• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.47-51
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• 2004

An unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function and a soil-water characteristic curve are the essential constitutive factors in studying unsaturated soils. In order to obtain the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function, prediction functions, which are based on the soil-water characteristic curve, have been used because it is difficult to measure the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function directly. In this study, a parameter estimation method using the flow pump technique is introduced to determine the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function. This method provides more accurate and independent solution than previous methods for the determination of the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity function which is not subordinate to the soil-water characteristic curve or prediction models.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.119-131
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• 2020

A numerical model was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics to evaluate groundwater flow that causes radionuclide migration in the unsaturated zone of a near-surface disposal facility, which is considered as a domestic low and an intermediate-level radioactive waste disposal facility. Each scenario was modeled by constructing a two-dimensional domain that included the disposal vault, backfill, disposal cover, and unsaturated aquifer. A comparison of the continuous and intermittent rainfall conditions exhibited no significant difference in any of the factors considered except the wave pattern of water saturation. The input data, such as porosity and residual water content of the unsaturated aquifer, were observed to not have a significant effect on the groundwater flow. However, the hydraulic conductivity of the unsaturated aquifer was found to have a significant effect on the groundwater flow. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the hydraulic conductivity of an unsaturated aquifer to determine the extent of groundwater infiltration into the disposal vault.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2001.03a
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• pp.147-152
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• 2001

This study investigated one-dimensional vertical infiltration to an unsaturated residual soil by numerical solutions, FDM. In order to estimate the parameters needed for numerical analysis, tire soil-water characteristic curve(SWCC) of Shinnae-dong soil, one of the most typical residual soils in Korea, were experimentally obtained. Then, the statistical analysis for obtaining the SWCC was performed. The numerical solution to the linearized governing equation for unsaturated groundwater flow provides the infiltration characteristics for the unsaturated residual soil represented by transient pressure profiles and water contents profiles.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.67-72
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• 2002

Water content of soils within pavement varies seasonally depending on climatic factors such as rainfall, temperature and so on, since a hydraulic gradient due to rainfall causes moisture flow, and a thermal gradient due to temperature change induces not only heat flow but also moisture flow directly and indirectly. Soils within pavement are usually in an unsaturated state, and heat flow and moisture flow have been recognized as coupled processes with complex interactions between them. This paper presents a one-dimensional analysis model by the finite element method for the coupled heat flow and moisture flow in unsaturated soils. The model can be used to predict not only the change of temperature and water content, but also frist heave with time. It will be a meaningful work for the design and maintenance of pavement to predict the change of the temperature and water content and frist heave. The model is tested through comparisons with the results by other models.

• Korean Journal of Hydrosciences
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• v.2
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• pp.13-24
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• 1991

The governing partial differential equation of flow in porous media is developed on the bases of the continuity equation of fluid for transient flow through a saturated-unsaturated zone, and substitution of Dercy's law. The numerical solution is obtained by the Galerkin finite element method based on the principle of weighted residuals. The analysis is carried out by using the unsteady storm data observed and the functional relationships between the hydraulic conductivities, capillary pressure heads, and volumetric water contents under saturated-unsaturated conditions. As the results the hydraulic conductivities, rates of change of storage and initial moisture conditions are significantly influened on the responses of subsurface flow on a hillslope.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.23-30
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• 2012

This paper is research results of slope stability analysis associated with seepage infiltration for unsaturated soil in debris-flow occurrence slopes. Site investigations were carried out in two slopes, located at Inje in Kangwon province where debris flow occurred in 2006 and at Yangpyung in Kyeunggi province where it occurred in 2010. For unsaturated soil sampled at the zone of debris-flow initiation, soil water characteristic curves with tempe pressure cells and shear strength parameters with newly designed shear strength apparatus were obtained respectively. The commertially available software SEEP/W was used to analyze seepage infiltration in unsaturated soil, based on their properties obtained from test results and the actual rainfall data at the moment of debris flow occurrence, and slope stability analysis with the program of SLOPE/W, associated with results of seepage analysis, was performed to simulate slope failure. As results of this research, seepage infiltration to unsaturated soil due to intensive rainfall was found to cause increase of ground water table as well as degree of saturation. Through this research slope stability analysis for unsaturated soil, considering the actual rainfall characteristic, might be a reasonable method of investigating characteristics of debris flow behavior, in particular, the moment of debris flow occurrence.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.135-144
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• 2003

Permeability of the preform is one of key factors in design of RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) mold, determination of processing conditions, and modeling of flow in the mold. According to previous studies, permeability measured in the unsaturated fiber mats are higher than that in the saturated fiber mats by about 20% because of the capillary pressure. In this study, permeabilities of several fiber preforms are measured for both saturated and unsaturated flows. A saturated experiment of radial flow has been adopted to measure the permeability of anisotropic fiber preforms with high fiber content, i.e., circular braided preforms. In this method, four pressure transducers are used to measure the pressure distribution. Permeabilities in different directions are determined and the experimental results show a good agreement with the theory. Since permeability is affected by the capillary effect, permeability should be measured in the unsaturated condition for the textile composites to be manufactured under lower pressure as in the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM).

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.87-99
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• 2016

We present the results of two-dimensional numerical simulations predicting the flow of groundwater in a fractured unsaturated zone. We applied the k-field distribution of permeability derived from discrete fracture network (DFN) modeling as the hydraulic properties of a model domain. To model an unsaturated zone, we set the depth from the ground surface to the underground aquifer. The rate of water infiltration into the unsaturated zone was divided into two parts, an artificial structure surface and unsaturated soil zone. The movement of groundwater through the unsaturated zone was simulated with particular emphasis on contaminant transport. It was clearly observed that the contaminants dissolved in groundwater transported vertically from the ground surface to the saturated zone.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.38-43
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• 2012

Biodiesel is non-petroleum based fuel produced from vegetable oils or animal fats through transesterification. The compositions of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in the feedstocks are important factors for biodiesel quality in terms of low-temperature fluidity and oxidative stability. The goal of this study is to improve the cold flow property of biodiesel from vegetable and animal origin containing highly saturated methyl esters (approx. 50%). In this purpose poly-saturated methyl esters in palm and tallow biodiesel were removed via urea-based fractionation and then the recovered fractions (enriched unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters) were supplemented with cold flow improvers. The highest concentration of unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters (93.8%) was obtained using a urea/fatty acid ratio of 3:1 at the crystallization temperature of $0^{\circ}C$ for 17 hours in incubation, with recovery of 71% and the addition of cold flow improver (Flozol$^{(R)}$ 515, 3,000 ppm) to the enriched poly-unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters reduced the CFPP(cold filter plugging point) of palm biodiesel from $12^{\circ}C$ to $-42^{\circ}C$. In tallow biodiesel both the enrichment of unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters (93.71%) and the addition of cold flow improver (Infineum R408, 3,000ppm) reduced the CFPP from $10^{\circ}C$ to $-32^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.93-103
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• 2012

A suction-saturation control technique based on flow pump system was developed to investigate hydraulic properties in unsaturated soils. The flow pump system is designed based on the principle of the axis-translation technique and triaxial equipment, and gives the suction-time and suction-saturation curves, the primary relationship needed for interpreting the response of unsaturated soils and link between theory and the material properties in unsaturated soil mechanics. Using the suction-saturation control technique, suction-time relationship and soil-water retention curve (SWRC) during hydraulic hysteresis were investigated with different net confining pressures and porosities. Three types of soils-two sands and a silt were used in this paper. This paper showed the effect of the hysteresis on the SWRC due to different net confining pressures and porosities. This means that a careful decision must be made as to which condition is to be modeled, since the delicate difference of the conditions in physical modeling can cause the different experimental output.