• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.107-119
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• 2022

Excavation-Disturbed Zone (EDZ) is an important design factor in constructing final disposal facilities for spent nuclear fuel, since EDZ affects mechanical stability including a spacing between disposal holes, and the hydraulic properties within EDZ plays a significant role in estimating in-flow rate of groundwater as well as a subsequent corrosion rate of a canister. Thus, it is highly required to characterize in-situ EDZ with precision and control the EDZ occurrence while excavating disposal facilities and constructing relevant underground research facilities. In this report, we not only reviewed EDZ-related researches carried out in the ONKALO facility of Finland but also examined appropriate methods for field inspection and quality control of EDZ occurrence. From the review, GPR can be the most efficient method for in-situ characterization of EDZ since it does not demand drilling a borehole that may disturb a surrounding environment of caverns. And the EDZ occurrence was dominant at a cavern floor and it ranged from 0 to 70 cm. These can provide useful information in developing necessary EDZ-related regulations for domestic disposal facilities.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.7-17
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• 2022

The ratios of water and controlled low-strength materials (CLSM) were selected as 1:0.4, 1:0.6, 1:0.8, 1:1.0, and 1:1.2 to minimize the construction and long-term decrease in uniaxial compressive strength due to dry shrinkage through the combination of water, CLSM, and expansion agent. Approximately 2% and 5% of the expansion agent were added for each blending condition. As a result, it was found that the compressive strength decreased and the expandability increased as the specific gravity of the water increased. In addition, it was confirmed that the compressive strength increased rapidly up to 15 days of age compared to the CLSM used in the field. However, the compressive strength decreased compared to the 15 days of the age as of the 28 days of the age. It showed engineering characteristics similar to CLSM generally used in the field. Therefore, the water and the CLSM were mixed at a ratio of 1:0.8, and the field test was performed by adding 5% of an expansion agent. As a result, 28 days after age, the cavity waveform was observed using the handy GPR exploration system, and it was found that cavity waveform was relaxed or disappeared.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 1998

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) experiments were performed in a sand tank to study the ability of detection of buried pipes and to characterize the signal of the reflection wave. The ratios of diameter of buried pipes to the depth were set 4 up to 24 % and materials were metal, synthetic resin, and wood. In case of groundwater table below buried materials, strong reflection signals were observed irrespective of diameter and depth except for wood. While it is very difficult to detect the reflection signals in case that the groundwater table is set to higher than buried materials. The reflection signals from the bottom of the sand tank, however, were clearly observed even in case of higher groundwater table. This implies that the weak reflection signals from the buried materials are not all due to the wave attenuation. The vertical reflection profiling method is recommended in case that the object of the survey is to find horizontal position of buried material because this method has the advantage in cost and time of survey. However, the full or partial CMP gather method is recommended in case that the objects of the survey are to get the detailed subsurface information, i.e. the depth to buried material, interval velocity of geological layer, and mapping the groundwater table.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.21-34
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• 2017

The ground penetrating radar (GPR) signal can be measured with different amplitudes according to the directivity, so the directivity of the antenna should be considered. The objective of this study is to investigate the directivity of antenna by analyzing the reflection characteristics of electromagnetic waves radiated from the antenna, and to evaluate effective range of angle that can inspect an abnormal area according to the directivity of antenna. For the measurement of the directivity, a circular metal bar is used as reflector and the signals are measured by changing the angle and the distance between reflector and antenna in the E- and H-plane. The boundary distance between the near field and the far field is determined by analyzing the amplitudes of reflected signals, and two points with different distances from each of near and far fields are designated to analyze radiation patterns in near and far fields. As a result of radiation pattern measurement, in the near field, minor lobes are observed at angle section at more than $50^{\circ}$ in both E- and H-plane. Therefore, antenna has the directivity for the direction of main lobe and minor lobes in near field. In the far field, antenna has the directivity for a single direction of main lobe because minor lobes are not observed. The amplitude of the signal reflected from the near field is unstable, but it can be distinguished from noise. Therefore, in the near field, the ground anomaly can be detected with high reliability. On the other hand, the amplitude of the signal reflected from the far field is stable, but it is hard to distinguish between reflected signal and noise because of the excessive loss of electromagnetic wave. The analyses of directivity in the near and the far fields performed in this study may be effectively used to improve the reliability of the analyses of abnormal area.