• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.39-53
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• 2007

Generally, fractured medium can be described with some key parameters, such as hydraulic conductivities or random field of hydraulic conductivities (continuum model), spatial and statistical distribution of permeable fractures (discrete fracture network model). Investigating the practical applicability of the well-known conceptual models for the description of groundwater flow in fractured media, various types of hydraulic tests were applied to studies on the highly fractured media in Geumsan, Korea. Results from single-hole packer test show that the horizontal hydraulic conductivities in the permeable media are between $7.67{\times}10^{-10}{\sim}3.16{\times}10^{-6}$ m/sec, with $7.70{\times}10^{-7}$ m/sec arithmetic mean and $2.16{\times}10^{-7}$ m/sec geometric mean. Total number of test interval is 110 at 8 holes. The number of completely impermeable interval is 9, and the low permeable interval - below $1.0{\times}10^{-8}$ m/sec is 14. In other words, most of test intervals are permeable. The vertical distribution of hydraulic conductivities shows apparently the good correlation with the results of flowmeter test. But the results from the cross-hole test show some different features. The results from the cross-hole test are highly related to the connectivity and/or the binary properties of fractured media; permeable and impermeable. From the viewpoint of the connection, the application of the general stochastic approach with a single continuum model may not be appropriate even in the moderately or highly permeable fractured medium. Then, further studies on the investigation method and the analysis procedures should be required for the reasonable and practical design of the conceptual model, with which the binary properties, including permeable/impermeable features, can be described.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.99-111
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• 2018

In this study three target radionuclides ($^{60}Co$, $^{137}Cs$, and $^{125}Sb$) were reacted with solid samples collected from the nuclear facility sites to investigate their sorption and mobility behaviors for preparing unexpected nuclear accidents. The highest sorption distribution coefficients ($K_{ds}$) of target radionuclides ($^{60}Co=947mL/g$, $^{137}Cs=2105mL/g$, $^{125}Sb=81.3mL/g$) were found in topsoil layer under groundwater condition, and the $K_d$ values of three radionuclides decreased in the order of fractured rock and bedrock samples under the same groundwater condition. High $K_d$ values of $^{60}Co$ in topsoil layer and fracture rock resulted from the clay minerals present, and the $K_d$ values decreased 58-69 % under seawater condition due to high ionic strength. $^{137}Cs$ sorption was controlled by the ion exchange reaction with $K^+$ on flayed edge sites (FES) of mica. The $^{137}Cs$ sorption was the most affected by seawater (89-97 % decrease), while $^{125}Sb$ sorption was not much affected by seawater. As the results of column and batch experiments, the retardation factors (R) of $^{137}Cs$, $^{60}Co$, and $^{125}Sb$ were determined about 5400-7400, 2000-2500, and 250-415, respectively, indicating no significant transport for these radionuclides even in fractured zone with groundwater. These results suggest that even in the case of severe nuclear accident at the nuclear facilities the mobility of released radionuclides ($^{60}Co$, $^{137}Cs$, and $^{125}Sb$) can be significantly retarded by the topsoil layer and fractured rock. In addition, the results of this study will be used for the safety and environmental performance assessment of nuclear facilities.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.79-93
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• 2000

When caverns are excavated, it is very important to understand the distribution and charateristics of geological structures because the structures have an significant effect on grouting, rock reinforcement, and groundwater flow, etc. The main water bearing fractures have an orientation of N50~60W and these fractures are known as tension fractures. Their orientation coincides with a long elliptical axis ofpumping test, and they cross the tension fractures of N10~30E. They have typical fracture systems ofrhombic type in this area.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.204-212
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• 2005

Recognition has emerged that nutrient inputs from the submarine discharge of fresh, brackish, and marine groundwaters into the coastal ocean are comparable to the inputs via river discharge. The coastal areas of the Korea peninsula and adjacent seas exhibit particular importance in the role of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), in terms of the magnitude of SGD and associated continental material fluxes. For example, in the southern sea of Korea, SGD transports excess nutrients into the coastal regions and thus appears to influence ecosystem changes such as the outbreak of red tides. Around volcanic island, Jeju, which is composed of high permeability rocks, the amount of SGD is higher by orders of magnitude relative to the eastern coast of North America where extensive SGD studies have been conducted. In particular, nutrient discharge through SGD exerts a significant control on coastal ecosystem changes and results in benthic eutrophication in semi-enclosed Bang-du bay, Jeju. In the entire area of the Yellow Sea, tile submarine discharge of brackish groundwater and associated nutrients are found to rival the river discharges into the Yellow Sea, including those through Yangtze River, Han River, etc. In the eastern coast of the Korea peninsula, SGD is significantly higher during summer than winter due to high hydraulic gradients and due to wide distribution of high permeability sandy zones, faults, and fractures. On the other hand, in the estuarine water, downstream construction of the dam in the Nakdong River, SGD was highest when the river discharge was lowest (but water level of the dam was highest). This suggests that even though there is no visible freshwater discharge into this estuary, the discharge of chemical species is significant through SGD. On the basis of the results obtained from the coastal areas of the Korea peninsula, SGD is considered to be an important pathway of continental contaminants influencing tidal-flat ecosystems, red tides, and coral ecology. Thus, future costal management should pay great attention to the impact of SGD on coastal pollution and eutrophication.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 2022

The mobility and transport of radioactive cesium are crucial factors to consider for the safety assessment of high-level radioactive waste disposal sites in granite. The retardation of radionuclides in the fractured crystalline rock is mainly controlled by the hydrochemical condition of groundwater and surface reactions with minerals present in the fractures. This paper reports the experimental results of cesium sorption to the Wonju Granite, a typical Mesozoic granite in Korea, performed in an anaerobic chamber that mimics the anoxic environment of a deep disposal site. We measured the rates and amounts of cesium (¹³³Cs) removed by crushed granite samples in different electrolyte (NaCl, KCl, and CaCl₂) solutions and a synthetic groundwater solution, with variations in the initial cesium concentration (10^-5, 5×10^-6, 10^-6, 5×10^-7 M). The cesium sorption kinetic and isotherm data were successfully simulated by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (r²= 0.99) and the Freundlich isotherm model (r²= 0.99), respectively. The sorption distribution coefficient of granite increased almost linearly with increasing biotite content in granite samples, indicating that biotite is an effective cesium scavenger. The cesium removal was minimal in KCl solution compared to that in NaCl or CaCl₂ solution, regardless of the ionic strength and initial cesium concentration that we examined, showing that K⁺ is the most competitive ion against cesium in sorption to granite. Because it is the main source mineral of K⁺ in fracture fluids, biotite may also hinder the sorption of cesium, which warrants further research.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.31-43
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• 1999

This study aims to quantify the distribution characteristics of the fracture system for the numerical modeling of groundwater flow in the north-eastern area of Yosu peninsula. The study area is composed mainly of volcanic rocks and granite. The regional and site scale lineament in the range of magnitude Order 1 to Order 3 were analyzed from the geologic map, air-photograph and shaded relief map. The geometric parameter of Order 4 fracture system was acquired from the scanline survey on the ground surface. There is a similar trend in the preferred orientation between the regional lineament and the Order 4 fracture system except the Set 4 of Order 4 fracture system which is not prominent in the type. That is classified to three fracture sat of high dip angle and one of ow dip angle. From the lineament trend. The orientation of Order 4 fracture system has similar characteristics in each rock termination mode analysis, it is considered that the fracture system was developed systematically and sequentially from Set 1 to Set 4 Filling materials are distinct relatively in low dip angle set. The fracture spacing follows to lognoral distribution and the fracture frequency corrected by the modified Terzaghi correction ranges from 0.38 to 1.01 per mater in each fracture set. The fracture trace lenght also follows to lognormal distribution and ranges from 2.9m to 3.7m in each fracture set.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.50-60
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• 2022

The concentration levels and distribution characteristics of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated and evaluated for total 100 soil samples as a part of the survey on soil contamination in Gwangju. The results (median and range) of T-PAHs (sum of 16 PAH concentrations), C-PAHs (sum of carcinogenic PAH concentrations) and T-TEQs (sum of 16 TEQ concentrations) were 20.8 (7.6~1158.1), 2.2 (N.D~509.6), and 0.3 (N.D~424.6) ㎍/kg, respectively. There was a positive correlation between C-PAHs/T-PAHs and T-TEQs/T-PAHs except one point where the concentration of benzo(a)pyrene was high. The ratios of the C-PAHs/T-PAHs were 31.7% for low molecular weight-PAHs and 68.3% for high molecular weight-PAHs, suggesting that PAHs generation mainly arose from combustion sources. The ratio of isomers of individual PAHs, Phe/Ant, Flu/Pyr, Ant/(Ant+Phe), Flu/(Flu+Pyr), and BaA/(BaA+Chr), also confirmed the predominance of PAHs from combustion activities. Statistical tracing of the source of PAHs through principal component analysis indicated that the main sources of combustion were automobile fuel and coal. The overall results of this study suggested HMW-PAHs, T-PAHs, C-PAHs and T-TEQs should be separately evaluated to better assess the toxicity and environmental behavior of individual PAHs.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2006

In order to elucidate the adsorption and leaching characteristics of the insecticide imidacloprid in two types of paddy soils near Suwon, this experiment was carried out with $[^{14}C]$imidacloprid as a radiotracer. In an adsorption study conducted using $[^{14}C]$imidacloprid in 2 test soils, the adsorption coefficient was higher in soil A $(K_f\;2.6)$ than that in soil B $(K_f\;1.7)$. As calculated from Freundlich constant, distribution coefficients and half lives in soils, GUS indices showed low leachabilities of imidacloprid treated on the paddy soils into the groundwater. The amount of imidacloprid leached from the soil columns during the 4 weeks of leaching was less than 2% of the originally treated $^{14}C$. In the leaching test the amounts of $^{14}C$ activities distributed in the soil layer of 0-10 cm were more than 80% of the originally tented $^{14}C$ and those in rice plants were less than 3% of the originally treated $^{14}C$, suggesting that imidacloprid has very low teachability and bioavailability.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.179-191
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• 2016

In addition to the measurement of the concentration of soil contaminants, the new idea of indicative parameters was proposed to validate the remedial works through the monitoring for the changes of soil characteristics after applying the clean up technologies. The parameters like CFU (colony forming unit), pH and soil texture were recommended as indicative parameters for land farming. In case of soil washing, water content and the particle size distribution of the sludge were recommended as indicative parameters. The sludge is produced through the particle separation process in soil washing and it is usually treated as a waste. The parameters like water content, organic matter content, CEC (cation exchange capacity) and CFU were recommended as indicative parameters for the low temperature thermal desorption method. Besides the indicative parameter, sampling methods in stock pile and the optimal minimum amount of composite soil sample were proposed. The rates of sampling error in regular grid, zigzag, four bearing, random grid methods were 17.3%, 17.6%, 17.2% and 16.5% respectively. The random grid method showed the minimum sampling error among the 4 kinds of sampling methods although the differences in sampling errors were very little. Therefore the random grid method was recommended as an appropriate sampling method in stock pile. It was not possible to propose a value of optimal minimum amount of composite soil sample based on the real analytical data due to the dynamic variation of $CV_{fund{\cdot}error}$. Instead of this, 355 g of soil was recommended for the optimal minimum amount of composite soil sample under the assumption of ISO 10381-8.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.63-73
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• 2020

Drought is considered as a devastating hazard that causes serious agricultural, ecological and socio-economic impacts worldwide. Fundamentally, the drought can be defined as temporarily different levels of inadequate precipitation, soil moisture, and water supply relative to the long-term average conditions. From no unified definition of droughts, droughts have been divided into different severity level, i.e., moderate drought, severe drought, extreme drought and exceptional drought. The drought severity classification defined the ranges for each indicator for each dryness level. Because the ranges of the various indicators often don't coincide, the final drought category tends to be based on what the majority of the indicators show and on local observations. Evaporative Stress Index (ESI), a satellite-based drought index using the ratio of potential and actual evaporation, is being used as a index of the droughts occurring rapidly in a short period of time from studies showing a more sensitive and fast response to drought compared to Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), and Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). However, ESI is difficult to provide an objective drought assessment because it does not have clear drought severity classification criteria. In this study, U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM), the standard for drought determination used in the United States, was applied to ESI, and the Percentile method was used to classify drought categories by severity. Regarding the actual 2017 drought event in South Korea, we compare the spatial distribution of drought area and understand the USDM-based ESI by comparing the results of Standardized Groundwater level Index (SGI) and drought impact information. These results demonstrated that the USDM-based ESI could be an effective tool to provide objective drought conditions to inform management decisions for drought policy.