• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.30-58
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• 2022

The deep geological repository for high-level radioactive waste disposal is a multi barrier system comprised of engineered barriers and a natural barrier. The long-term integrity of the deep geological repository is affected by the coupled interactions between the individual barrier components. Erosion and piping phenomena in the compacted bentonite buffer due to buffer-rock interactions results in the removal of bentonite particles via groundwater flow and can negatively impact the integrity and performance of the buffer. Rapid groundwater inflow at the early stages of disposal can lead to piping in the bentonite buffer due to the buildup of pore water pressure. The physiochemical processes between the bentonite buffer and groundwater lead to bentonite swelling and gelation, resulting in bentonite erosion from the buffer surface. Hence, the evaluation of erosion and piping occurrence and its effects on the integrity of the bentonite buffer is crucial in determining the long-term integrity of the deep geological repository. Previous studies on bentonite erosion and piping failed to consider the complex coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical behavior of bentonite-groundwater interactions and lacked a comprehensive model that can consider the complex phenomena observed from the experimental tests. In this technical note, previous studies on the mechanisms, lab-scale experiments and numerical modeling of bentonite buffer erosion and piping are introduced, and the future expected challenges in the investigation of bentonite buffer erosion and piping are summarized.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 1985

This study was designed to gain practical data on the use of soil conditioners for more efficient water managements and to establish the optimum levels of structural properties for soil conditioning. A sandy loam and a silt loam soil were each treated with two different soil conditioners, hydrophobic Bitumen or hydrophilic Uresol. The perspex tube 34 cm long were packed homogeneously with air dried soil up to 2 cm below the top, then covered over 2 cm of treated or untreated aggregates. The infiltration rate into the soil columns was measured under simulated rainfall condition. The evaporation study was carried out in the wind tunnel, and the changes of soil moisture distribution of the columns following and during the evaporation were determined by a gamma ray scanner. The infiltration rate of water into the soil column was increased to 18.7-50.8% by the Uresol treatment but it was decreased to less than 25% of control by the Bitumen treatment. Evaporation was decreased to 22.0-68.1% by the Bitumen treatment and to 38.7-68.4% by the Uresol treatment. The water use efficiency of Uresol treated column was increased to more than twice as much as that of untreated soil. Aggregate stability and wetting angle were related to water infiltration and evaporation. A positive and highly significant logarismic relationship was found between the infiltration rate and stability index-wetting angle, evaporation rate and instability index-wetting angle. It was considered that the structural stability is more important than wetting angle. This is true because the structural stability is always positively correlated to water saving, however wettability is positively correlated to the infiltration, and negatively correlated to water saving during the evaporation.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.217-224
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• 2008

In deep geological disposal system, the integrity of a disposal canister having spent fuels is very important factor to assure the safety of the repository system. This disposal canister is one element of the engineered barriers to isolate and to delay the radioactivity release from human beings and the environment for a long time so that the toxicity does not affect the environment. The main requirement in designing the deep geological disposal system is to keep the buffer temperature below 100$^{\circ}C$ by the decay heat from the spent fuels in the canister in order to maintain the integrity of the buffer material. Also, the disposal canister can endure the hydraulic pressure in the depth of 500 m and the swelling pressure of the bentonite as a buffer. In this study, new concept of the disposal canister for the CANDU spent fuels which were considered to be disposed without any treatment was developed and the thermal stability and the structural integrity of the canister were analysed. The result of the thermal analysis showed that the temperature of the buffer was 88.9$^{\circ}C$ when 37 years have passed after emplacement of the canister and the spacings of the disposal tunnel and the deposition holes were 40 m and 3 m, respectively. In the case of structural analysis, the result showed that the safety factors of the normal and the extreme environment were 2.9 and 1.33, respectively. So, these results reveal that the canister meets the thermal and the structural requirements in the deep geological disposal system.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.430-440
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• 2000

A series of studies such as geological logging data analysis, detailed geological survey, rock mass evaluation, in-situ and laboratory tests, rock strength and mechanical properties of the rock were concerned. The stability of the slope were carried out inorder to design the pit slope and individual benches using the stereographic projection analysis and numerical methods in Roto Pit of Pasir coal field. The bedding plane was one of the major discontinuities in the Roto Pit and the dip of which is about 60$^{\circ}$ in the northern part and 83$^{\circ}$ in the southern part. The dip of bedding becomes steeper from north to south. The plane and toppling failures are presented in many slopes. In laboratory test the average uniaxial compressive strength of mudstone was 9MPa and that of weak sandstone was 10MPa. In-situ test showed that the rocks of Roto north mining area are mostly weak enough to be classified in grade from R2(weak) to R3(medium strong weak) and the coal is classified in grades from R1(Very weak) to R2(Weak). The detailed stability analysis were carried out on 4 areas of Roto north (east, west, south and north), and 2 areas of Roto south(east and west). In this paper, the minimum factor of safety was set to 1.2 which is a general criterion for open pit mines. Using the stereographic projection analysis and the limit equilibrium method, slope angles were calculated as 30∼36$^{\circ}$ for a factor of safety greater than 1.2. Then these results were re-evaluated by numerical analysis using FLAC. The final slope angles were determined by rational described above. A final slope of 34 degrees can guarantee the stability for the eastern part of the Roto north area, 33 degrees for the western part, 35 degrees for the northern part and 35 degrees for the southern part. For the Roto south area, 36 degrees was suggested for both sides of the pit. Once the pit slope is designed based on the stability analysis and the safety measures, the stability of slope should be checked periodically during the mining operations. Because the slope face will be exposed long time to the rain fall, a study such aspreventive measures against weathering and erosion is highly recommended to be implemented.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.68-77
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• 2022

The human thermal environment in an apartment complex located in Seoul was quantitatively analyzed to devise methods to modify human heat-related stresses in landscape and urban planning. Microclimatic data (air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and short- and long-wave radiation) were collected at 6 locations [Apt-center, roof (cement), roof (grass), ground, playground, and a tree-lined road] in the late spring and summer, and the data were used to estimate the human thermal sensation, physiological equivalent temperature (PET) and universal thermal climate index (UTCI). As a result, the playground location had the highest thermal environment, and the roof (grass) location had the lowest. The mean difference between the two locations was 0.8-1.1℃ in air temperature, 1.8-4.0% in relative humidity, and 7.5-8.0℃ in mean radiant temperature. In open space locations, the wind speed was 0.4-0.5 ms-1 higher than others. Also, a wind tunnel effect happened at the Apt-center location during the afternoon. For the human thermal sensation, PET and UTCI, the mean differences between the playground and roof (grass) locations were: 5.2℃ (Max. 11.7℃) in late spring and 5.4℃ (Max. 18.1℃) in summer in PET; and 3.0℃ (Max. 6.1℃) in late spring and 2.6℃ (Max. 9.8℃) in summer in UTCI. The mean differences indicated a level change in PET and 1/2 level in UTCI, and the maximum differences showed greater changes, 2-3 levels in PET, and 1-1.5 levels in UTCI. Moreover, the roof (grass) location gave 4.6℃ PET reduction and a 2.5℃ UTCI reduction in late spring, and a 4.4℃ PET reduction and a 2.0℃ UTCI reduction in the summer when compared with the roof (cement) location, which results in a 2/3 level change in PET and a 1/3 level in UTCI. Green infrastructure locations [roof (grass), ground, and a tree-lined road] were not statistically significant in the reduction of PET and UTCI in thermal environment modifying effects. The implementation of green infrastructure, such as rooftop gardens, grass pavement, and street tree planting, should be adopted in landscape planning and be employed for human thermal environment modification.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.285-297
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• 2022

We report results of Extended Leak-Off Test (XLOT) conducted in a large diameter borehole, which is drilled for installation of deep borehole geophysical monitoring system to monitor micro-earthquakes and fault behavior of major fault zones in the southeastern Korean Peninsula. The borehole was planned to secure a final diameter of 200 mm (or more) at a depth of ~1 km, with 12" diameter wellbore to intermediate depths, and 7-7/8" (~200 mm) to the bottom hole depth. We drilled first the 12" borehole to approximately 504 m deep and installed American Petroleum Institute standard 8-5/8" casing, then annulus between the casing and bedrock was fully cemented. XLOT was carried out for several purposes such as confirming casing and cementing integrity, measuring rock stress states. To that end, we drilled additional 4 m long open hole interval to directly inject water and pressurize into the rock mass using the upper API casings. During the XLOT, flow rates and interval pressures were recorded in real time. Based on the logs we tried to analyze hydraulic conductivity of the test interval.