• 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 Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.541-554
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• 2023

The utilization of underground spaces in relation to tunnels and energy/waste storage is on the rise. To ensure the stability of underground spaces, it is crucial to reinforce rock fractures and discontinuities. Discontinuities, such as joints, can weaken the strength of the rock and lead to groundwater inflow into underground spaces. In order to enhance the strength and stability of the area around these discontinuities, rock grouting techniques are employed. However, during rock grouting, it is impossible to visually confirm whether the grouting material is being smoothly injected as intended. Without proper injection, the expected increases in strength, durability, and degree of consolidation may not be achieved. Therefore, it is necessary to predict in advance whether the grouting material is being injected as designed. In this study, we aimed to assess the injection performance based on injection variables such as the water/cement mixture ratio, injection pressure, and injection flow using UDEC (Universal Distinct Element Code) numerical program. Additionally, numerical results were validated by the lab experiment. The results of this study are expected to help optimize variables such as injection material properties, injection time, and pump pressure in the grouting design in the field.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.475-488
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• 2017

To simulate accurate drought, a drought index is needed to reflect the hydrometeorological phenomenon. Several studies have been conducted in Korea using the Modified Surface Water Supply Index (MSWSI) to simulate hydrological drought. This study analyzed the limitations of MSWSI and quantified the uncertainties of MSWSI. The influence of hydrometeorological components selected as the MSWSI components was analyzed. Although the previous MSWSI dealt with only one observation for each input component such as streamflow, ground water level, precipitation, and dam inflow, this study included dam storage level and dam release as suitable characteristics of the sub-basins, and used the areal-average precipitation obtained from several observations. From the MSWSI simulations of 2001 and 2006 drought events, MSWSI of this study successfully simulated drought because MSWSI of this study followed the trend of observing the hydrometeorological data and then the accuracy of the drought simulation results was affected by the selection of the input component on the MSWSI. The influence of the selection of the probability distributions to input components on the MSWSI was analyzed, including various criteria: the Gumbel and Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) distributions for precipitation data; normal and Gumbel distributions for streamflow data; 2-parameter log-normal and Gumbel distributions for dam inflow, storage level, and release discharge data; and 3-parameter log-normal distribution for groundwater. Then, the maximum 36 MSWSIs were calculated for each sub-basin, and the ranges of MSWSI differed significantly according to the selection of probability distributions. Therefore, it was confirmed that the MSWSI results may differ depending on the probability distribution. The uncertainty occurred due to the selection of MSWSI input components and the probability distributions were quantified using the maximum entropy. The uncertainty thus increased as the number of input components increased and the uncertainty of MSWSI also increased with the application of probability distributions of input components during the flood season.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.15 no.2 s.42
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• pp.213-227
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• 2005

This study aims to assess the problems with investigation method and to suggest the complementary solutions by comparing the predicted data from surface investigation with the outcome data from underground cavern. In the study area, one(NE-1) of 6 fracture zones predicted during the surface investigation was only confirmed in underground caverns. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the confidence level for prediction. In this study, the fracture classification criteria was quantitatively suggested on the basis of the BHTV images of NE-1 fracture zone. The major orientation of background fractures in rock mass was changed at the depth of the storage cavern, the length and intensity were decreased. These characteristics result in the deviation of predieted predicted fracture properties and generate the investigation bias depending on the bore hole directions and investigated scales. The evaluation of hydraulic connectivity in the surface investigation stage needs to be analyze by the groundwater pressures and hydrochemical properties from the monitoring bore hole(s) equipped with a double completion or multi-packer system during the test bore hole is pumping or injecting. The hydraulic conductivities in geometric mean measured in the underground caverns are 2-3 times lower than those from the surface and furthermore the horizontal hydraulic conductivity in geometric mean is six times lower than the vertical one. To improve confidence level of the hydraulic conductivity, the orientation of test hole should be considered during the analysis of the hydraulic conductivity and the methodology of hydro-testing and interpretation should be based on the characteristics of rock mass and investigation purposes.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.498-511
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• 2012

Mountainous wetland have many species such as II grade endangered species of wild flora and fauna(Drosera rotundifolia) and environmental indicator species(Utricularia racemosa, Habenaria linearifolia, Parnassia palustris, Molinia japonica, etc.). Accordingly, the mountainous wetlands is very important. However, most mountainous wetlands will disappear by natural or artificial aridness processes. Thus, it needs to manage mountainous wetland for protecting from aridness. This study has found out the wetland status of the environmental ecology and aridness processes moreover, it has suggested ways of improving wetland conservation plan and wetland aridness management plan. According to the results of topography structure survey, Hwaeom wetland's altitude is ranged within 750~810m(87.4%), and slope is less than $10^{\circ}$. There was ideally suited mountainous wetland. However, the water supply(1.6 meters depth and 0.8 meters wide) was built on under the wetland. For that reason, there was concerned about the aridness processes by sweeping away peat layer and dropping the water level. The distribution area of hygrophyte was narrowed to 6.7% whereas, woody plants and xerophytic plants was achieved a dominant position. If it leaves the situation as it is, the mountainous wetland will be developed next succession as forest ecosystem. Therefore, in order to sustain the mountainous wetland from aridness, it is set to the base direction of conservation and management as main schemes. Moreover, we have suggested that setting the vegetation conservation and management area which considering a ecological vegetation characteristics, managing the ecotone vegetation, setting the buffer zone for protection of ecological core areas, protecting the mountainous wetland indicator species and designating the management vegetation. In conclusion, in order to sustain and maintain a soundly wetland ecosystem, it needs to several management of wetlands damage factors. 1) suppression of the excessive groundwater to basin, 2) stabilization of wetland via hydrologic storage, 3) suppression of changing and transforming wetland into forest by succession via management of xerophytic plants.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.63-76
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• 2022

Dacitic tuffs, 97 to 118 m thick, were recovered from the lower part of the subsurface Seongdongri Formation, Janggi Basin, which was drilled to assess the potential for underground storage of carbon dioxide. The tuffs are divided into four depositional units(Unit 1 to 4) based on internal structures and particle componentry. Unit 1 and Units 3/4 are ignimbrites that accumulated in subaerial and subaqueous settings, respectively, whereas Unit 2 is braided-stream deposits that accumulated during a volcanic quiescence, and no dacitic tuff is observed. A series of analysis shows that mordenite and clinoptilolite mainly fill the vesicles of glass shards, suggesting their formation by replacement and dissolution of volcanic glass and precipitation from interstitial water during burial and diagenesis. Glass-replaced clinoptilolite has higher Si/Al ratios and Na contents than the vesicle-filling clinoptilolite in Units 3. However, the composition of clinoptilolite becomes identical in Unit 4, irrespective of the occurrence and location. This suggests that the Si/Al ratio and pH in the interstitial water increased with time because of the replacement and leaching of volcanic glass, and that the composition of interstitial water was different between the eastern and western parts of the basin during the formation of the clinoptilolite in Units 1 and 3. It is also inferred that the formation of the two zeolite minerals was sequential according to the depositional units, i.e., the clinoptilolite formed after the growth of mordenite. To summarize, during a volcanic quiescence after the deposition of Unit 1, pH was higher in the western part of the basin because of eastward tilting of the basin floor, and the zeolite ceased to grow because of the closure of the pore space as a result of the growth of smectite. On the other hand, clinoptilolite could grow in the eastern part of the basin in an open system affected by groundwater, where braided stream was developed. Afterwards, Units 3 and 4 were submerged under water because of the basin subsidence, and the alkali content of the interstitial water increased gradually, eventually becoming identical in the eastern and western parts of the basin. This study thus shows that volcanic deposits of similar composition can have variable distribution of zeolite mineral depending on the drainage and depositional environment of basins.