• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2011

The multiphase flow simulator, CHEMPS, was developed based on the fractional flow approach reported in the petroleum engineering literature considering fully three phase flow in physically and chemically heterogeneous media. It is a extension of MPS developed by Suk and Yeh (2008) to include the effect of wettability on the migration of NAPL. The fractional flow approach employs water, total liquid saturation and total pressure as the primary variables. Most existing models are limited to two-phase flow and specific boundary conditions when considering physically heterogeneous media. In addition, these models focused mainly on the water-wet media. However, in a real system, variations in wettability between water-wet and oil-wet media often occur. Furthermore, the wetting of porous media by oil can be heterogeneous, or fractional, rather than uniform due to the heterogeneous nature of the subsurface media and the factors that affect the wettability. Therefore, in this study, the chemically heterogeneous media considering fractional wettability as well as physically heterogeneous media were simulated using CHEMPS. In addition, the general boundary conditions were considered to be a combination of two types of boundaries of individual phases, flux-type and Dirichlet type boundaries.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.99-110
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• 2020

It is a global trend to consider contaminated low-permeability zones as one of the primary management targets for the remediation of DNAPL contaminated sites. In addition, studies on the persistence caused by back diffusion of DNAPLs from low-permeability zones have been actively conducted worldwide. On the other hand, the studies for domestic groundwater contamination with the low-permeability zones are insufficient. Therefore, this study introduces the forward and back diffusions of DNAPL through low-permeability zones and suggests the importance of them by reviewing representative previous studies, especially on back diffusion and plume persistence. We proposed six diffusion scenarios and analytical solutions based on various boundary conditions of low-permeability zones. FI (forward diffusion into infinite domain) and BI (back diffusion form infinite domain) scenarios illustrate forward and back diffusion in which the depths of a low-permeability layer are assumed to be infinite. FFN (forward diffusion into finite domain with no flux boundary) and BFN (back diffusion from finite domain with no flux boundary) scenarios describe forward and back diffusion for a finite domain of a low-permeability layer with no flux boundary at the bottom. When the bottom of a low-permeability layer is considered as flux boundary, forward and back diffusion scenarios correspond to FFF (forward diffusion into finite domain with flux boundary) and BFF (back diffusion from finite domain with flux boundary). The scenarios and analytical solutions in this study may contribute to the determination of an efficient remediation method based on site characteristics such as a thickness of low-permeability zones or duration of contamination exposure.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.91-99
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• 1999

A high-resolution seismic profile acquired across the northeastern boundary of the Pungam Basin, one of the Cretaceous sedimentary basins in Korea, has been interpreted to delineate subsurface geological structures across the basin boundary. We identified boundary faults and unconformity surfaces of the basin and divided sediment body into three seismic depositional units (Units I, II, and III from youngest to oldest). Inferred from fault geometry and type, northeastern part of the Pungam Basin has been formed by a strike-slip fault whereas the normal faults near the boundary were formed by transtensional movement along a fault zone. A 350-400 m thick sediment layer is overlying the Precambrian gneiss. Bedding planes of Unit III are dipping westward and are closely related to an anticline in the acoustic basement. Unit II is also tilted westward, suggesting that the eastern part of the fault zone was uplifted after deposition of lower part of the sedimentary body. Afterward, the uplifted sediment layers were eroded and transported to the western part of the basin. Chaotic reflection pattern of sedimentary Units II and III may suggest that strike-slip movement along the fault zone deformed basin-filled sediments.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.699-707
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• 2021

Hwajinpo Lagoon, located on the eastern coast of Korea, is a unique environment where freshwater and saltwater are mixed. Systematic management of the lagoon is required because it is a biodiversity-rich and area of high conservation value. The existing environment of the lagoon was evaluated by identifying the distribution of the groundwater level and groundwater flow characteristics. In addition, hydrogeochemical fluctuations were analyzed to determine the effect of seawater intrusion into the aquifer. The results demonstrate that the freshwater-saltwater interface is distributed throughout the aquifer and rises when water of the lagoon evaporates due to prolonged periods of low rainfall and high temperature, thereby increasing the possibility of seawater inflow through groundwater. As for the ionic delta properties (difference between the measured and theoretical concentration of mixed waters), it was estimated that the cation-exchange and precipitation reactions occurred in the aquifer due to seawater intrusion. The ratio of seawater mixed at each point was calculated, using oxygen isotopes and chloride as tracers, resulting in an average of 0.3 and a maximum of 0.87. The overall seawater mixing ratio appears to be distributed according to the distance from the coast. However, some of the results were deviated from the theoretical expectations and reflected the characteristics of the nearby aquifers. Further research on seasonal changes and simulation of seawater intrusion mechanisms is required for specific analysis.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.416-424
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• 2006

Because there is no generally accepted definition of a geographic center and no completely satisfactory method to determine one, there may be as many geographic centers of a country as there are many definitions. The geographic center of an area may be defined as the center of gravity on a surface, or that point on which the surface of an area would balance if it were a plane of uniform thickness. This research uses geographic information system (GIS) analysis and there are places where it defines the geographical and the geological centers in the inland of South Korea. To compute the geo-centers in South Korea: 1) firstly, we collected existing reaserch data related to digital map data. 2)Secondly, we analyzed a geological center and data collection examples of Korea and other nations-the Europe and America. 3) Thirdly, we carried out numerous processes to build a geodatabase, short for geograhic database, so that GIS analysis and the constructed geodatabase is covered within the inland in South Korea. Where geodatabase is a kind of spatial database. 4) Fourthly, in order to determine the geographical center, we supposed that the condition of continental surface is the plane of homogeneous or irregular density. 5) Consequently, we chose a few resonable conditions and produced a variety of geographical centers that is geometric and gravitational in South Korea. As a result of the analysis, center points are massed to southern part of Chungbuk province, Korea.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2009

The site effects relating to the amplification of ground motion under earthquake loading are strongly influenced by both the subsurface soil condition and geologic structure. In this study, the site effects at the Hongseong area in Korea were examined by both the site investigation including borehole drilling and in-situ seismic tests and the site visit for acquiring geologic information of ground surface. Subsurface of Hongseong area with a major instrumental earthquake event in 1978 is composed of weathered layers of a maximum of 45 m thickness overlying bedrock. A geotechnical information system based on GIS framework was implemented to effectively find out spatial geologic structure of study area and it indicated Hongseong is a shallow and wide shaped basin. Two-dimensional finite element (FE) analyses for a representative cross-section of the Hongseong area were performed to evaluate seismic site responses. From the results of seismic responses, it was observed that the ground motions were amplified during the propagation of shear waves through the soil layer overlying the bedrock and the duration of shaking near the basin edges was prolonged due to the surface waves generated by interactions of shear waves with basin geometry. Furthermore, one-dimensional FE seismic response analyses were additionally conducted for soil sites selected in the basin, and it gives similar results to the two-dimensional seismic responses at most locations in the basin with the exception of the locations near the basin edges, because the basin in this study is very shallow and wide.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-20
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• 1995

A train overturn accident occurred on March 1993 in the Gupo area, northern part of Pusan, unfortunately had taken a heavy toll of lives and caused a great loss of property as well. The reasons for the subsidence of the basement under the railroads, which presumed to be the main cause of the accident, have been investigated from many different angles, including conventional geotechnical investigation methods. The deduced nuin reasons of the subsidence were: 1. blasting for tunnel excavation (NATM) at about 39 meter under the railroads, and 2. unexpected change of bedrock conditions along the direction of tunnel. But this accident was derived nrranlv from the lack of geological and geotechnical information under railroad area because it was impossible to drill beneath the railroads. This paper introduces a new geophysical survey techniqueseisrnic geotomography, and shows some results of the method applying to investigate the underground structure of the accident area. This method not only overcomes the unfavourable environment which many conventional investigation methods cannot face, but produces an image of underground structure with high resolution. Furthermore, the outputs from geotomogaphic analysis could provide very valuable in-situ basic parameters (like seismic velocities, elastic moduli, etc.) which is essential to the design and construction.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.35-48
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• 2021

The Gumi basin, situated in the mid-southeastern Yeongnam Massif, has the Cretaceous stratigraphy that is divided into Gumi Formation, andesitic rocks (Yeongamsan Tuff, Busangni Andesite), rhyolitic rocks (Obongni Tuff, Doseongul Rhyolite, Geumosan Tuff) and Intrusives (ring dikes, other dikes) in ascending order. The Geumosan Tuff is composed mostly of many ash-flow tuffs which are associated with Geumosan caldera along with the ring dikes. The caldera is outlined by ring faults and dikes and has about 3.5 × 5.6 km in diameters. The intracaldera volcanics show a downsag structure that is dipped inward in their flow and welding foliations. The caldera block represent an asymmetric subsidence, which drops 350 m in the northern margin and 600 m in the southern one. Based on these data, the Geumosan caldera is geometrically classified as an asymmetric piston subsidence caldera that suggests a single caldera cycle. The caldera reflects the piston subsidence of the caldera block bounded by the outward-dipping ring faults following a voluminous eruption of magma from the chamber. The downsag in the caldera block refers to the downsagging during the initial subsidence at the same time as the full development of the bound fault. In the ring fissures following the sagging, magma was injected due to the overpressure of magma chamber caused by subsidence.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.519-530
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• 2023

Moye's analytical solution was examined as a method for constant-head tests under steady-state conditions, and results were compared with transient-state analyses in in situ hydraulic tests. The sensitivity of hydraulic conductivities calculated using Moye's method increased with the length of the test section, which should be as large as possible under test conditions. Particularly in low-permeability media with less than 10^-8 m/sec of hydraulic conductivity, hydraulic conductivity is lower than that under transient-state conditions and can be recalculated by adjusting the boundary between radial and spherical flow assumed in Moye's equation. Constant-head tests performed in the research borehole at the KAERI Underground Research Tunnel (KURT) indicated that transmissivities derived from the constant-head withdrawal test under transient-state conditions in low-permeability media were higher than those derived from steady-state tests, likely because the groundwater flow boundary was smaller than the "half of the test-section length"assumed by Moye's equation. When interpreting constant-head test results for crystalline rock, the hydrogeological properties of the medium may be better understood by considering assumed conditions accompanying analysis of the steady-state condition and comparing them with results for the transient-state analysis, rather than simply assuming properties based on steady-state analyses.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.557-576
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• 2015

Groundwaters in granite, gneiss, and two-mica granite formations, including faults, in the Hoengseong area are examined to determine the relationship between their uranium and radon-222 contents and rock types. The chemical compositions of 38 groundwater samples and four surface water samples collected in the study area were analyzed. Sixteen of the samples showing high uranium and radon-222 contents were repeatedly analyzed. Surface radioactivities were measured at 30 points. The uranium and radon-222 concentrations in the groundwater samples were in the ranges of 0.02-49.3 μg/L and 20-906 Bq/L, respectively. Four samples for uranium and 35 samples for radon had concentrations exceeding the alternative maximum contaminant level of the US EPA. The chemical compositions of groundwaters indicated Ca(Na)-HCO₃ and Ca(Na)-NO₃(HCO₃+Cl) types. The pH values ranged from 5.71 to 8.66. High uranium and radon-222 contents in the groundwaters occurred mainly at the boundary between granite and gneiss, and in the granite area. The occurrence of uranium did not show any distinct relationship to that of radon-222. The radon-222, an inert gas, appeared to be dissolved in the groundwater of the aquifer after wide diffusion along rock fractures, having been derived from the decay of uranium in underground rocks. The results in this study indicate that groundwater of neutral or weakly alkaline pH, under oxidizing conditions and with a high bicarbonate content is favorable for the dissolution of uranium and uranium complexes such as uranyl or uranyl-carbonate.