• Journal of Conservation Science
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.399-416
• /
• 2017

The 'Wat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasak Cultural Landscape' of Laos was designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 2001. The uppermost structure of the Sanctuary in Wat Phou has been destroyed and being variably damaged, maintenance is required through scientific and systematic diagnosis. The Sanctuary of Wat Phou was constructed mainly using sandstones and bricks. There are physical damages including fracture, break out, exfoliation and interval as well as biological damages by lichen, mosses and weeds. According to the ultrasonic velocity measurement and property evaluation of the sandstones of the Sanctuary in Wat Phou, weathering index of the eastern side sandstones is 0.10 to 0.74 (mean 0.36), showing MW grade. Southern and northern side sandstones have relatively higher properties with average weathering indices of 0.30 and 0.32. The results of slope analysis of the Sanctuary, indicated that the 4th spot in the southern side has the largest slope of $5^{\circ}W$, seemingly due to the unstable ground around the Sanctuary. Based on the relative level measurement and past drawings, the Sanctuary is verified to have been located on ground with a certain slope rather than flatland. The ground of the southern side is inclined $1.51^{\circ}$ more than that of the northern side, which will affect the structural stability of the temple. The interval width of the selected southern spot is the largest with an average width of 159.5 mm, and the largest width is 328.3 mm at the top, since the width increases above rather than below, seemingly due to the unequal subsidence of the ground. Constant maintenance for conservation is required for the structural stability of the Sanctuary in Wat Phou, which was partly collapsed and has also suffered physical damage.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2020

Investigations of distribution status and extinction threat evaluation of the Korean endemic species, Iksookimia yongdokensis were undertaken from 2017 to 2018. Among the 22 streams and 97 sampling sites investigated during the study period, samples of I. yongdokensis were collected from 9 streams at 37 sites (from Daejongcheon Stream of Gyeongju-si to Songcheon Stream of Yeongdeok-gun). The appearance of I. yongdokensis was relatively common in streams such as Hyeongsangang River (15 stations), Yeongdeok Oshipcheon Stream (4 stations), Gokgangcheon Stream (4 stations), Chuksancheon Stream (3 stations) and Daejongcheon Stream (3 stations). The main habitat of I. yongdokensis was in pools on flat-land in streams of clean water with slow velocity, and with pebble, gravel and sand bottoms. Previous records of the appearance of I. yongdokensis, indicate they were first seen at seven stations including Jangsacheon Stream, but they were not present in Songcheon Stream. Compared to our results there is evidence as noted for a 38.9% reduction in occupancy within 3 generations (10.5 years), and a decline inhabitat quality. Therefore, I. yongdokensis is now considered vulnerable (VU A2ace) based on the IUCN Red List categories and criteria. The main reasons for the decline were assumed to be dry weathering in the river, the introduction and diffusion of exotic fish species Micropterus salmoides, and river refurbishment project.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.52-63
• /
• 2016

The Stupa of Buddhist Monk Soyo in Baegyangsa temple, Jangseong, was erected to pay a tribute to the achievement of the Buddhist monk Soyo, who worked for Baegyangsa temple as a chief monk, and is a bellshaped stupa with the detailed pattern of a Korean traditional buddhist bell. It is composed of pinkish-grey sandstone and the body of the stupa was damaged by longitudinal cracks on the front and back areas and the exfoliation caused break-out in the most part of the sculpture on the left and right areas. According to the ultrasonic test and infrared thermography analysis for physical deterioration diagnosis, most weathering aspects appeared on the body of the stupa and some exfoliated part that could not be seen with the naked eye was detected 6.1% and 5.9% on the left and right side respectively. Hyperspectral imaging analysis was also carried out to assess biological deterioration. According to the result, the surface of the stupa was covered 71.8 ~ 79.9% with vegetation like algae, lichen and moss. NDVI(Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) was higher relatively on the bottom part near the ground, right and back areas of the stupa. Therefore conservation treatment for the exfoliated part and bio-deterioration is necessary and the environment condition needs to be fixed to prevent extra damages on the stupa.

• Journal of Conservation Science
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.778-790
• /
• 2021

The Stone Seated Buddha Triad and Stone Standing Buddha in Bijung-ri are state-designated heritage (treasure) statues having the Buddha style of the Goryeo dynasty from the 6th century. Conservation scientific investigations were conducted to understand the preservation status of these stone Buddha statues and to establish a conservation plan. The Stone Seated Buddha Triad and Stone Standing Buddha are composed of fine-medium grained biotite granite, which is considered to be of the same origin owing to their low magnetic susceptibility distribution of less than 0.2 (×10^-3 SI unit) and similar mineral characteristics. The Stone Seated Buddha Triad has highly homogenous mineral composition and particle size, whole-rock magnetic susceptibility, and geochemical characteristics very similar to those of the nearby outcrop. It was confirmed that a combination of physical, chemical, and biological factors affects the Stone Buddha statues. In particular, both the Stone Seated Buddha Triad and Stone Standing Buddha tend to be chipped off from the front and cracked and scaled from the back. The Stone Standing Buddha located outdoors experiences granularity decomposition and black algae formation, which accelerate the weathering under unfavorable conservation environments. The result of non-destructive physical property diagnosis using ultrasonic velocity showed that both the Stone Seated Buddha Triad and Stone Standing Buddha have been completely weathered (CW), indicating very poor physical properties.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.34 no.7
• /
• pp.445-453
• /
• 2012

An investigation for removal of 1-indanone (1-ID), which were commonly produced from the biological and/or chemical treatment and natural weathering of the PAHs-contaminated soils, via oxidative transformation mediated by birnessite in the presence of various phenolic mediators is described. This study also examines the potential effect of the natural occurring substance humic acid (HA) on the oxidative transformation. The experiment was carried out in aqueous phase as a batch test (10 mg/L 1-ID, 0.3 mM phenolic mediators, $1.0g/L\;{\delta}-MnO_2$, at pH 5). All of the 11 tested phenoilic mediators belong to the group of natural occurring phenols and are widely used as model constituents of humic substances. From the results of HPLC analysis, it is demonstrated that 1-ID was not reactive to birnessite itself, but it can be effectively removed in birnessite-mediated cross coupling reactions in the presence of the phenolic mediators. The percent removals of 1-ID after 2 day incubation were ranged from 9.2 to 71.2% depending on the phenolic mediators applied. The initial rate constant ($K_{int}$, $hr^{-1}$) values for the 1-ID removals obtained from the pseudo-first-order kinetic plots also widely ranged from 0.18 to 15.0. Results of the correlative analysis between the removal efficiencies and structural characteristics of phenolic mediators indicate that the transformation of the 1-ID was considerably enhanced by the addition of electron-donating substituents (e.g., -OH, $-OCH_3$) at the benzne ring, and much less enhanced by the addition of electron-withdrawing substituents (e.g., -COOH, -CHO). The presence of HA showed that removal efficiencies of 1-ID in the birnessite-phenolic mediator systems decreased with increasing HA concentrations. However at low concentration of HA (< 2 mg/L), it caused some enhancement in the removals of 1-ID as compared to the control.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.52 no.3
• /
• pp.74-93
• /
• 2019

The Bird Track Site in the Haman Formation in Yongsanri (Natural Monument No. 222) was reported on the named Koreanaornis hamanensis and Jindongornipes kimi sauropod footprint Brontopodus and ichnospecies Ochlichnus formed by Nematoda. This site has outstanding academic value because it is where the second-highest number of bird tracks have been reported in the world. However, only 25% of the site remains after being designated a natural monument in 1969. This is due to artificial damage caused by worldwide fame and quarrying for flat stone used in Korean floor heating systems. The Haman Formation, including this fossil site, has lithofacies showing reddish-grey siltstone and black shale, alternately. The boundary of the two rocks is progressive, and sedimentary structures like ripple marks and sun cracks can clearly be found. This site was divided into seven formations according to sedimentary sequences and structures. The results of a nondestructive deterioration evaluation showed that chemical and biological damage rates were very low for all formations. Also, physical damage displayed low rates with 0.49% on exfoliation, 0.04% on blistering, 0.28% on break-out; however, the joint crack index was high, 6.20. Additionally, efflorescence was observed on outcrops at the backside and the northwestern side. Physical properties measured by an indirect ultrasonic analysis were found to be moderately weathered (MW). Above all, the southeastern side was much fresher, though some areas around the column of protection facility appeared more weathered. Furthermore, five kinds of discontinuity surface can be found at this site, with the bedding plane showing the higher share. There is the possibility of toppling failure occurring at this site but stable on plane and wedge failure by means of stereographic projection. We concluded that the overall level of deterioration and stability were relatively fine. However, continuous monitoring and conservation treatment and management should be performed as situations such as the physicochemical weathering of the fossil layer, and the efflorescence of the mortar adjoining the protection facility's column appear to be challenging to control.