• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.335-353
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• 2023

Site selection processes for high-level radioactive waste disposal facilities in different countries differ in terms of local geology and degree of public engagement. There seem to be three alternative processes for site selection: (1) selection with community consent after government choice; (2) selection with continuous community engagement after exclusion of unsuitable areas based on existing survey data; or (3) site selection where communities have expressed a willingness to participate. The Yucca Mountain site in Nevada, USA, was selected as the final disposal site by process (1) through six stages, but its development was suspended owing to opposition from the local governor and environmental groups. In Sweden, Switzerland, and Germany, process (2) is used and sites are selected through three stages. Sweden and Switzerland have completed site selection, and Germany is currently engaged in the process. The UK adopted process (3) with six stages, although the process has been suspended owing to poor community participation. In Korea, temporary storage facilities for spent nuclear fuel will reach saturation from 2030, so site selection must be promoted through various laws and systems, with continuous communication with local communities based on transparent and scientifically undertaken procedures.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.56 no.8
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• pp.471-484
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• 2023

Deep learning models based on generative adversarial neural networks are specialized in generating new information based on learned information. The deep generative models (DGMR) model developed by Google DeepMind is an generative adversarial neural network model that generates predictive radar images by learning complex patterns and relationships in large-scale radar image data. In this study, the DGMR model was trained using radar rainfall observation data from the Ministry of Environment, and rainfall prediction was performed using an generative adversarial neural network for a heavy rainfall case in August 2021, and the accuracy was compared with existing prediction techniques. The DGMR generally resembled the observed rainfall in terms of rainfall distribution in the first 60 minutes, but tended to predict a continuous development of rainfall in cases where strong rainfall occurred over the entire area. Statistical evaluation also showed that the DGMR method is an effective rainfall prediction method compared to other methods, with a critical success index of 0.57 to 0.79 and a mean absolute error of 0.57 to 1.36 mm in 1 hour advance prediction. However, the lack of diversity in the generated results sometimes reduces the prediction accuracy, so it is necessary to improve the diversity and to supplement it with rainfall data predicted by a physics-based numerical forecast model to improve the accuracy of the forecast for more than 2 hours in advance.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.887-897
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• 2023

Leading waste disposal countries, such as Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, conduct safety assessments across all stages of High-Level Radioactive Waste Deep Geological Disposal Facilities-from planning and site selection to construction, operation, closure, and post-closure management. As safety assessments are repeatedly performed at each stage, generating vast amounts of diverse data over extended periods, it is essential to construct a database for safety assessment and establish a data management system. In this study, the safety assessment data management systems of leading countries, were analyzed, categorizing them into 1) input and reference data for safety assessments, 2) guidelines for data management, 3) organizational structures for data management, and 4) computer systems for data management. While each country exhibited differences in specific aspects, commonalities included the classification of safety assessment input data based on disposal system components, the establishment of organizations to supply, use, and manage this data, and the implementation of quality management systems guided by instructions and manuals. These cases highlight the importance of data management systems and document management systems for securing the safety and enhancing the reliability of High-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities. To achieve this, the classification of input data that can be flexibly and effectively utilized, ensuring the consistency and traceability of input data, and establishing a quality management system for input data and document management are necessary.

• The Transactions of the Korea Information Processing Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.41-47
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• 2024

When there were disparities in performance between models trained in the time and frequency domains, even after conducting an ensemble, we observed that the performance of the ensemble was compromised due to imbalances in the individual model performances. Therefore, this paper proposes a leakage detection technique to enhance the accuracy of pipeline leakage detection through a step-wise learning approach that extracts features from both the time and frequency domains and integrates them. This method involves a two-step learning process. In the Stage 1, independent model training is conducted in the time and frequency domains to effectively extract crucial features from the provided data in each domain. In Stage 2, the pre-trained models were utilized by removing their respective classifiers. Subsequently, the features from both domains were fused, and a new classifier was added for retraining. The proposed transfer learning-based feature fusion technique in this paper performs model training by integrating features extracted from the time and frequency domains. This integration exploits the complementary nature of features from both domains, allowing the model to leverage diverse information. As a result, it achieved a high accuracy of 99.88%, demonstrating outstanding performance in pipeline leakage detection.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.170-178
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• 2023

We investigated the free radical scavenging and digestive enzyme inhibitory activities of the hot water extract of peach twig (Prunus persica L. Bastch). This extract of the peach twigs was further split up into n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), and n-butyl alcohol(n-BuOH), which resulted in three solvent-soluble fractions. Free radical scavenging activity was evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS⁺) assay systems, while hypoglycemic effect of the peach twig extract and the solvent-soluble fractions were tested using α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition assays. Accordingly, the EtOAc layer showed a greater free radical scavenging activity compared to other solvent-soluble fractions. Furthermore, based on the α-glucosidase and α-amylase assays, the IC₅₀ values were determined to be 38.2±1.6 and 69.6±6.1 ㎍/mL for the EtOAc-soluble fractions, respectively. Taken together, these results suggest that the fractions obtained from the peach twig extract can be considered as a potential source of natural antioxidant and hypoglycaemic constituents.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2016

Background: It is necessary to consider the overall countermeasure for analysis of nuclear activities according to the increase of the nuclear facilities like nuclear power and reprocessing plants in the neighboring countries including China, Taiwan, North Korea, Japan and South Korea. South Korea and comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty organization (CTBTO) are now operating the monitoring instruments to detect radionuclides released into the air. It is important to estimate the origin of radionuclides measured using the detection technology as well as the monitoring analysis in aspects of investigation and security of the nuclear activities in neighboring countries. Materials and methods: A three-dimensional forward/backward trajectory model has been developed to estimate the origin of radionuclides for a covert nuclear activity. The developed trajectory model was composed of forward and backward modules to track the particle positions using finite difference method. Results and discussion: A three-dimensional trajectory model was validated using the measured data at Chernobyl accident. The calculated results showed a good agreement by using the high concentration measurements and the locations where was near a release point. The three-dimensional trajectory model had some uncertainty according to the release time, release height and time interval of the trajectory at each release points. An atmospheric dispersion model called long-range accident dose assessment system (LADAS), based on the fields of regards (FOR) technique, was applied to reduce the uncertainties of the trajectory model and to improve the detective technology for estimating the radioisotopes emission area. Conclusion: The detective technology developed in this study can evaluate in release area and origin for covert nuclear activities based on measured radioisotopes at monitoring stations, and it might play critical tool to improve the ability of the nuclear safety field.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.4 s.179
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• pp.369-384
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• 2006

Korean Peninsula, located on the southeastern part of Eurasian plate, belongs to the intraplate region. The characteristics of intraplate earthquake show the low and rare seismicity and the sparse and irregular distribution of epicenters comparing to interplate earthquake. To evaluate the exact seismic activity in intraplate region, long-term seismic data including historical earthquake data should be archived. Fortunately the long-term historical earthquake records about 2,000 years are available in Korea Peninsula. By the analysis of this historical and instrumental earthquake data, seismic activity was very high in 16-18 centuries and is more active at the Yellow sea area than East sea area. Comparing to the high seismic activity of the north-eastern China in 16-18 centuries, it is inferred that seismic activity in two regions shows close relationship. Also general trend of epicenter distribution shows the SE-NW direction. In Korea Peninsula, the first seismic station was installed at Incheon in 1905 and 5 additional seismic stations were installed till 1943. There was no seismic station from 1945 to 1962, but a World Wide Standardized Seismograph was installed at Seoul in 1963. In 1990, Korean Meteorological Adminstration(KMA) had established centralized modem seismic network in real-time, consisted of 12 stations. After that time, many institutes tried to expand their own seismic networks in Korea Peninsula. Now KMA operates 35 velocity-type seismic stations and 75 accelerometers and Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources operates 32 and 16 stations, respectively. Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety and Korea Electric Power Research Institute operate 4 and 13 stations, consisted of velocity-type and accelerometer. In and around the Korean Peninsula, 27 intraplate earthquake mechanisms since 1936 were analyzed to understand the regional stress orientation and tectonics. These earthquakes are largest ones in this century and may represent the characteristics of earthquake in this region. Focal mechanism of these earthquakes show predominant strike-slip faulting with small amount of thrust components. The average P-axis is almost horizontal ENE-WSW. In north-eastern China, strike-slip faulting is dominant and nearly horizontal average P-axis in ENE-WSW is very similar with the Korean Peninsula. On the other hand, in the eastern part of East Sea, thrust faulting is dominant and average P-axis is horizontal with ESE-WNW. This indicate that not only the subducting Pacific Plate in east but also the indenting Indian Plate controls earthquake mechanism in the far east of the Eurasian Plate. Crustal velocity model is very important to determine the hypocenters of the local earthquakes. But the crust model in and around Korean Peninsula is not clear till now, because the sufficient seismic data could not accumulated. To solve this problem, reflection and refraction seismic survey and seismic wave analysis method were simultaneously applied to two long cross-section traversing the southern Korean Peninsula since 2002. This survey should be continuously conducted.

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

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.117-128
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• 2017

Occurrence characteristics and existing forms of U-Th containing minerals in KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel) granite are investigated to understand long-term behavior of radionuclides in granite considered as a candidate rock for the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. KURT granite primarily consists of quartz, feldspar and mica. zircon, REE(Rare Earth Element)-containing monazite and bastnaesite are also identified. Besides, secondary minerals such as sericite, microcline and chlorite including quartz vein and calcite vein are observed. These minerals are presumed to be accompanied by a post-hydrothermal process. U-Th containing minerals are mainly observed at the boundaries of quartz, feldspar and mica, mostly less than $30{\mu}m$ in size. Quantitative analysis results using EPMA (Electron Probe Micro-Analyzer) show that 74.2 ~ 96.5% of the U-Th containing minerals consist of $UO_2$ (3.39 ~ 33.19 wt.%), $ThO_2$ (41.61 ~ 50.24 wt.%) and $SiO_2$ (15.43 ~ 18.60 wt.%). Chemical structure of the minerals calculated using EPMA quantitative analysis shows that the U-Th minerals are silicate minerals determined as thorite and uranothorite. The U-Th containing silicate minerals are formed by a magmatic and hydrothermal process. Therefore, KURT granite formed by a magmatic differentiation is accompanied by an alteration and replacement owing to a hydrothermal process. U-Th containing silicate minerals in KURT granite are estimated to be recrystallized by geochemical factors and parameters such as temperature, pressure and pH owing to the hydrothermal process. By repeated dissolution/precipitation during the recrystallization process, U-Th containing silicate minerals such as thorite and uranothorite are formed according to the variation in the concentrated amount of U and Th.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.452-452
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• 2014

블랑켓 일차벽이나 디버터와 같은 핵융합로 플라즈마 대향부품은 플라즈마로부터 입사되는 중성자 및 입자들을 차폐하여 구조물을 보호하고, 발생열을 에너지로 변환하기 위해 냉각재를 활용한 열제거 기능을 담당한다. 특히, 고속중성자와 입사 열부하 및 여러 입자들로부터 블랑켓 및 내부 구조물을 보호하기 위해 차폐체와 구조물로 구성된다. 세계적으로 차폐체로서는 텅스텐 혹은 텅스텐 합금, 구조물용 재료로는 저방사화 Ferritic Martensitic (FM) 강이 유력한 후보재료로 개발, 연구 중에 있다. 국내에서는 국제핵융합로(ITER) 사업을 통해 고온등방가압(HIP, Hot Isostatic Pressing)을 이용한 이종금속간 접합기술과 한국형 저방사화 고온구조재료인 ARAA (Advanced Reduced Activation Alloy)가 개발되고 있으며, 이를 활용한 설계, 접합법 개발, 제작목업의 건전성 평가 등이 수행되고 있다. 한국원자력연구원에서는 핵융합 기초사업의 일환으로 전북대와 공동으로 수행 중인 건전성 평가체계 개발을 위해, 기 개발된 접합법을 활용한 $45mm(H){\times}45mm(W){\times}2mm(T)$의 W/FM강 목업을 제작한 바 있으며, 이를 국내 구축된 고열부하 시험 장비인 KoHLT-EB (Electron Beam)를 활용한 고열부하 인가 건전성 평가시험을 준비 중에 있다. 이종금속간 접합 특성은 기계적 평가를 위한 파괴시험을 통해 검증, 이를 활용한 목업이 제작되었으며, 제작된 목업에 대한 초음파를 이용한 접합면의 비파괴 검사를 통해 결함이 없음을 확인하였다. 최종적으로 실제 사용되는 핵융합 운전조건과 유사 혹은 가혹한 조건에서 고열부하를 인가하여, 그 건전성을 평가가 이루어질 것이다. 고열부하 시험을 위해서는 냉각조건, 인가 열부하, 수명평가를 통한 반복 고열부하 인가 횟수 등이 사전에 결정되어야 한다. 이를 위해 상업용 열수력, 구조해석 코드인 ANSYS-CFX와 -mechanical을 이용한 시험조건 모의 및 수명 평가가 수행되었다. 구축 장비의 냉각계통을 고려하여 냉각수의 온도 및 속도는 $25^{\circ}C$, 0.15 kg/sec로, 열부하는 0.5 및 $1.0MW/m^2$에 대해 모의를 수행하였다. 정상상태 시 텅스텐의 최대 온도는 각 열부하 조건에 따라 $285.3^{\circ}C$와 $546.8^{\circ}C$였으며, 이에 도달하는 시간을 구하기 위해 천이해석을 수행하였고, 이를 통해 30초에 최대온도 95 %이상의 정상상태 온도에 도달함을 확인하였다. 또한, 목업의 초기 온도에 도달하는 냉각시간도 동일한 천이해석을 통해 30초로 가능함을 확인하였고, 최종 시험 조건을 30초 가열, 30초 냉각으로 결정하였다. 결정된 반복 열부하 인가 조건에서 이종금속 접합체가 받는 다른 열팽창 정도에 따른 응력을 계산하여 목업의 수명을 도출하였고, 이를 시험해야 할 반복 횟수로 결정하였다. 각 열부하 조건에 따른 온도조건을 ANSYS-mechanical 코드를 활용하여 열팽창과 이에 따른 접합면의 응력분포로 계산하였다. 0.5 및 $1.0MW/m^2$에 대해, 목업이 받는 최대 응력은 334.3 MPa와 588.0 MPa 였으며, 이 때 텅스텐과 FM강이 받는 strain을 도출하여 물성치로 알려진 cycle to failure 값을 도출하였다. 열부하에서 예상되는 수명은 0.5 및 $1.0MW/m^2$에 대해, 100,000 사이클 이상과 2,655 사이클로 계산되었으며, 시간적 제약을 고려 최종 평가는 $1.0MW/m^2$에 대해, 3,000사이클 정도의 실험을 통해 그 수명까지 접합건전성이 유지되는 지 실험을 통해 평가할 예정이다.