• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.263-272
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• 1999

Slice method is commonly used in solving slope stability problems since it is easy to use and its computation time is rather short. But depending upon the assumptions on the inter-slice forces, different methods are available. Quite often the difference between methods are so big that it is very difficult to make engineering decisions. This paper describes a method to calculate the factor of safety of a slope using FLAC, a finite difference based program. A FISH routine is developed to calculate the factor of safety, and verified by comparing with Chen's limit equilibrium solution. An example problem was selected from Fredlund and Krhan's paper, and results were compared for different soil and water conditions. The difference was less than 0.01 when the soil is homogeneous, and less than 5 % when a weak layer is embedded. Since most geotechnical application programs are capable of considering complicated ground conditions as well as the effect of ground supports, numerical methods are believed to be very useful in making engineering decisions. The developed routine can be applied to the calculation of the factor of safety of jointed rock slopes or weathered rock slopes where the use of slice method is limited.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2016

This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of natural radionuclides in Korean groundwater. Groundwater radionuclide data for the period 2000-2011 were obtained from the National Institute of Environmental Research and published literature, classified into five groups according to host rock type, and used to construct detailed concentration maps. Radon, uranium, gross-α, and radium concentrations ranged from 0.4 to 64,688.0 pCi/L (mean: 4,907 pCi/L), 0 to 2,297 μg/L (mean: 27.5 μg/L), 0 to 312 pCi/L (mean: 3.9 pCi/L), and 0 to 17.4 pCi/L (mean: 0.2 pCi/L), respectively. Radon concentrations in 562 of a total 1,501 wells (i.e., 53.5%) exceeded 4,000 pCi/L, which is the acceptable contamination threshold established by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Uranium, gross-α, and radium concentrations exceeded the respective thresholds of 30 μg/L, 15 pCi/L, and 5 pCi/L in 121 of 1,031 wells (11.9%), 34 of 978 wells (3.5%), and 4 of 89 wells (4.5%), respectively. The mean radionuclide concentration in groundwaters hosted by igneous and metamorphic rocks was higher than that in groundwaters hosted by other rock types, such as volcanics, carbonates, and other sedimentary rocks. The correlations between individual radionuclides were weak or insignificant.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.109-126
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• 2015

Because fault gouge developed at the center of fault is recognized as one of the most important weak sites, it is evident that clay mineralogy and physical properties greatly affect the rock stability. The purpose of this study is to establish the relationship of mineralogy and physical factors that control rock stability in fault zones. We analyzed a total of 51 samples from 16 main faults which were selected from a Korea fracture map, using XRD, SEM, and physical analyses like unit weight, friction and cohesion properties. Though it is considered that the most common clay minerals comprising fault gouge are kaolinite, illite and smectite, clay mineralogy slightly varies depending on lithology: illite > smectite > kaolinite and chlorite in volcanic rocks, kaolinite and chlorite > illite > smectite in sedimentary rocks, and illite > smectite > kaolinite and chlorite in abundance, respectively. Friction angle decreases with increasing clay content. Cohesion increases with increasing clay content below the 45 % region while it decreases with increasing clay content at the region higher than 45%, with some scatters in the data. It is likely that these results are ascribed to the physical heterogeneity of fault gouges with varying content of different clay minerals.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.101-111
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• 2006

In case of drilled shafts installed by drilling through soft overburden onto a strong rock, the piles can be regarded as end-bearing elements and their working load is determined by the safe working stress on the pile shaft at the point of minimum cross-section or by code of practice requirements. Drilled shafts drilled down for some depth into weak or weathered rocks and terminated within these rocks act partly as friction and partly as end-bearing piles. The base resistance component can contribute significantly to the ultimate capacity of the pile. However, the shaft resistance is typically mobilized at considerably smaller pile movements than that of the base. In addition, the base response can be adversely affected by any debris that is left in the bottom of the socket. The reliability of base response therefore depends on the use of a construction and inspection technique which leaves the socket free of debris. This may be difficult and costly to achieve, particularly in deep sockets, which are often drilled under water or drilling slurry. As a consequence of these factors, shaft resistance generally dominates pile performance at working loads. The efforts to improve the prediction of drilled shaft pile performance are therefore primarily concerned with the complex mechanisms of shaft resistance development. In this study, the numerical analyses are carried out to investigate the behavior characteristics of side of rock socketed drilled shafts varying the loading condition at the pile head. The difference of behavior characteristics of side resistance is also evaluated with the effects of modelling of asperity.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.57-69
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• 2001

We have carried out a nondestructive close examination for the purpose of the structural safety diagnosis of the Three-Story Pagoda(Seokga Pagoda) in Bulkuk temple in the city of Kyungju, Kyungbuk, Korea. Ultrasonic wave velocities were measured at 456 points of the pagoda comprising 44 blocks to estimate the mechanical properties of rock blocks constituting the pagoda. The measured velocities have the range of 1217 to 4403 m/sec with the average of 3227 m/sec. The empirical relationship between the ultrasonic velocity and the uniaxial compressive strength yielded the estimation of strength of each block, ranging from 134 to 844 kg/cm^2 and averaging 463 kg/cm^2. With an assumption that the strength of each block is described as a random variables having a normal distribution, we calculated the probability of failure of rock blocks of the pagoda. Our investigation revealed that the probability of the structural failure due to the weight of higher blocks is very low. However, the probability of partial failure around contact area is substantial, which is consistent with the appearance that edges and the corners of some blocks were broken off. The platform under the body of the pagoda appeared to be structurally weak as the probability of tensile failure of the lower platform is up to 18%, and diagonal fractures are shown where the probability of failure is high.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.528-546
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• 2018

Cases of TBM tunnelling have been consistently increasing worldwide. In many recent subsea and urban tunnelling projects, TBM excavation has been preferably considered due to its advantages over drill and blast tunnelling. Difficult ground conditions are highly probable to appear in subsea and urban tunnels because of the shallow working depth and alluvial characteristics. Under the difficult ground conditions, ground reinforcement measures should be considered including grouting, while it is of great importance to select the optimal grout material and injection method to cope with the ground condition. The benefits from TBM excavation, such as fast excavation, increased safety, and reduced environmental impact, can be achieved by applying appropriate ground reinforcement with the minimum overrun of cost and time. In this report, various grouting methods were reviewed so that they can be applied in difficult ground conditions. In addition, domestic and international cases of successful ground reinforcement for difficult grounds were introduced for future reference.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.78-92
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• 2022

In this study, we proposed a diagnostics and assessment model for mining sites that can evaluate the smart mining technology level in a systematic and structured way. For this, the maturity of the smart mining was defined, and detailed assessment items of the diagnostics and assessment model for smart mining were derived by considering the smart factory diagnostics and assessment model (KS X 9001-3) used in the manufacturing industry. While maintaining the existing system, the existing 46 detailed assessment items were modified to be suitable for mining. As a result, a total of 29 detailed assessment items were derived in the areas of promotion strategy, process, information system and automation, and performance. Based on this, a questionnaire was designed to diagnose the level of smart mining technology, and assessment was performed by applying it to domestic iron mines. The level of smart mining technology in the study area was found to be level 2, and it could be inferred that it was about 40% lower than the average smart level of the general manufacturing industry. In addition, by using the developed model, it was possible to recognize the weak points of the mine at each stage of the introduction, operation, and advancement of smart mining, and to suggest investment and improvement directions.

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.1 s.43
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• pp.25-38
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• 2006

Metamophic rocks of Samcheog area, northeastern Yeongnam massif, was studied petrochemically. This area includes Precambrian Hosanri Formation (schists and gneisses) and granitoid (Icheon granitic gneiss, leucocratic granite and Hongjesa granite), Cambrian sedimentary rocks, and Cretaceous sedimentary and acidic volcanic rocks. Hosanri formation is composed of quartz+plagioclase+K-feldspar+biotite+muscovite+granet${\pm}$cordierite${\pm}$sillimanite. Mineral assemblage of biotite granitic gneiss, which is massive granodioritic rock with weak foliation, is similar to Hosanri formation. According to mineral assemblages, metamorphic rocks of studied area can be divided into two metamorphic zones (garnet and sillimanite zones). From Icheonri area, major, trace and rare earth element data of biotite granitic gneiss and luecocratic granite suggest that source rock is politic rocks of Hosanri formation and source magma was formed by anatexis and experienced fractionation of plagioclase. Trace element diagram show collisional environment such as syn-collisional, volcanic arc granite. Orientation of faults in study area have three maximum concentrations, $N54^{\circ}\;W/77^{\circ}\;SW,\;N49^{\circ}\;W/81^{\circ}\;NE\;and\;N10^{\circ}\;W/38^{\circ}\;NE$. Structure analysis suggests that faults in study area ware formed by uplift and compression. Faulting age is guessed after Tertiary because some shear joints is developed in dikes to intrusive Cretaceous acidic volcanic rock. Hosanri formation and Icheon granitic gneiss had experienced similar deformation history because they have maximum concentration to foliations, $N89^{\circ}\;E/55^{\circ}\;SE\;and\;N80^{\circ}\;E/45^{\circ}\;SE$, respectively.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.132-147
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• 1989

A total of 83 surface sediments and 55 sea water samples, collected from the southwestern sea of Cheju Island, were analyzed in order to understand their textural characteristics, geochemical composition and the clay mineralogical features. The sediments were subdivided into ten textural classes, namely clayey sand, slightly gravelly muddy sand, sandy clay, clay and mud. The coarse and fine-grained mixed sediments are distributed in the northern part and around the Island, whereas the fine-grained deposits are mainly distributed in the central and southern parts of the study area; small scale mud patches are distributed in the southwestern and northern parts of Cheju Island. The high concentration of total suspended matter in study area gradually increase toward the southwestern and northwestern offshore area. The concentration of geochemical elements is as follow: the content of Mn, Al, Zn, Cr, Cu and Sn increase toward the southern part which is covered mainly with fine-grained deoposits, whereas the content of Ca, Mg and Ag is higher in the northern area; the elements such as Ni, Na, Fe and Pb are more concentrated relatively in muddy deposits rather than in sandy sediments. The light minerals such as Na-Ca feldspars show a high content around the Socotra Rock, toward the Soheugsan and Cheju Islands, but the K-feldspars are relatively high around the Cheju Island. It was noticed that the provenance of these sediments is partly influenced by the geological characteristics near the island. X-ray diffractogram for clay minerals from the southeastern mud patch and around the Soheugsan Island shows the diagnostic calcite peak indicating that the greater part of these clay fraction may have been derived from present and ancient Hwangho River. The high concentration of smectite in the northern part near the Cheju and around the Soheugsan Islands, eastern side of Socotra Rock probably result from supplies smectite altered from volcanic materials distributed in the Cheju Island and Socotra Rock, whereas the samples near the Chuja and northern parts of the Cheju Island contain weak calcite peak and high concentration of kaolinite and chlorite which is closely related to the geolgical characteristics on the adjacenting land area.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.14 no.4 s.41
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• pp.469-485
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to investigate the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater in the Umsung area, and to elucidate the effect of host rock type, well depth and mineralization zone on the groundwater chemistry. The geology of the study area consists of Jurassic granite and Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, which are bounded by a fault. Most of shallow groundwaters exploited in the Jurassic granite area are used for agricultural purpose, whereas the deep groundwaters in the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks are used for a drinking water. The shallow groundwater shows weak acidic pH, the electrical conductivity ranging from $142\;to\;903\;{\mu}S/cm$, and the chemical type of $Ca-HCO_3\;to\;Ca-Cl(SO_4,\;NO_3)$. A few of shallow groundwaters are contaminated by nitrate, and show high concentration of Fe, Mn and Zn, that reflects the effect of a mineralization zone. The deep groundwater shows neutral to weak alkaline pH, higher electrical conductivity than that of shallow groundwater, and the chemical type of $Ca-HCO_3$. The seepage water from the abandoned mines does not have the characteristics such as acidic pH, high concentration of heavy metals and high sulfate content. The hydrogen and oxygen isotopes of groundwater indicates an altitude effect of the recharge area between deep groundwater and shallow groundwater. In conclusion, the chemical composition of groundwater complicately reflects the effects of their host rocks, well depth, agricultural activity and mineralization zone in the study area.