• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.89-103
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• 2018

This study presents results of analysis on fault-related landforms and the Quaternary fluvial landforms, which are important evidences for active faulting by identifying surface deformation, around the Ulsan Fault Zone. In addition, this study suggests lineament map and inferred active fault-line map based on analyzing linearity and continuity of these landforms and by compiling location information of existing active faults. We convince that quantitative tectonic-geomorphological analysis are an effective method for active faults tracking, in particular, considering the conditions of relatively low seismicity and surface ruptured-events in the Korean Peninsula compared to plate boundary active areas. However, research on active fault in South Korea is just an infant stage since the 1990s and requires accumulation of research achievements on development and application of various fault analysis techniques, analysing and standardizing linear structures.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.78-84
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• 2008

Recent earthquakes near nuclear power plants in Korea have triggered public concerns about possible seismicity of the Ulsan Fault Zone in the south-eastern part of the Korean peninsula. To reveal subsurface structures of this fault zone, we conducted high-resolution seismic refraction and reflection surveys, and closely spaced gravity measurements in the Dongchon River valley north of Ulsan, Korea. Here alluvium covers the north-south trending fault zone in a 1-km wide valley. Both source points and receivers were spaced at 5-m intervals for the 24-channel seismic refraction and reflection methods, along two profiles of 835 m and 415 m length. Gravity data were also measured along these profiles at 131 stations using a 10-m interval. Synergetic interpretation of seismic refraction, high-resolution seismic reflection, and gravity surveys across the valley indicates that the Ulsan Fault Zone was formed by apparent north-south strike-slip motions during the Cretaceous, and that some faults may have been reactivated by east-west compressional or transpressional stresses during the Tertiary or Quaternary.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.11-18
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• 2002

The Ulsan fault with NNW-SSE strike is a very wide and long lineament about 50km along Gyeungju-Ulsan line in the southeastern part of Korea. According to previous studies the Ulsan fault was not considered as a fault but only long lineament since no displacement was found along the lineament. Recently several Quaternary faults were reported in the northeastern part of lineament, which implies the neotectonic movement in this area. We analysed drainage pattern and stream gradient using the DEM (Digital Elevation Model) data for both side of Ulsan fault line to check the recent topographic changes which indicate neotectonic movement. The result shows that stream index in the eastern part of Ulsan fault is higher than the one in the western part. This means that recent tectonic movement is more active in the eastern part of Ulsan fault.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.161-167
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• 1999

Electric and electromagnetic surveys were conducted to investigate the deep structure of the Ulsan fault in Ipsil area, south of Kyeongju. On this study, especially high-frequency magnetotelluric method of electromagnetic survey in the frequency range of 10~100,000 Hz was mainly employed to study the deep subsurface configuration. High-frequency MT survey was performed at 70 points of spacing 30~50 m, making 3.8 km survey line. As a survey result, a 2-km-depth 2-D cross-section was achieved. It shows vertical and horizontal subsurface variations of resistivity values. Near-surface layer having low resistivity value becomes thicker eastward up to 800m. There is a steep low resistivity zone in the west side of survey line, and there exists two low resistivity zones dipping west in the east side of survey line. Two low resistivity zones are interpreted to be related to major movement pattern of the Ulsan fault. This suggests that major fault lines are developed on both peripheral sides of the broad fault zone.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.485-498
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• 2015

Structural analysis for a large-scale fault in Maegok-dong, Ulsan, was carried out based on filed-works to investigate the geometric and kinematic characteristics of the fault as well as its Quaternary slip. As results, a series of repeated stratigraphy, minor faults, fracture zones, and deformation band clusters are observed over a distance of about 100 m in the first studied site consisting of sedimentary rocks, which may indicate the damage zone of a large-scale fault in this site. In the second site, mainly composed of granitic clastic rocks, a large-scale thrust fault is expected based on low-angle dipping faults showing branched and/or merged patterns. Age of the last slip on this fault was restrained as after 33,275 ± 355 yr BP based on radiocarbon dating for organic material included in the gouge zone. Dimension of fault damage zone, dominant sense of slip, and age of the slip event associated with the fault suggest that these structures have a close relationship with the Ulsan Fault and/or Yeonil Tectonic Line, which are well-known large-scale neotectonic structural features around the study area. Therefore, it is necessary to study the characteristics of the faults in detail based on structural geology and paleoseismology in order to ensure seismic and geologic stability of the buildings under construction, and to prevent geologic hazards in this area.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.635-643
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• 2009

In this paper, a Quaternary fault is described, which is developed in the mid-eastern part of Ulsan Fault Zone, near the southern Gaegok-ri, Oedong-eub, Gyeongju, Korea. The Gaegok 6 fault is developed along the contact between Early Tertiary granite and Quaternary gravel deposit overlying unconformably the granite. The fault strikes $N02^{\circ}{\sim}22^{\circ}E$ and dips $45^{\circ}{\sim}80^{\circ}$ to the west. This fault has a 30~50 cm wide cataclastic shear zone with gouge zone, mixed with Quaternary sediments and fault breccia of granite. In the main Quaternary fault plane, the orientation of striation is $17^{\circ}$, $356^{\circ}$, indicating a dextral strike-slip faulting with some normal component. There is another striation ($78^{\circ}$, $278^{\circ}$ and $43^{\circ}$, $270^{\circ}$) with reverse-slip sense, developed on the subsidiary plane which cuts the main Quaternary fault plane. In brief, the fault has been developed between the granite in the western part and the Quaternary gravel deposit in the eastern part. The western block of fault is uplifted. The striations and movement senses of faults indicate multiple compressional stages in this region. The fault has a similar orientation, westward dipping geometric pattern, and reverse sensed kinematic pattern with Gaegok 1 fault developed in the north. Thus, the Gaegok 6 fault is probably a southern extension of Gaegok 1 fault.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.347-357
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• 2019

The main fault zone of the Yangsan Fault, located in the southeastern part of the Korean peninsula, is newly found at the Cheonjin-ri, Dudong-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan, Korea. About 100 wide fault zone exposed along the Guryangcheon stream strikes N-S and dips over 70° toward east. The main fault zone is composed of N-S-striking gouge and breccia layers and enclosed lenses. Striations on the subvertical fault surfaces mainly indicate dextral slip, but moderate-angle minor reverse faults showing top-tothe-west shearing transect the foliated high-angle gouge and breccia layers. These indicate that the dextral slip along the fault, which is interpreted as the main movement of the fault, was followed by reverse slip. The fault zone is composed of N-S-striking gouge layers and enclosed, fractured lenses. Locally distributed NE-SW- to E-W-striking fault gouge layers with fractured lenses show asymmetric folds, indicating progressive dextral movement. Therefore, the exposed fault zone has a high internal complexity due to the combined effects of NNE-SSW-trending dextral shearing and E-W-trending shortening by compression. In addition, around main boundary fault between the western volcanic rocks and eastern sedimentary rocks offsets the overlying Quaternary fluvial conglomerate. This is a good example that understanding of internal structures of main fault zone (or fault core), such as the Yangsan Fault, plays an important role to study the Quaternary activity and to find the active fault.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2014

We investigated space-time patterns of Quaternary fault activity of the Yangsan fault zone using ESR ages in the Samnam-myeon region, Ulsan, Korea. Some of fault gouge zones consist of well-defined bands which added to the older gouge band, indicative of reactivation. During addition of new bands, the older gouge band was inactive, which represents the type I faulting mode. ESR analyses of each band of the gouge zone allow us to construct history of fault movement. The entire fault gouge zones were reactivated by type III faulting mode giving us ESR ages of the lastest reactivation. ESR dates show temporal clustering into active and inactive periods analogous to historic and paleoseismic fault activities. ESR ages and dates of fault movements indicate migration of fault activities along the Yangsan Fault Zone. Segments of the Quaternary faults in the study area are branched in the south of Sangcheon site. The earliest record of activity in segmented faults is recorded from the western segment to the northern segment. Before 750~850 ka ago, the fault gouge zone from the western segment to the northern segment were active. At 750~850 ka ago, the fault gouge zone from the eastern segment to the northern segment were active. During 630~660 ka and 480~540 ka only the northern segment was active. After 340 ka ago, the fault gouge zone from the western segment to the northern segment were active again.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.583-593
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• 2001

Clay minerals are common component of fault gouge and have been used to determine the fault activity age using K-Ar dating technique. We carried out XRD and K-Ar analyses of the mica clay minerals from the fault gouge along the Ulsan Fault Zone, southeastern Korea to estimate the timing of the major fault activity. Mica clay minerals for four grain size fractions of 5-2 Um, 2-1 $\mu$m, 1-0.35$\mu$m, and 0.35-0.05 $\mu$m were separated from the gouge samples in the three locations by the hydraulic elutriation and contrifugal separator. Fault gouges are composed of smectite, mica clay minerals, kaolinite, chlorite, quartz, and feldspar. The illite crystallinity of mica clay minerals is the highest in the finest grained fraction with lM polytype, indicating that the aulhigenic mica clay minerals have been concentrated in the fraction. K-Ar ages give some variation from 46 to 35 Ma (330-2), 45 to 39 Ma (16Ww), and 32 to 15 Ma (102Ws) and are the youngest in the finest grained fraction. These results suggest that the hydrothermal alteration associated with the major fault activities along the Ulsan fault Zone took place twice at 39-35 Ma and 15 Ma.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.151-164
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• 2022

According to the records of historical and instrumental earthquakes, the southeastern part of the Korean Peninsula is considered the highest seismic activity area. Owing to recent reports of numerous Quaternary faults along the Yangsan and Ulsan fault zones, paleoseismological studies are being actively conducted in these areas. The study area is located in the central part of the Ulsan fault zone, where the largest number of active faults have been reported. Based on lineament and geomorphic analysis using LiDAR images and aerial photographs, fault-related landforms showing topographic relief were observed and a trench survey was conducted. The trench length 20 m, width 5 m, depth 5 m is located approximately 300 m away to the northeast from the previously reported Malbang fault. From the trench section, we interpreted the geometric and kinematic characteristics of the fault based on the deformed features of the Quaternary sedimentary layers. The attitude of the reverse fault, N26°W/33°NE, is similar to those of the reported faults distributed along the Ulsan fault zone. Although a single apparent displacement of approximately 40 cm has been observed, the true displacement could not be calculated due to the absence of the slickenline on the fault plane. Based on the geochronological results of the cryogenic structure proposed in a previous study, the most recent faulting event has been estimated as being earlier than the late Wurm glaciation. We interpreted the thrust fault system of the study area as an imbrication structure based on the previous studies and the fault geometry obtained in this additional trench. Although several previous investigations including many trench surveys have been conducted, they found limited success in obtaining the information on fault parameters, which could be due to complex characteristics of the reverse fault system. Additional paleoseismic studies will contribute to solving the mentioned problems and the comprehensive fault evolution.