• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2016

This study presents the numerical results of soil-water characteristic curve for sandy soil by pore network model. The Jumunjin sand is subjected to the high resolution 3D X-ray computed tomographic imaging and its pore structure is constructed by the web of pore body and pore channel. The channel radius, essential to the computation of capillary pressure, is obtained based on the skeletonization and Euclidean Distance transform. The experimentally obtained soil-water characteristic curve corroborates the numerically estimated one. The pore channel radius defined by minimum radii of pore throat results in the slightly overestimation of air entry value, while the overall evolution of capillary pressure resides in the acceptable range. The relative permeability computed by a series of suggested models runs above that obtained by pore network model at high degree of saturation.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.221-231
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• 2018

A new procedure to produce poly(vinylidene fluoride)/boron nitride hybrid membrane is presented for application in membrane distillation (MD) process. The influence of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) incorporation on the performance of the polymeric membranes is studied through the present investigation. For this aim, h-BN nanopowders were successfully synthesized using the simple chemical vapor deposition (CVD) route and subsequent solvent treatments. The resulting h-BN nanosheets were blended with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) solution. Then, the prepared composite solution was subjected to phase inversion process to obtain PVDF/h-BN hybrid membranes. Various examinations such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wettability, permeation flux, mechanical strength and liquid entry pressure (LEP) measurements are performed to evaluate the prepared membrane. Moreover, Air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) experiments were carried out to investigate the salt rejection performance and the durability of membranes. The results show that our hybrid PVDF/h-BN membrane presents higher water permeation flux (${\sim}18kg/m^2h$) compared to pristine PVDF membrane. In addition, the experimental data confirms that the prepared nanocomposite membrane is hydrophobic (water contact angle: ${\sim}103^{\circ}$), has a porous skin layer (>85%), as well competitive fouling resistance and operational durability. Furthermore, the total salt rejection efficiency was obtained for PVDF/h-BN membrane. The results prove that the novel PVDF/h-BN membrane can be easily synthesized and applied in MD process for salt rejection purposes.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.55-64
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• 2006

Shallow failures of slopes in weathered soils are caused by infiltration caused by prolonged rainfall. These failures are mainly triggered by the deepening of the wetting band accompanied by a decrease in suction induced by the water infiltration. In this paper, hysteresis on soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) of granite and gneiss weathered soils is investigated using transient flow analysis respectively. Each case was subjected to artificial rainfall intensities and time duration depending on the laboratory-based drying and wetting processes. The results show that the unsaturated seepage on weathered slopes are very much affected by the initial suction of soils and unsaturated permeability of the soils. In addition, a granite weathered soil has a lower air-entry value, residual matric suction, and wetting front suction and less hysteresis loop than a gneiss weathered soil.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.65-70
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• 2009

Reduction of groundwater surface tension prior to air sparging (SEAS, surfactant-enhanced air sparging) was known to increase air saturation in the aquifer under influence, possibly enhancing the removal rates of volatile contaminants. Although SEAS was known to be efficient for increasing air saturation, little information is available for different hydrogeological settings including soil particle sizes and the depth of aquifer. We investigated water saturations in the sparging influence zone during SEAS using one-dimensional column packed with sands of different particle sizes and different aquifer depths. An anionic surfactant was used to suppress the surface tension of water. Two different sands were used; the air entry pressures of the sands were measured to be $15.0\;cmH_2O$, and $36.3\;cmH_2O$, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the water saturation-surface tension relationship for sands with different particle sizes. As the surface tension decreased, the water saturation decreased to a lowest point and then it increased with further decrease in the surface tension. Both sands reached their lowest water saturations when the surface tension was set approximately at 42 dyne/cm. SEAS was conducted at three different aquifer depths; 41 cm, 81 cm, and 160 cm. Water saturation-surface tension relationship was consistent regardless of the aquifer depth. The size of sparging influence zone during SEAS, measured using two-dimensional model, was found to be similar to the changes in air saturation, measured using one-dimensional model. Considering diverse hydrogeological settings where SEAS to be applied, the results here may provide useful information for designing SEAS process.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.419-427
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions to improvement directions of related regulations for water leisure activation. In order to accomplish such study purpose, the study utilized a survey methodology with 205 water leisure participants and 117 water leisure business employees. In addition, this study attempted to review the license and education system, registration and inspection system and business organizations from the advanced countries such as US, British, Australia and Japan. Accordingly, following findings were derived from current study. First, the problems of current license system included difficulty of operating the system and deficiency of operating organizations, and the improvement directions included expansion of education organizations and differentiation of education based on levels. Second, the improvement directions of registration and inspection included simplification of registration procedures and expansion of registration and inspection organizations. Third, difficulties perceived by business employees included complexity of entry and departure, complexity of registrating water leisure business and insufficiency of supporting business policies. In conclusion, water leisure related regulations including Water Leisure Safety Act need to be reformed continuously to reflect changing demands and needs from participants and business sectors.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.823-827
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• 2010

This study was conducted to assess the propriety of models for soil water characteristics estimation in anthropogenic soil through the measurement of soil water content and soil water matric potential. Soil profile was characterized with four different soil layers. Soil texture was loamy sand for the first soil layer (from soil surface to 30 cm soil depth), sand for the second (30~70 cm soil depth) and the third soil layers (70~120 cm soil depth), and sandy loam for the fourth soil layer (120 cm < soil depth). Soil water retention curve (SWRC), the relation between soil water content and soil water matric potential, took a similar trend between different layers except the layer of below 120 cm soil depth. The estimation of SWRC and air entry value was better in van Genuchten model by analytical method than in Brooks-Corey model with power function. Therefore, it could be concluded that van Genuchten model is more desirable than Brook-Corey model for estimating soil water characteristics of anthropogenic soil accumulated with saprolite.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2018

The physical properties and unsaturated characteristics of acid sulfate soils were investigated and analyzed. As the results of measuring physical properties of the acid sulfate soils obtained around the Ilkwang mine area, the dry unit weight is $1.246t/m^3$ and this soil is classified into the silty sand (SM) by USCS. Soil Water Characteristics Curves (SWCC) of the drying and wetting paths were measured by the automated SWCC apparatus. Also, Hydraulic Conductivity Functions (HCF) of the drying and wetting paths were estimated by the van Geunchten (1980) model which is the most well-known parameter estimation method. The hydraulic conductivity of acid sulfate soils in the dry path was continuously decreased with increasing the matric suction. However, the hydraulic conductivity in the wetting path was decreased relatively small with increasing matric suction and decreased suddenly just before water entry value of matric suction. Meanwhile, the hysteresis phenomenon was occurred in SWCCs and HCFs during the drying and wetting paths.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.582-588
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• 2013

The impact of global warming on aquatic systems has been a priority research area in the past decade. However, the possibility that increased temperatures will cause shifts in viral disease outbreaks has not been well addressed. In the present study, with increasing water temperature (WT) in the coastal area of Korea, we estimated the possibility of changes in fish viral diseases. From the present time, WT may rise between 0.62 and $1.7^{\circ}C$ by 2050, and the effect on aquaculture could be more adverse than benefitial. Red seabream iridovirus disease (RSIVD) and viral nervous necrosis (VNN) cause high mortality above 22 and $24^{\circ}C$, respectively, and outbreaks could commence earlier and persist for prolonged periods. Nevertheless, the period of occurrence of viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS), which outbreaks at a lower WT (< $18^{\circ}C$), could be shorter than the current infectious period. Thermal stress in fish causes reductions in growth and immunocompetence; thus, increases in summer WT can lead to the development of new viral diseases. WT has a strong influence on fish population dynamics; therefore, entry of new viruses and changes in the prevalence of infection can be expected if carrier fishes are introduced or migrate to Korean waters.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.287-298
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• 2019

Lotus leaf has a special dual micro and nano surface structure which gives its highly hydrophobic surface characteristics and so-called self cleaning effect. In order to endow PVDF hollow fiber membrane with this special structure and improve the hydrophobicity of membrane surface, PVDF hollow fiber composite membranes was obtained through the immersion coating of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) dilute solution on the outside surface of PVDF support membrane. The prepared PVDF composite membranes were used in the vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) for the desalination. The effects of PVDF-HFP dilute solution concentration in the dope solution and coating time on VMD separation performance was studied. Membranes were characterized by SEM, WCA measurement, porosity, and liquid entry pressure of water. VMD test was carried out using $35g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ NaCl aqueous solution as the feed solution at feed temperature of $30^{\circ}C$ and the permeate pressure of 31.3 kPa. The vapour flux reached a maximum when PVDF-HFP concentration in the dilute solution was 5 wt% and the coating time was kept in the range of 10-60 s. This was attributed to the well configuration of micro-nano rods which was similar with the dual micro-nano structure on the lotus leaf. Compared with the original PVDF membrane, the salt rejection can be well maintained which was greater than 99.99 % meanwhile permeation water conductivity was kept at a low value of $7-9{\mu}S{\cdot}cm^{-1}$ during the continuous testing for 360 h.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.49-60
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• 2010

Unsaturated permeability function is an important factor in the design and analysis of various unsaturated soil structures. Generally the permeability characteristics decrease as the mat ric suction increases and the trend is similar to water retention characteristics of a soil. The permeability of unsaturated soils can be obtained directly by laboratory tests or indirectly by estimation methods from other soil properties. For unsaturated soils sampled from 7 areas in KOREA, SWCCs and unsaturated permeability functions were obtained by experimental tests. The unsaturated permeability results were also compared with the unsaturated permeability functions derived from the SWCCs theoretically. However, the current estimation models of unsaturated permeability function did not express the unsaturated permeability characteristics. Therefore, the FXK-M permeability function was modified to predict more accurate permeability functions for Korean weathered soils using a correction factor that can be calculated from the air-entry value of SWCC. The new estimation model resulted in good agreements for all tested soils.