• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.61-69
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• 2014

As we are trying to in-situ treat (purify or immobilize) heavy metals or radionuclides in groundwater, one of the geochemical factors to be necessarily considered is the value of oxidation/reduction potential (ORP) of the groundwater. A biogeochemical impact on the characteristic ORP change of groundwater taken from the KAERI underground was observed as a function of time by adding electron-donor (lactate), electron-acceptor (sulfate), and indigenous bacteria in a laboratory condition. There was a slight increase of Eh (slow oxidation) of the pure groundwater with time under a $N_2$-filled glove-box. However, most of groundwaters that contained lactate, sulfate or bacteria showed Eh decrease (reduction) characteristics. In particular, when 'Baculatum', a local indigenous sulfate-reducing bacterium, was injected into the KAERI groundwater, it turned to become a highly-reduced one having a decreased Eh to around -500 mV. Although the sulfate-reducing bacterium thus has much greater ability to reduce groundwater than other metal-reducing bacteria, it surely necessitated some dissolved ferrous-sulfate and finally generated sulfide minerals (e.g., mackinawite), which made a prediction for subsequent reactions difficult. As a result, the ORP of groundwater was largely affected even by a slight injection of nutrient without bacteria, indicating that oxidation state, solubility and sorption characteristics of dissolved contaminants, which are affected by the ORP, could be changed and controlled through in-situ biostimulation method.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.27-40
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• 2006

Damage of cut-and-cover tunnel lining can be attributed to physical and mechanical factors. Physical factors include material property, reinforcement corrosion, etc. while mechanical factors include underground water pressure, vehicle loads, etc. This study is limited to the modeling of rigid circular cut and cover tunnel constructed at a depth of $1.0{\sim}1.5D$ in loose sandy ground and subjected to a vibration frequency of 100 Hz. In this study, only damages due to mechanical factors in the form of additional loads were considered. Among the different types of additional, excessive earth pressure acting on the cut-and-cover tunnel lining is considered as one of the major factors that induce deformation and damage of tunnels after the construction is completed. Excessive earth pressure may be attributed to insufficient compaction, consolidation due to self-weight of backfill soil, precipitation and vibration caused by traffic. Laboratory tunnel model tests were performed in order to determine the earth pressure acting on the tunnel lining and to investigate the applicability of existing earth pressure formulas. Based on the difference in the monitored and computed earth pressure, a factor of safety was recommended. Soil deformation mechanism around the tunnel was also presented using the picture analysis method.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.194-201
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• 2021

Induced polarization (IP) effect is known to be caused by electrochemical phenomena at interface between minerals and pore water. Spectral induced polarization (SIP) method is an electrical survey to localize subsurface IP anomalies while injecting alternating currents of multiple frequencies into the ground. This method was effectively applied to mineral exploration of various ore deposits. Titanomagnetite ores were being produced by a mining company located in Gonamsan area, Gwanin-myeon, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Because the ores contain more than 0.4 w% vanadium, the ore deposit is called as Gwanin vanadiferous titanomagnetite (VTM) deposit. The vanadium is the most important of materials in production of vanadium redox flow batteries, which can be appropriately used for large-scale energy storage system. Systematic mineral exploration was conducted to identify presence of hidden VTM orebodies and estimate their potential resources. In geophysical exploration, laboratory geophysical measurement of rock samples is helpful to generate reliable property models from field survey data. Therefore, we performed laboratory SIP data of the rocks from the Gwanin VTM deposit to understand SIP characteristics between ores and host rocks and then demonstrate the applicability of this method for the mineral exploration. Both phase and resistivity spectra of the ores sampled from underground outcrop and drilling cores were different of those of the host rocks consisting of monzodiorite and quartz monzodiorite. Because the phase and resistivity at frequencies below 100 Hz are mainly dependent on the SIP characteristics of the rocks, we calculated mean values of the ores and the host rocks. The average phase values at 0.1 Hz were ores: -369 mrad and host rocks: -39 mrad. The average resistivity values at 0.1 Hz were ores: 16 Ωm and host rocks: 2,623 Ωm. Because the SIP characteristics of the ores were different of those of the host rocks, we considered that the SIP survey is effective for the mineral exploration in vanadiferous titanomagnetite deposits and the SIP characteristics are useful for interpreting field survey data.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.449-463
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• 2014

There are many case studies and application cases in abandoned mines for hydraulic filling method filled by slurry or paste form, but research on the pneumatic filling is not applied in Korea. The damage of steel pipe is occurred by wear due to the flow of filling material in the bent area of steel pipe in traditional pneumatic filling method. In this study, the new pneumatic filling method was developed using a newly devised improved nozzle to improve the above problem. The model test for mine filling was performed in the laboratory for the simulated accessible or inaccessible mine cavities, and the filling efficiency by the results obtained from the test was calculated. The filling efficiency was analyzed from the variation of outlet angle, feed rate and grain size of sand in model test of simulated accessible mine cavity. The superiority of improved pneumatic filling method was proved through the analysis of filling efficiency by the results obtained from each model tests of gravitational, traditional, and improved filling method in simulated inaccessible mine cavity.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.258-276
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• 2018

The accurate and quantitative ground information on the hydraulic conductivity characteristics of rock mass is one of the key factors for evaluation of the hydro-geological behaviour of rock mass around an excavated opening under high water pressure. For tunnel and rock structures in seabed, where the sea acts as an infinite source of water, its importance become greater with increasing construction depth below sea level. In this study, to improve the problems related with poor system configuration and incorrect data acquisition of previous hydraulic packer testing equipment, we newly developed an integrated main frame and 30 bar level waterproof downhole sonde apparatus, which were optimized for deep hydraulic packer test in seabed rock mass. Integration of individual test equipment into one frame allows safe and efficient field testing work on a narrow offshore drilling platform. For the integrated type main frame, it is possible to make precise stepwise control of downhole net injection pressure at intervals of $2.0kg_f/cm^2$ or less with dual hydraulic oil volume controller. To ensure the system performance and the operational stability of the prototype mainframe and downhole sonde apparatus, the field feasibility tests were completed in two research boreholes, and using the developed apparatus, the REV(Representative Elementary Volume) scale deep hydraulic packer tests were successfully carried out at a borehole located in the basalt region, Jeju. In this paper, the characteristics of the new testing apparatus are briefly introduced and also some results from the laboratory and in-situ performance tests are shown.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.798-807
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• 2008

Due to economic impairment derived from metal corrosion of pumping station installed around coastal area, it was needed for related cause-effect to be investigated for understanding practical corrosion behavior and providing proper control. This research was thus carried out to determine whether the microbe can influence on metal corrosion along with its control in the laboratory. For this study, groundwater was sampled from the underground pump station(i.e. I Gas Station) where corrosion was observed. Microbial diversity on the samples were then obtained by 16S rDNA methods. From this, microbial populations showing corrosion behaviors against metals were reported as Leptothrix sp.(Iron oxidizing) and Desulfovibrio sp.(Sulfur reducing) Iron oxidizing bacteria were dominantly participating in the corrosion of iron, while sulfate reducing bacteria were more preferably producing precipitate of iron. In case of galvanized steel and stainless steel, iron oxidizing bacteria not only enhanced the corrosion, but also generated its scale of precipitate. Sulfate reducing bacteria had zinc steel corroded greater extent than that of iron oxidizing bacteria. In the inactivation test, chlorine or UV exposure could efficiently control bacterial growth. However as the inactivation intensity being increased beyond a threshold level, corrosion rate was unlikely escalated due to augmented chemical effect. It is decided that microbial corrosion could be differently taken place depending upon type of microbes or materials, although they were highly correlated. It could be efficiently retarded by given disinfection practices.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.350-359
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• 2007

Most large cut slopes of open pit mines, roadways, and railways are steeply inclined and composed with rocks that do not contain soils. However, these rock slopes suffer both weathering and fragmentation. In the case of steep slopes, falling rock and collapse of a slope may often occur due to surface erosion. Cast-in place concrete and rubble work are the most widely used earth structure-based pressure supports that act as restraints against the collapse of the rock slope. In order to overcome the shortcomings of conventional retaining walls, a segmental grid retaining wall is being used with connects precasted segments to construct the wall. In this study, laboratory model test was conducted to estimate deformation behavior of segmental grid retaining wall with configuration of rear strecher, height and inclination of the wall. In order to examine the behavior characteristics of a segmental grid retaining wall, this research analyzes the aspects of spacial displacement through relative displacement according to change in the inclination of the wall. Also, the walls behavior according to the formation and status of the rear stretcher which serves the role of transferring the load from the header and the stretcher which make up the wall, the displacement of backfill materials in the wall, and the location of the maximum load were surveyed and the characteristics of displacement in the segmental grid retaining wall were observed. The test results of the segmental grid retaining wall showed that there was a sudden increase in failure load according to the decrease in the wall's height and the size of the in was greatly decreased. Furthermore, it revealed that with identical inclination and height, the structure of the rear stitcher did not greatly affect the starting point or size of maximum horizontal displacement, but rather had a stronger effect on the inclination of the wall.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.29-39
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• 2005

For detecting a ground contamination survey, soil sampling method have been used a drilling or coring technique in general. However these methods are very difficult to systematically real-time monitoring of variation of contamination degree in field. ]'n this research frequency Domain Reflectometry (FDR) system was suggested and carried out to experimental approaches for determination of oil contamination on surface and underground. Experimental method using FDR method was discussed with feasibility of measurement in the laboratory column test. It is determined to degree of oil contamination due to response of dielectric constant re-lated with volumetric water content(θ/sub w/) and volumetric oil content( θ/sub al/ ) of saturated and unsaturated soil media. And physical properties such as effective porosity and oil residual ratio of saturated soil media were also measured through real-time monitoring works using installed FDR measurement sensors, which are defected characteristics of oil movement in the saturated soil media under the soil column tests. In the results of these experiments, a range of effective porosity was estimated to about 0.35 compared with initial porosity 0.40 of manufactured saturated soil media, which is also calculated to about 87.5% to the ratio of initial porosity to effective porosity. Finally oil residual ratio which is compared with volumetric water content and volumetric oil content was calculated about 62.5%.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.45-54
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• 2016

In this study, the construction method of new underground continuos impervious wall that the bentonite slurry keeps the stability of excavated trench and the mixture of cement and bentonite plays a role as a constituent of impervious wall in the trench. The merit of homogeneity of the method so called as a cement-bentonite slurry wall enables to accurately make an estimation of hydraulic conductivity of the walls compared with that by other general grouting methods and to verify their waterproof efficiency without difficulty at the design stage. The use of cement-bentonite slurry walls for the containment of groundwater flow has also proven a cost-effective impervious wall technology by employing the simple combination of construction equipments and easy and fast construction procedures. The engineering characteristics of cement-bentonite impervious wall obtained by carrying out the laboratory experiments under various conditions. This study reveals the effect of variation of constituent materials and their mixing methods (Water-Cement-Bentonite) on the engineering characteristics of a composition. Also, this study makes some recommendations on the optimum mixing ratio and mixing sequence for the best quality at the site. That is the most important factors to estimate the construction cost and design of the technique. The comparison is lastly made to evaluate the effect of ordinary Portland and blast furnace slag cement as a bonding material on the behavior of impervious walls.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 1982

Measurement of the radon concentration close to the ground surface can be used in search of environmental radiation for human safety, exploration for uranium, premonitory signals from earthquakes. We can detect radons in soil gas by alpha particle track method using the plastic track detectors, cellulose nitrate (LR115-Type 2 and CA80-15, Kodak $Path\'{e}$) and CR-39. For present works, radon cups having these detectors were made in our laboratory and their conversion factor was determined. A typical conversion factor was $1tr/cm^2{\cdot}30days=1.2{\times}10^{-2}pCi/l$. In the radon cups, some of $CaSO_4$ were used as desiccant for reducing the moisture effects on plastic track detectors. With these radon cups, underground radon concentrations of Kyungpook area were measured. Average radon concentration in Daegu from Jan. 1981 to Feb. 1982 was 39.7pCi/l. From Aug. 1981 to Feb. 1982, average radon concentrations of Daegu, Angang, Kyungju, Pohang, Chungha, and Andong were 31.8pCi/l, 124.5pCi/l, 127.0pCi/l, 79.1pCi/l, 144.4pCi/l, and 70.9pCi/l, respectively. The results were compared with the environmental radiation measured by TLD method.