• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2014

IAEA has employed various types of radiation detectors - HPGe, NaI, CZT - for accountancy of nuclear material. Among them, HPGe has been mainly used in verification activities required for high accuracy. Due to its essential cooling component(a liquid-nitrogen cooling or a mechanical cooling system), it is large and heavy and needs long cooling time before use. New hand-held portable HPGe has been developed to address such problems. This paper deals with results of performance evaluation test of the new hand-held portable HPGe prototype which was used during IAEA's inspection activities. Radioactive spectra obtained with the new portable HPGe showed different characteristics depending on types and enrichments of nuclear materials inspected. Also, Gamma-rays from daughter radioisotopes in the decay series of $^{235}U$ and $^{238}U$ and characteristic x-rays from uranium were able to be remarkably separated from other peaks in the spectra. A relative error of enrichment measured by the new portable HPGe was in the range of 9 to 27%. The enrichment measurement results didn't meet partially requirement of IAEA because of a small size of a radiation sensing material. This problem might be solved through a further study. This paper discusses how to determine enrichment of nuclear material as well as how to apply the new hand-held portable HPGe to safeguard inspection. There have been few papers to deal with IAEA inspection activity in Korea to verify accountancy of nuclear material in national nuclear facilities. This paper would contribute to analyzing results of safeguards inspection. Also, it is expected that things discussed about further improvement of a radiation detector would make contribution to development of a radiation detector in the related field.

• Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.25-39
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• 2022

This study was conducted to evaluate the manufacturing process of non-sintered cement for the safe containment of radioactive waste using low level or ultra-low level radioactive waste soil generated from nuclear-decommissioning facilities, clay minerals, and blast furnace slag (BFS) as an industrial by-product recycling and to characterize the products using mineralogical and morphological analyses. A stepwise approach was used: (1) measuring properties of source materials (reactants), such as waste soil, clay minerals, and BFS, (2) manufacturing the non-sintered cement for the containment of radioactive waste using source materials and deducing the optimal mixing ratio of solidifying and adjusting agents, and (3) conducting mineralogical and morphological analyses of products from the hydration reactions of manufactured non-sintered cement solidifier (NSCS) containing waste concrete generated from nuclear-decommissioning facilities. The analytical results of NSCS using waste soil and clay minerals confirmed none of the hydration products, but calcium silicate (CSH) and ettringite were examined as hydration products in the case of using BFS. The compressive strength of NSCS manufactured with the optimum mixing ratio and using waste soil and clay minerals was 3 MPa after the 28-day curing period, and it was not satisfied with the acceptance criteria (3.44 MPa) for being brought in disposal sites. However, the compressive strength of NSCS using BFS was estimated to be satisfied with the acceptance criteria, despite manufacturing conditions, and it was maximized to 27 MPa at the optimal mixing ratio. The results indicate that the most relevant NSCS for the safe containment of radioactive waste can be manufactured using BFS as solidifying agent and using waste soil and clay minerals as adsorbents for radioactive nuclides.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.429-435
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• 2020

North Korea declared itself complete with nuclear force after its sixth nuclear test in 2017. Despite efforts at home and abroad to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, the prospects for the denuclearization are not bright. Along with political and diplomatic efforts to deter NK's WMD threats, the government is required to strengthen its consequence management capabilities against 'catastrophic situations' expected in case of emergency. Accordingly, this study was conducted to present measures to strengthen follow-up management against CBRN threats. The research model was partially supplemented and utilized by the THIRA process adopted and utilized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security among national-level disaster management plan development models. Korea's consequence management (CM) system encompasses risk and crisis management on disaster condition. The system has been carried out in the form of a civil, government and military integrated defense operations for the purpose of curbing the spread or use of CBRNs, responding to threats, and minimizing expected damages. The preventive stage call for the incorporation of CBRN concept and CM procedures into the national management system, supplementing the integrated alarm systems, preparation of evacuation facilities, and establishment of the integrated training systems. In the preparation phase, readjustment of relevant laws and manuals, maintenance of government organizations, developing performance procedures, establishing the on-site support systems, and regular training are essential. In the response phase, normal operations of the medical support system for first aid and relief, installation and operation of facilities for decontamination, and development of regional damage assessment and control guidelines are important. In the recovery phase, development of stabilization evaluation criteria and procedures, securing and operation of resources needed for damage recovery, and strengthening of regional damage recovery capabilities linked to local defense forces, reserve forces and civil defense committees are required.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.265-282
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• 2008

Based on the site characterization works in a low and intermediate level waste(LILW) repository site, the numerical simulations for groundwater flow were carried out in order to understand the groundwater flow system of repository site. To accomplish the groundwater flow modeling in the repository site, the discrete fracture network(DFN) model was constructed using the characteristics of fracture zones and background fractures. At result, the total 10 different hydraulic conductivity(K) fields were obtained from DFN model stochastically and K distributions of constructed mesh were inputted into the 10 cases of groundwater flow simulations in FEFLOW. From the total 10 numerical simulation results, the simulated groundwater levels were strongly governed by topography and the groundwater fluxes were governed by locally existed high permeable fracture zones in repository depth. Especially, the groundwater table was predicted to have several tens meters below the groundwater table compared with the undisturbed condition around disposal silo after construction of underground facilities. After closure of disposal facilities, the groundwater level would be almost recovered within 1 year and have a tendency to keep a steady state of groundwater level in 2 year.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.2331-2338
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• 2014

The HEMP threat may have acquired new, and urgent, relevance as the proliferation of nuclear weapons and missile technology accelerates of the North Korea, for example, is assessed as already having developed few atomic weapons, and is on the verge of North Korea already has missiles capable of delivering a nuclear warhead against South Korea. ITU K.78, K81 and IEC recommended its counter-measuring for the industrial facilities with navigation and sailing facilities in order to obviate the all of processor equipped system malfunctions from the EMP/HEMP but its simulation must only be done by the computer simulation which had studied on the 1960-1990 years USA/AFWL papers. This result has a significant activities to the South Korea being under the North Korea threat because all of HEMP related products was strongly limited for export. The HEMP cord which was developed newly by the KTI including the HEMP generation & propagation analysis, optimal shelter design tool, essential EM energy attenuation in multi-layered various soils and rocks and HEMP filter design tool. Especially, the least square fitting method was adopted to analysis for the EM energy attenuation in the soils and rocks because it has a various characteristics based on the many times field test reports.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.471-479
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• 2023

In In-situ radioactivity measurement techniques, efficiency calibration models use predefined models to simulate a sample's geometry and radioactivity distribution. However, simplified efficiency calibration models lead to uncertainties in the efficiency curves, which in turn affect the radioactivity concentration results. This study aims to develop an efficiency calibration optimization methodology to improve the accuracy of in-situ gamma radiation measurements for byproducts from industrial facilities. To accomplish the objective, a drive mechanism for rotational measurement of an byproduct simulator and a sample was constructed. Using ISOCS, an efficiency calibration model of the designed object was generated. Then, the sensitivity analysis of the efficiency calibration model was performed, and the efficiency curve of the efficiency calibration model was optimized using the sensitivity analysis results. Finally, the radiation concentration of the simulated subject was estimated, compared, and evaluated with the designed certification value. For the sensitivity assessment of the influencing factors of the efficiency calibration model, the ISOCS Uncertainty Estimator was used for the horizontal and vertical size and density of the measured object. The standard deviation of the measurement efficiency as a function of the longitudinal size and density of the efficiency calibration model decreased with increasing energy region. When using the optimized efficiency calibration model, the measurement efficiency using IUE was improved compared to the measurement efficiency using ISOCS at the energy of ²²⁸Ac (911 keV) for the nuclide under analysis. Using the ISOCS efficiency calibration method, the difference between the measured radiation concentration and the design value for each simulated subject measurement direction was 4.1% (1% to 10%) on average. The difference between the estimated radioactivity concentration and the design value was 3.6% (1~8%) on average when using the ISOCS IUE efficiency calibration method, which was closer to the design value than the efficiency calibration method using ISOCS. In other words, the estimated radioactivity concentration using the optimized efficiency curve was similar to the designed radioactivity concentration. The results of this study can be utilized as the main basis for the development of regulatory technologies for the treatment and disposal of waste generated during the operation, maintenance, and facility replacement of domestic byproduct generation facilities.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2016

We are living in the 21st century, a new era of high-technology. Due to movements in population towards certain preferred areas, caused by material and technological advancement, growth has occurredn beyond the metropolis, leading to the development of the so-calleda "megalopolis." This development has changed the culture of housing, notably the characteristics of high-rise buildings, and underground facilities (such as subways and shopping centers), and has generally enlarged the scale of the facilities. Due to the increase in the number of single-family households, - notably ones including only the nuclear family, there has been a growing overpopulation problem, with apartments and urban housing developments expanding at rates beyond institutional safety regulations. In this study, we analyze the phenomenon of fire spreading in apartment buildings through actual apartment fire case studies, including that of the MunjonPonpuri apartment building. It was found that the speed at which the fire spreads is lower in apartments without than in those with an extended balcony. Based on the findings from case studies and the test results, we propose a series of safety countermeasures and responses for apartment fires.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2016

Background: With the increase in the number of particle accelerator facilities under either operation or construction, the accurate calculation using Monte Carlo codes become more important in the shielding design and radiation safety evaluation of accelerator facilities. Materials and Methods: The calculations with different physics models were applied in both of cases: using only physics model and using the mix and match method of MCNPX code. The issued conditions were the interactions of 600 MeV proton and $290MeV{\cdot}n^{-1}$ oxygen with a carbon target. Both of cross-section libraries, JENDL High Energy File 2007 (JENDL/HE-2007) and LA150, were tested in this calculation. In the case of oxygen ion interactions, the calculation results using LAQGSM physics model and JENDL/HE-2007 library were compared with D. Satoh's experimental data. Other Monte Carlo calculations using PHITS and FLUKA codes were also carried out for further benchmarking study. Results and Discussion: It was clearly found that the physics models, especially intra-nuclear cascade model, gave a great effect to determine proton-induced secondary neutron spectrum in MCNPX code. The variety of physics models related to heavy ion interactions did not make big difference on the secondary particle productions. Conclusion: The variations of secondary neutron spectra and particle transports depending on various physics models in MCNPX code were studied and the result of this study can be used for the shielding design and radiation safety evaluation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.705-712
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• 2000

The fluid generally flows through fractures in crystalline rocks where most of underground storage facilities are constructed because of their low hydraulic conductivities. The fractured rock is better to be conceptualized with a discrete fracture concept, rather continuum approach. In the aspect of fluid flow in underground, the simultaneous flow of groundwater and gas should be considered in the cases of generation and leakage of gas in nuclear waste disposal facilities, air sparging process and soil vapor extraction for eliminating contaminants in soil or rock pore, and pneumatic fracturing for the improvement of permeability of rock mass. For the purpose of appropriate analysis of groundwater-gas flow, this study presents an unsteady-state multi-phase FEM fracture network simulator. Numerical simulation has been also conducted to investigate the hydraulic head distribution and air tightness around Ulsan LPG storage cavern. The recorded hydraulic head at the observation well Y was -5 to -10 m. From the results obtained by the developed model, it shows that the discrete fracture model yielded hydraulic head of -10 m, whereas great discrepancy with the field data was observed in the case of equivalent continuum modeling. The air tightness of individual fractures around cavern was examined according to two different operating pressures and as a result, only several numbers of fractures neighboring the cavern did not satisfy the criteria of air tightness at 882 kPa of cavern pressure. In the meantime, when operating pressure is 710.5 kPa, the most areas did not satisfy air tightness criteria. Finally, in the case of gas leaking from cavern to the surrounding rocks, the resulted hydraulic head and flowing pattern was changed and, therefore, gas was leaked out from the cavern ceiling and groundwater was flowed into the cavern through the walls.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.123-132
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• 2018

Reinforced concrete (RC) columns which are the main vertical structural members are exposed to several static and dynamic effects such as earthquake and wind. However, impact loading that is sudden impulsive dynamic one is the most effective loading type acting on the RC columns. Impact load is a kind of impulsive dynamic load which is ignored in the design process of RC columns like other structural members. The behavior of reinforced concrete columns under impact loading is an area of research that is still not well understood; however, work in this area continues to be motivated by a broad range of applications. Examples include reinforced concrete structures designed to resist accidental loading scenarios such as falling rock impact; vehicle or ship collisions with buildings, bridges, or offshore facilities; and structures that are used in high-threat or high-hazard applications, such as military fortification structures or nuclear facilities. In this study, free weight falling test setup is developed to investigate the behavior effects on RC columns under impact loading. For this purpose, eight RC column test specimens with 1/3 scale are manufactured. While drop height and mass of the striker are constant, application point of impact loading, stirrup spacing and concrete compression strength are the experimental variables. The time-history of the impact force, the accelerations of two points and the displacement of columns were measured. The crack patterns of RC columns are also observed. In the light of experimental results, low-velocity impact behavior of RC columns were determined and interpreted. Besides, the finite element models of RC columns are generated using ABAQUS software. It is found out that proposed finite element model could be used for evaluation of dynamic responses of RC columns subjected to low-velocity impact load.