in the Gyeonggi massif is identified in the Kiheung area. Geotechnical investigations were carried out to locate and characterize of the Singal fault zone in the Kiheung reservoir area. The N-S striking Shingal fault is known to be a Riedel-type strike-slip fault within the Choogaryung rift. Along the fault zone, 62 bore holes were drilled and electrical resistivity survey of about 11km, and vibroseis seismic refraction and reflection survey of about 500m were done. From the result of investigations, it is found that the fault zone, consisting mainly of gouge and breccia, has maximum width of 300 meters with anastomosing geometry of secondary fractures developed subparallel to the fault zone. We interpret these geometric features to be the result of structural development of flower-structure type at the restraining band of strike-slip fault. However, there are uncertainties of this interpretation because there are virtually no outcrops in the area. Further investigation to understand geometric features and linkage style of the fault zone.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.171-193
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• 2019

This study aims to identify the geometry and internal structures of the Yeongdeok Fault, a branch fault of the Yangsan Fault, by detailed mapping and to characterize its kinematics by analyzing the attitudes of sedimentary rocks adjacent to the fault, slip data on the fault surfaces, and anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) of the fault gouges. The Yeongdeok Fault, which shows a total extension of 40 km on the digital elevation map, cuts the Triassic Yeongdeok Granite and the Cretaceous sedimentary and volcanic rocks with about 8.1 km of dextral strike-slip offset. The NNW- or N-S-striking Yeongdeok Fault runs as a single fault north of Hwacheon-ri, Yeongdeok-eup, but south of Hwacheon-ri it branches into two faults. The western one of these two faults shows a zigzag-shaped extension consisting of a series of NNE- to NE- and NNW-striking segments, while the eastern one is extended south-southeastward and then merged with the Yangsan Fault in Gangu-myeon, Yeongdeok-gun. The Yeongdeok Fault dips eastward with an angle of > $65^{\circ}$ at most outcrops and shows its fault cores and damage zones of 2~15 m and of up to 180 m wide, respectively. The fault cores derived from several different wall rocks, such as granites and sedimentary and volcanic rocks, show different deformation patterns. The fault cores derived from granites consist mainly of fault breccias with gouge zones less than 10 cm thick, in which shear deformation is concentrated. While the fault cores derived from sedimentary rocks consist of gouges and breccia zones, which anastomose and link up each other with greater widths than those derived from granites. The attitudes of sedimentary rocks adjacent to the fault become tilted at a high angle similar to that of the fault. The fault slip data and AMS of the fault gouges indicate two main events of the Yeongdeok Fault, (1) sinistral strike-slip under NW-SE compression and then (2) dextral strike-slip under NE-SW compression, and shows the overwhelming deformation feature recorded by the later dextral strike-slip. Comparing the deformation history and features of the Yeongdeok Fault in the study area with those of the Yangsan Fault of previous studies, it is interpreted that the two faults experienced the same sinistral and dextral strike-slip movements under the late Cretaceous NW-SE compression and the Paleogene NE-SW compression, respectively, despite the slight difference in strike of the two faults.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.74-80
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• 2001

The estimation of recurrence interval for fault activity and earthquake is an important input parameter for seismic hazard assessment. In this study, the methods of recurrences interval estimation were reviewed and tentative calculation was performed for age dating data which have uncertainty. Age dating data come from previous studies of Ulsan fault system which is a well developed lineament in the southeastern part of korean Peninsula. Age dating for fault gouges, parent rocks, Quaternary sediments and veins were carried out by several researchers through various methods. Recurrence interval for fault activity was estimated on the basis of the age dating data of minor fault gouge and sediments during past 3Ma. The estimated recurrence interval was about 430-500 ka. Exact estimation of recurrence interval for fault activity need to compile more geological data and fault characteristics such as fault length, amount of displacement, slip rate and accurate fault movement age. In the future, the methods and results of fault recurrence interval estimation should be considered for establishing the criteria for domestic active fault definition.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.121-128
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• 2001

This is a case study of stability analysis and reinforcement design for the tunnel where the collapse of the entrance slops occured along the fault zone developed in the bed rock. According to the site investigation, the main factor of sliding is the influence of fault gouge and heavy rainfall. Considering the in-situ condition, the versatile reinforcement methods is needed, and so the close investigation on the site area was accompanied with the stability analysis of tunnel and slops. The FRP(Fiberglass reinforced plastic) grouting method improved the defect of Steel Umbrella Arch Method, such as oxidation, low work efficiency, the material's heavy weight, is adapted as the reinforcement methods.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.397-409
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• 2014

The appearance of faults during tunnel construction is often difficult to predict in terms of strike, dip, scale, and strength, even though this information is essential in determining the strength of the surrounding rock mass. However, the strength and rock mass classification of fault zones are generally determined empirically on the construction site. In this study, 109 specimens were collected from fault of nine area throughout Korea, and direct shear tests were conducted and the particle distribution was analyzed to better characterize the fault zones. Six multiple regression models were established, using 97 of the specimens, to analyze the correlation between the shear strengths and weight rations of these fault materials. A verification of the six models, using the remaining 12 specimens, shows that in all of the models the coefficient of determination yielded $R^2{\geq}0.60$, with two models yielding $R^2{\geq}0.69$. These results provide useful information for determining the shear strength of fault materials in future studies.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.127-140
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• 2015

A fault is one of the critical factors that may lead to a possible ground collapse occurring in construction site. A fault core, however, possibly acting as a failure plane in whole fault zone, is composed of fractured rock and gouge nonuniformly distributed and thus can be characterized by its wide range of shear strength which is generally acquired by experimental method for stability analysis. In this study, we performed direct shear test and grain size distribution analysis for 62 fault core samples cropped from 12 different spots located in the vicinity of Kyongju and Ulsan, Korea. As a result, the range of shear strength representing the characteristics of fault cores in the study regions is determined with regard to vertical stress using a regression analysis for experiment data. The weight ratio of gravels in the samples is proportional to the shear strength and that of silt and clay is in inverse proportion to the shear strength. For most samples, the coefficient of determination is over 0.7 despite of inhomogeneity of them and consequently we determined the lower limit and upper limit of the shear strength with regard to the weight ratio by setting the confidence interval of 95%.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.91-101
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• 2017

Fault materials has various properties depending on their areas, rock types, and components because they are formed by heterogeneous and complicated mechanisms. In this study, to understand the physical and mechanical properties of fault materials, 109 fault materials distributed in South Korea were collected to conduct various laboratory tests with them and analyze their physical and mechanical properties (unit weight, specific gravity, porosity, gravel content, silt/clay content, clay mineral content, friction angle, and cohesion) according to areas, rock types, and components. As for the physical and mechanical properties by rock type, gneiss shows the highest medians in the unit weight ($17.1kN/m^3$) and specific gravity (2.73), granite does so in the porosity (45.5%), schist does so in the gravel content (20.0 wt.%) and cohesion (38.1 kPa), and phyllite does so in the silt/clay content (54.4 wt.%), clay mineral content (30.1 wt.%), and friction angle ($38.2^{\circ}$). With regard to the physical and mechanical properties by component, fault gouge was shown to have lower values than cataclasite and damage zones in all factors other than porosity and silt/clay contents.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.245-248
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• 2001

During the core drilling for the design of a railway bridge crossing over the inferred fault system along the river, fracture zone, extends vertically more than the bottom of borehole, filled with fault gouge was found. The safety of bridge could be threatened by the excessive subsidence or the reduced bearing capacity of bedrock, if a fault would be developed under or around the pier foundation. Thus, a close examination of the fault was required to rearrange pier locations away from the fault or to select a reinforcement method if necessary. Geophysical methods, seismic reflection method and electrical resistivity survey over the water covered area, were applied to delineate the weak zone associated with the fault system. The results of geophysical survey clearly showed a number of faults extending vertically more than 50m. Reinforcement was not desirable because of the high cost and the water contamination, etc. The pier locations were thus rearranged based on the results of geophysical surveys to avoid the undesirable situations, and additional core drillings on the rearranged pier locations were carried out. The bedrock conditions at the additional drilling sites turned out to be acceptable for the construction of piers.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.489-500
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• 2017

It is not rare that pseudotachylite, dark colored rock with glassy texture, is recognizable in deep core samples drilled up to 900 m from the surface. Pseudotachylite with widths varying few to 20 cm is sharply contacted or interlayered with the host rocks composed of Jurassic granite and Precambrian amphibolite gneiss, showing moderately ductile deformation or slight folding. Pseudotachylite occurring at varying depths in the deep drill core are slightly different in texture and thickness. There is evidence of fault gouge at shallower depths, although brittle deformation is pervasive in most drill cores and pseudotachylite is identified at random depth intervals. Under scanning electron microscope (SEM), it is evident that the surface of pseudotachylite is characterized by a smooth, glassy matrix even at micrometer scale and there is little residual fragments in the glass matrix except microcrystals of quartz with embayed shape. Such textural evidence strongly supports the idea that the pseudotachylite was generated through the friction melting related to strong seismic events. Based on X-ray diffraction (XRD) quantitative analysis, it consists of primary minerals such as quartz, feldspars, biotite, amphibole and secondary minerals including clay minerals, calcite and glassy materials. Such mineralogical features of fractured materials including pseudotachylite indicate that the fractured zone might form at low temperatures possibly below $300^{\circ}C$, which implies that the seismic activity related to the formation of pseudotachylite took place at shallow depths, possibly at most 10 km. Identification and characterization of pseudotachylite provide insight into a better understanding of the paleoseismic activity of deep grounds and fundamental information on the stability of candidate disposal sites for high-level radioactive waste.