• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.643-659
• /
• 2022

Geologic sequestration technologies such as CCS (carbon capture and storage), EGS (enhanced geothermal systems), and EOR (enhanced oil recovery) have been widely implemented in recent years, prompting evaluation of the mechanical stability of storage sites. As fluid injection can stimulate mechanical instability in storage layers by perturbing the stress state and pore pressure, poroelastic models considering various injection scenarios are required. In this study, we calculate the pore pressure, stress distribution, and vertical displacement along a surface using commercial finite element software (COMSOL); fault slips are subsequently simulated using PyLith, an open-source finite element software. The displacement fields, are obtained from PyLith is transferred back to COMSOL to determine changes in coseismic stresses and surface displacements. Our sequential use of COMSOL-PyLith-COMSOL for poroelastic modeling of fluid-injection and induced-earthquakes reveals large variations of pore pressure, vertical displacement, and Coulomb failure stress change during injection periods. On the other hand, the residual stress diffuses into the remote field after injection stops. This flow pattern suggests the necessity of numerical modeling and long-term monitoring, even after injection has stopped. We found that the time at which the Coulomb failure stress reaches the critical point greatly varies with the hydraulic and poroelastic properties (e.g., permeability and Biot-Willis coefficient) of the fault and injection layer. We suggest that an understanding of the detailed physical properties of the surrounding layer is important in selecting the injection site. Our numerical results showing the surface displacement and deviatoric stress distribution with different amounts of fault slip highlight the need to test more variable fault slip scenarios.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.45 no.4
• /
• pp.377-384
• /
• 2012

The main field component of the Earth's magnetic field was modeled from the tri-axial magnetometer onboard KOrean MultiPurpose SATellite-II (KOMPSAT-II) for the purpose of satellite attitude control. The model computed by the KOMPSAT-II magnetometer measurement data is compared with the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) model of a degree of up to 13 in spherical harmonic coefficients. The previous study with KOMPSAT-I (Kim et al. 2004) indicated a good correlation of power spectrum of spherical harmonic coefficients with respect to the degree up to 5. This study, however, showed an agreement of the degree up to 8-9 of the coefficient power spectrum and a discrepancy between degrees 10 and 13. We have concluded that relevant data selection process, removal of the external field from the data in the high latitude region, an accuracy of the magnetometer all play an important role in finding a coherence with the IGRF model. This study will be extended to the secular variation model of geomagnetism if longer-period data become available.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.674-686
• /
• 2011

Choosing a seismic source and geophone type including a coupling method can be the most important factor in shallow seismic surveys. We studied the characteristics of seismic signals by analyzing 6 different seismic data sets that collected from several sources and geophone conditions. Geophones attached to weight plate (1.8 kg) can be easily and economically installed on the paved road where geophones with spikes would cause the coupling problem. In addition, experiments in this study revealed that a small handy hammer can be used as a seismic source by striking the paved road to generate the seismic signals within 200 ms two-way travel time. Attaching weight plates to geophones may change the geophone response curve which generally depends on the geophone mass, but the change seems not to give significant differences in the first arrival of refracted wave and in the pattern of reflection events. Consequently, using weight plates on paved roads can be an efficient and cost-saving method in the near-surface high-resolution seismic surveys.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.156-162
• /
• 2005

Particularly in research related to seawater intrusion the change of fluid electrical conductivity is one of major concerns, and effective monitoring can help to optimize a water pumping performance in coastal areas. Special considerations should be given to the mounting of sensors at proper depth during the monitoring design since the vertical distribution of fluid electrical conductivity is sensitive to the characteristics of seawater intrusion zone. This tells us the multi-channel electrical conductivity monitoring is of paramount consequence. It, however, is a rare event when this approach becomes routinely available in that commonly used commercial stand-alone type sensors are very expensive and inadequate for a long term monitoring of electrical conductivity or water level due to their restricted storage and difficulty of real-time control. For this reason, we have developed a real-time monitoring system that could meet these requirements. This system is user friendly, cost-effective, and easy to control measurement parameters - sampling interval, acquisition range, and others. And this devised system has been utilized for the electrical conductivity monitoring in boreholes, Yeonggwang-gun, Korea. Monitoring has been consecutively executed for 24 hours, and the responses of electrical conductivity at some channels have been regularly increased or decreased while pumping up water. It, with well logging data implemented before/after pumping water, verifies that electrical conductivity changes in the specified depths originate from fluid movements through sand layer or permeable fractured rock. Eventually, the multi-channel electrical conductivity monitoring system makes an effective key to secure groundwater resources in coastal areas.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.173-182
• /
• 2009

In April 2008, KIGAM carried out an ocean-bottom seismometer (OBS) survey in the central Ulleung Basin where strong bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs) were revealed from previous surveys and some gas-hydrate samples were retrieved by direct sampling. The purpose of this survey is to estimate the velocity structure near the BSR in the gas hydrate prospect area using wide-angle seismic data recorded on the ocean-bottom seismometers. Along with the OBS survey, a 2-D seismic survey was performed whereby stratigraphic and preliminary velocity information was obtained. Two methods were applied to wide-angle data for estimating P wave velocity; one is velocity analysis in the $\tau$-p domain and the other is seismic traveltime inversion. A 1-D interval velocity profile was obtained by the first method, which was refined to layered velocity structure by the latter method. A layer stripping method was adopted for modeling and inversion. All velocity profiles at each OBS site clearly show velocity reversal at BSR depths due to the presence of gas hydrates. In addition, we could confirm high velocity in the column/chimney structure.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.657-672
• /
• 2008

The purposes of this study are to investigate the hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwaters around Keumsan municipal landfill, and to evaluate the contaminant dispersion from the landfill and its environmental impact. To achieve these goals, groundwater quality logging, hydrochemical analysis, multivariate statistical analysis, and contaminant transport modeling were performed. The water quality logging indicated a leaking from the landfill at the depth of 4-12m around a leachate sump. Electrical conductivity data indicated that groundwaters within 70-100m from landfill were affected by the landfill leakage. Principal components 1 and 2 obtained from principal components analysis (PCA) reflect the influence of leachate and the characteristics of aquifer media, respectively. The results of principal component analysis also indicated the natural attenuation processes such as cation exchange, sorption, and microbial biodegradation. The modeling results showed that groundwater flow westward along a valley from the landfill and contaminants transport accordingly.

• 한국문화재보존과학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2004.10a
• /
• pp.81-91
• /
• 2004

The host rock of standing sculptured Buddha in the Yongamsa temple was macular biotite granite, which has gone through mechanical and chemical weathering. The principal rock-forming minerals are quartz, plagioclase, alkali feldspar, and biotite, the last two of which have been transformed into clay minerals and chlorite due to weathering processes. The bed rock around the Buddha statue is busily scattered with steep inclinations that are almost vertical and discontinuous planes with the strikes of $N8^{\circ}E$. The major joints have the strikes of N4 to $52^{\circ}W$ and N6 to $88^{\circ}E$ and the dips of 42 to $89^{\circ}$. Especially thee development of the joints that cross the major joints causes tile structural instability of the rock. The host rock of the Buddha image is separated into many different rock masses because of the also many different discontinuity, which group accounts for about $12{\%}$ of the rock. Thus it's estimated that the bed rock has not only plane and toppling failure but also wedge failure in all the sides. Since the earth pressure and the inclination pressure are imposed on the body of the Buddha in the basement rock, it's urgent to give a treatment of geotechnical engineering for the sake of its structural stability. The parts where serious fractures are seen should receive the hardening process using the fillers for stones. It's also necessary to introduce a landfill liner system in order to reduce the ground humidity. The rock surface of the Buddha statue are partly contaminated by lichens and bryophyte. The joints have turned into earth, which promotes the growth of weeds and plant roots. Thus biochemical treatments should also be considered to get rid of the vegetation along the discontinuous planes and prevent further biological damages.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
• /
• v.12 no.12
• /
• pp.21-30
• /
• 2011

The recycled soil that is proceeded from demolition concrete structures was analyzed by the methods of the physical and mechanical tests of soil and TCLP test to use the soil in low landfilling for the construction of an industrial complex. The laboratory test for diffusion of alkali ion in soil mass was analyzed by the methods of XRF and ICP. The fish toxicity test was also conducted to find an environmental influence. The recycled soil through the laboratory test satisfied the engineering property for low landfilling and the criteria of soil contamination. However, the solution which producted by 1:1 ratio of recycled soil and water contained the high pH concentration by alkali ion. The calcium hydroxide solution by CSH cement paste was estimated as the main reason why pH concentration is increased more than 9.0. The high pH concentration in recycled soils causes a toxicity to the livability of fishes. A diffusion area of pH concentration in the ground was analyzed by the Visual Modflow Ver. 2009 program based on geotechnical investigation. The high pH concentration in the recycled soils can be remained as high value due to cement paste in the long term period. Therefore, in the early stage of landfilling work, the mixing with the weathered granite soil is necessary to control the pH concentration.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.34-44
• /
• 1998

Analysis of gravity, magnetic, and seismic reflection data from the Ulleung Basin, East Sea has provided some insights into the opening mechanism and crustal type of the basin. Free-air gravity anomaly data show positive anomalies of about 40~60 mgal near the Korea Plateau and Oki Bank and of about -20~20 mgal in the central basin. Bouguer gravity anomaly data exhibit NE-SW trending positive anomalies of about 150 mgal in the central basin which is interpreted to be related to high-density crustal material. Abrupt changes in both Free-air and Bouguer gravity anomaly profiles across the basin margins may be due to transition between continental and oceanic crusts. Magnetic anomalies in the basin are generally less than -400 nT. No stripe pattern is evident in the magnetic anomaly map but a NW-SE trending symmetric pattern is seen in some magnetic profiles. The symmetric pattern is probably associated with the high-density crustal material in the central basin suggested by Bouguer gravity anomaly. The acoustic basement in the deep part of the basin has only a small amount of local relief. No graben or half-graben structures are seen in the acoustic basement from which mechanical extension might be inferred. The lack of high-relief structures in the acoustic basement may suggest that the basin is underlain by oceanic crust or that the basement is overlain by thick volcanic layer which obscures the structures and relief of the basement. High-density crust in the central basin inferred from gravity data, abrupt changes in gravity anomalies across the basin margins, symmetric pattern seen in some magnetic anomaly profiles, and lack of relief in the acoustic basement may suggest sea-floor spreading origin of the Ulleung Basin.