• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.190-198
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• 2013

Ambers have been used mostly as beads, jewelry and ornaments from ancient times and excavated as a buried artifact. When excavated, they are severely weathered to be cracked, exfoliated and disintegrated. Monitoring of changes in composition of amber according to weathering is very important for diagnosing the condition of amber and applying conservation materials and techniques. In this study, we tried to find the components of amber by analyzing amber with pyrolysis/GC/MS. The changes in the composition of pyrolzates after artificial ageing for 60 days under heat and oxygen were also observed. Abietic acid was detected as a main component of fresh amber and monoterpene, alkene, aromatic hydrocarbon were detected as major pyrolyzates. Changes with artificial ageing was estimated by comparing the peak area ratio of 23 components, and it was found that abietic acid abruptly decreased in the presence of heat and oxygen together, revealing that oxygen is a key factor to the deterioration of amber. It was also tried to understand the weathered surface of original amber gemstone based on the result of this ageing experiment.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.89-101
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• 2018

In Mt. Halla, an arctic-alpine plant Diapensia lapponica var. obovata largely clings to rock surfaces. We observed the rock-surface temperatures of a rocky ridge on the summit area of the mountain from late April 2009 to early May 2010 in order to examine the diurnal and annual temperature variations and the thermal amplitude. We also investigated temperature regimes such as the frequency of freeze-thaw cycles and the temperature change, which might endanger the habitat through frost weathering. For comparison of slope aspects, temperature monitoring was carried out on the north and south faces of the same rocky ridge. The south face experiences the high daily maximum rock-surface temperatures and the high thermal amplitudes during the unfreezing season of May to November 2009. The temperature regimes are considered to exert physiological stress to the arctic-alpine plant. In addition, the south face shows the high frequency of freeze-thaw cycles during the seasonal freezing period of December 2009 to April 2010. This indicates that the south face is susceptible the exfoliation and granular disintegration of rock surfaces, which results in habitat destruction. As a consequence, the south face is believed to be less favorable for the establishment and growth of the arctic-alpine plant than the north face on the summit area of Mt. Halla.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.3
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• pp.293-303
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• 2022

As infrastructure ages and traffic load increases, serious public concerns have arisen for the well-being of bridges. The current health monitoring practice focuses on large-scale bridges rather than short span bridges. However, it is critical that more attention should be given to these behind-the-scene bridges. The relevant information about the construction methods and as-built properties are most likely missing. Additionally, since the condition of a bridge has unavoidably changed during service, due to weathering and deterioration, the material properties and boundary conditions would also have changed since its construction. Therefore, it is not appropriate to continue using the design values of the bridge parameters when undertaking any analysis to evaluate bridge performance. It is imperative to update the model, using finite element (FE) analysis to reflect the current structural condition. In this study, a FE model is established to simulate a concrete culvert bridge in New South Wales, Australia. That model, however, contains a number of parameter uncertainties that would compromise the accuracy of analytical results. The model is therefore updated with a neural network (NN) optimisation algorithm incorporating Monte Carlo (MC) simulation to minimise the uncertainties in parameters. The modal frequency and strain responses produced by the updated FE model are compared with the frequency and strain values on-site measured by sensors. The outcome indicates that the NN model updating incorporating MC simulation is a feasible and robust optimisation method for updating numerical models so as to minimise the difference between numerical models and their real-world counterparts.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.64-73
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• 2024

Oil spills pose significant threats to marine ecosystems, human health, socioeconomic aspects, and coastal communities. Accurate real-time predictions of oil slick transport along coastlines are paramount for quick preparedness and response efforts. This study used an open-source OpenOil numerical model to simulate the fate and trajectories of oil slicks released during the 2007 Hebei Spirit accident along the Korean coasts. Six combinations of input parameters, derived from a five-day met-ocean dataset incorporating various hydrodynamic, meteorological, and wave models, were investigated to determine the input variables that lead to the most reasonable results. The predictive performance of each combination was evaluated quantitatively by comparing the dimensions and matching rates between the simulated and observed oil slicks extracted from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data on the ocean surface. The results show that the combination incorporating the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) for hydrodynamic parameters exhibited more substantial agreement with the observed spill areas than Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), yielding up to 88% and 53% similarity, respectively, during a more than four-day oil transportation near Taean coasts. This study underscores the importance of integrating high-resolution met-ocean models into oil spill modeling efforts to enhance the predictive accuracy regarding oil spill dynamics and weathering processes.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.161-173
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• 2020

This study is to examine the engineering characteristics of colunmar joints in Mudeugsan National Park, a global geopark. For these purposes, physical and mechanical properties of Mudeungsan Tuff, evaluation for the weathering degree of columnar joints, and crack behavior monitoring in columnar joints were conducted. The physical properties of Mudeungsan tuff were 1.02% for the average porosity, 0.38% for the average absorption, 2.69 g/㎤ for the average specific gravity, and 4,948 m/s for the average elastic wave velocity. Its mechanical properties were 337 MPa for the average uniaxial compressive strength, 68 GPa for the average elastic modulus, 0.29 for the average Poisson's ratio, 41.3 MPa for the average cohesion strength, and 62.8° for the average friction angle. the average rebound Q-value of the silver Schmidt hammer for the three columnar joint blocks at the Ipseok-dae was shown as 49.3. when this value is converted into uniaxial compressive strength, it becomes 70.5 MPa, which is about 21% of the uniaxial compression strength of Mudeungsan tuff. In addition, according to the results of crack monitoring measurements for the three columnar joint blocks at the Ipseok-dae, the crack behavior is less than 1 mm, so it is believed that its behavior in Ipseak-dae columnar joints has hardly occured to date.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.497-510
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• 2022

Monthly monitoring, 3D scan survey, and electrical resistivity survey were conducted from January 2018 to August 2022 to identify the cause of rockfall occurring in Daljeon-ri Columnar Joint (Natural Monument No. 415), Pohang. A total of 3,231 rocks fell from the columnar joint over the past 5 years, and 1,521 (47%) of the falling rocks were below 20 cm in length, 978 (30.3%) of 20-30 cm, and 732 (22.7%) of rocks over 30 cm. While the number of rockfalls by year has decreased since 2018, the frequency of rockfalls bigger than 30 cm tends to increase. Large-scale rockfalls occurred mainly during the thawing season (March-April) and the rainy season (June-July), and the analysis of the relationship between cumulative rainfall and rockfall occurrence showed that cumulative rainfall for 3 to 4 days is also closely related to the occurrence of rockfall. Smectite and illite, which are expansible clay minerals, were observed in XRD analysis of the slope material (filling minerals) in the columnar joint, and the presence of a fault fracture zone was confirmed in the electrical resistivity survey. In addition, the confirmed fault fracture zone and the maximum erosion point analyzed through 3D precision measurement coincided with the main rockfall occurrence point observed by the BTC-6PXD camera. Therefore, the main cause of rockfall at Daljeon-ri columnar joint in Pohang is a combination of internal factors (development of fault fracture zones and joints, weathering of rocks, presence of expansive clay minerals) and external factors (precipitation, rapid thawing phenomenon), resulting in large-scale rockfall. Meanwhile, it was also confirmed that the Pohang-Gyeongju earthquake, which was continuously raised, was not the main cause.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.64-67
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• 2003

In order to identify the origin and nature of the spilled oil in the potential source, we analyzed the concentrations of specific fuel constituents in fuel standard and environmental samples. The ratios of pristane/phytane are virtually unaltered because these compounds have the same bolatility in environmental samples. These were useful to identify the source of the fuel oil and to assess the effect of microbial degradation and weathering of the fuel oil. We analyzed the ratios of pristane/phytane in neat white kerosene, boiler kerosene, JP-8 and diesel products from L and S gas station. The ratios of pristane/phytane in L-white kerosene and JP-8 was 3.10 $\pm$0.03 and 1.77 $\pm$ 0.01, respectively. Otherwise, the ratios of pristane/phytane in water phase after distribution of fuel oil and water was 2.97 $\pm$0.02 in case of white kerosene and 1.65 $\pm$ 0.02 in case of JP-8. It is apparent from the results that the ratios of pristane/phytane were as product-specific, especially between kerosene and JP-8, and therefore, can also be used for fuel type identification in free products and groundwater samples which were collected in monitoring wells.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.115-129
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• 2015

The cut-slope of a large-sectional tunnel portal is recognized as a potential area of weakness due to unstable stress distribution and possible permanent displacement. This paper presents a case study of a slope failure and remediation for a large-scale cut-slope at a tunnel portal. Extensive rock-slope brittle failure occurred along discontinuities in the rock mass after 46 mm of rainfall, which caused instability of the upper part of the cut-slope. Based on a geological survey and face mapping, the reason for failure is believed to be the presence of thin clay fill in discontinuities in the weathered rock mass and consequent saturationinduced joint weakening. The granite-gneiss rock mass has a high content of alkali-feldspar, indicating a vulnerability to weathering. Immediately before the slope failure, a sharp increase in displacement rate was indicated by settlement-time histories, and this observation can contribute to the safety management criteria for slope stability. In this case study, emergency remediation was performed to prevent further hazard and to facilitate reconstruction, and counterweight fill and concrete filling of voids were successfully applied. For ultimate remediation, the grid anchor-blocks were used for slope stabilization, and additional rock bolts and grouting were applied inside the tunnel. Limit-equilibrium slope stability analysis and analyses of strereographic projections confirmed the instability of the original slope and the effectiveness of reinforcing methods. After the application of reinforcing measures, instrumental monitoring indicated that the slope and the tunnel remained stable. This case study is expected to serve as a valuable reference for similar engineering cases of large-sectional slope stability.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.2
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• pp.175-184
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• 2012

This study was conducted to develop new mattress systems with vegetation base materials for protecting stream bank and rapid rehabilitation. Vegetation base materials are primarily compounded with fine soil, organic composts and peat moss as plant fibers, a water retainer and a soil improver. Peat moss can usually provide necessary natural fibers and organic materials in soil. Especially, peat moss can absorb up to 25 times its own weight in water and is therefore valued as a water retainer to prevent drying effect of vegetation base materials which can harm the growth of vegetation in mattresses. Normally mattress systems resist the lateral earth pressures or stream power by their own weight. Therefore, filled materials must have suitable weight, compressive strength and durability to resist the loading, as well as the effects of water and weathering. In this project, 100 to 200-mm clean, hard stones were basically specified, and about 50-mm rubbles were also used. Test application of new mattress system carried out in the stream bank of a small stream in the Gwangreung experimental forest, belonging to Korea Forest Research Institute (KFRI) in December 16th, 2006. As a result of the monitoring of vegetation coverage of test application plots (each plot size is 4 by 2 m), the coverage of all plots reached 100% in the end of May, 2007 (approximately 50 days passed after the first gemination of vegetation). The coverage of the plots using big hard stones and organic composts and the plots containing peat moss increased more rapidly. The results show that peat moss is effective to retain soil moisture and establish more sound environment for vegetation gemination.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.2 s.52
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• pp.289-297
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• 2007

Slope failure that is occurred by rainfall generates a lot of property damages and loss of lives. Slope stability management and reinforcement countermeasure can be attained through continuous monitoring about various slope types that adjoin in human's life for reducing slope failure from natural and artificial cut slope hazards. The study area is rock slope that is consisted of gneiss, and large scale joint set is ranging by fault activity. This rock mass is exposed during long period and has lithological weathering property of weathered rock or soft rock. In-situ investigation carried out after divide by natural slope and cut slope. As a result, the natural slope appeared to high possibility of planar failure and wedge failure in few joint points that main joint set is formed. On the other hand, slope failure conformation in cut slope was superior only wedge failure occurrence possibility in eight joint points. In result of numerical analysis using SLIDE 2D, the minimum safety factor was analyzed slope stability for cut slope relatively low than natural slope in this study.