• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.243-251
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• 1999

Granitic rock, by its nature, contains numerous micro-discontinuities including grain boundary, microcracks, microcavities and mineral cleavages. The brittle fracture of rock is a progressive procedure in which the failure occurs with prior microcracking. In this paper, initiation, propagation and interaction of microcracks are considered to be the dominant, controlling micromechanisms of macroscopic failure. The authors show a few patterns of microcrack initiation and propagation by using sequential photographs of water-saturated granite taken under triaxial compressive state. The failure process was observed directly and continuously by a newly developed triaxial compressive test system.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.167-179
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• 2016

Water quality of Oseepchun, Dogye area, was investigated quantitatively for its origin and hydrogeochemistry in relation to the influence of groundwater. Groundwater appears to be the principal source of Oseepchun from the water-quality monitoring data including redox potentials, composition of dissolved ions and their correlations, hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopic ratios, and the distribution and occurrence of contaminants. Water-quality type of the surface water was grouped by the water-rock interactions as $Ca-HCO_3$ type originated from carbonated bed-rocks in the Joseon Supergroup, (Ca, Mg)-$SO_4$ type related with dissolution of surfide minerals in coal beds of Pyeongan Supergroup, and (Ca, Mg)-($HCO_3$, $SO_4$) type of the mixed one. Locally water pollution occurs by high $SO_4$ from mine drainage and $NO_3$ from waste-treatment facility. Intensive precipitation in summer has no effect on the water type of Oseepchun, but increases the inflow of nitrate and chloride originated from land surface. Results of this study direct that groundwater-surface water interaction is intimate, and thus surface-water resource management should begin with groundwater characterization.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.101-104
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• 2005

To understand the geologic and hydrogeochemical controls on the occurrence of high fluoride concentrations in bedrock groundwaters in South Korea, we examined a total of 367 hydrochemistry data obtained from deep groundwater wells (avg, depth = 600 m) that were drilled for exploitation of hot springs. The fluoride concentrations were generally very high (avg. 5.65 mg/L) and exceeded the Drinking Water Standard (1.5 mg/L) in 72% of the samples, A significant geologic control of fluoride concentrations was observed: the highest concentrations occur in the areas of granitoids and granitic gneiss, while the lowest concentrations in the areas of volcanic and sedimentary rocks. In relation to the hydrochemical facies, alkaline $Na-HCO_3$ type waters had remarkably higher F concentrations than circum-neutral to slightly alkaline $Ca-HCO_3$ type waters. The Prolonged water-rock interaction occurring during the deep circulation of groundwater in the areas of granitoids and granitic gneiss is considered most important for the generation of high F concentrations. Under such condition, fluoride-rich groundwaters are likely formed through hydrogeochemical processes consisting of the removal of Ca from groundwater via calcite precipitation and/or cation exchange and the successive dissolution of plagioclase and F-bearing hydroxyl minerals (esp. biotite). Thus, groundwaters with high pH and very high Na/Ca ratio within granitoids and granitic gneiss are likely most vulnerable to the water supply problem in relation to the enriched fluorine.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.285-296
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• 2020

Dams are important structures for management of water supply for irrigation or drinking, flood control, and electricity generation. In seismic regions, the structural safety of concrete gravity dams is important due to the high potential of life and economic loss if they fail. Therefore, the seismic analysis of existing dams in seismically active regions is crucial for predicting responses of dams to ground motions. In this paper, earthquake response of concrete gravity dams is investigated using the finite element (FE) method. The FE model accounts for dam-water-foundation rock interaction by considering compressible water, flexible foundation effects, and absorptive reservoir bottom materials. Several uncertainties regarding structural attributes of the dam and external actions are considered to obtain the fragility curves of the dam-water-foundation rock system. The structural uncertainties are sampled using the Latin Hypercube Sampling method. The Pine Flat Dam in the Central Valley of Fresno County, California, is selected to demonstrate the methodology for several limit states. The fragility curves for base sliding, and excessive deformation limit states are obtained by performing non-linear time history analyses. Tensile cracking including the complex state of stress that occurs in dams was also considered. Normal, Log-Normal and Weibull distribution types are considered as possible fits for fragility curves. It was found that the effect of the minimum principal stress on tensile strength is insignificant. It is also found that the probability of failure of tensile cracking is higher than that for base sliding of the dam. Furthermore, the loss of reservoir control is unlikely for a moderate earthquake.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.445-466
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• 2017

Yeongdong area is located in the contact zone between central southeastern Ogcheon belt and Yeongnam massif, in which Cretaceous Yeongdong basin exists. Therefore, the study area has complex geological environment of various geological age and rock types such as Precambrian metamorphic rocks, age-unknown Ogcheon Supergroup, Paleozoic/Mesozoic sedimentary rocks, Mesozoic igneous rocks and Quaternary alluvial deposits. This study focuses on the link between the various geology and water type, and discussed the source of some major ions and their related water-rock interaction. For this study, the field parameters and ion concentrations for twenty alluvial/weathered and eighty bedrock aquifer wells were used. Statistical analysis indicates that there was no significant differences in groundwater quality between wet and dry seasons. Although various types were observed due to complex geology, 80 to 84 % of samples showed $Ca-HCO_3$ water type. Some wells placed in alluvial/weathered aquifers of Precambrian metamorphic and Jurassic granitic terrains showed somewhat elevated $NO_3$ and Cl concentrations. $Mg-HCO_3$ typed waters prevailed in Cretaceous Yeongdong sedimentary rocks. The deeper wells placed in bedrock aquifers showed complicated water types varying from $Ca-HCO_3$ through $Ca-Cl/SO_4/NO_3$ to $Na-HCO_3$ and Na-Cl type. Groundwater samples with $Na-HCO_3$ or Na-Cl types are generally high in F concentrations, indicating more influences of water-rock interaction within mineralized/hydrothermal alteration zone by Cretaceous porphyry or granites. This study revealed that many deep-seated aquifer had been contaminated by $NO_3$, especially prominent in Jurassic granites area. Based on molar ratios of $HCO_3/Ca$, $HCO_3/Na$, Na/Si, it can be inferred that Ca and $HCO_3$ components of most groundwater in alluvial/weathered aquifer wells were definitely related with dissolution of calcite. On the other hand, Ca and $HCO_3$ in bedrock aquifer seem to be due to dissolution of feldspar besides calcite. However, these molar ratios require other mechanism except simple weathering process causing feldspar to be broken into kaolinite. The origin of $HCO_3$ of some groundwater occurring in Cretaceous Yeongdong sedimentary rock area seems to be from dissolution of dolomite($MgCO_3$) or strontianite($SrCO_3$) as well.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.68-86
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• 2016

Understanding the frictional properties of rock discontinuities is crucial to ensure the stability of underground structures. In particular, the frictional behavior at depth depends on the complex interaction among mechanical, hydraulic, thermal and chemical characteristics and their coupled effects. In this study, a series of shear tests were carried out in a triaxial compression chamber to investigate the shearing behavior of saw-cut granite surface and rough shear surface of synthetic rocks. The test results were analyzed using Coulomb's shear strength criterion. The frictional behavior of saw-cut granite surface showed little variation at different confining, water pressures and temperature conditions, however in case of synthetic rocks, the frictional behavior showed different trend depending on normal stress level. In addition, the variation of stiffness and dilation at different testing conditions were analyzed, and the stiffness and dilation showed little variation at different water pressures and temperature conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2006.03a
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• pp.69-74
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• 2006

Recently, spillways are need to control stable water level for supporting main dams because of floods by unusual change of weather such as Typhoon Rusa. This study has been focused on the amount of leakage through the rock mass distributed fractures and joints under the opened emergency spillway. It is very important to evaluate the amount of leakage as these affect stability of spillway by interaction between effective stress and pore pressure. The commercial program MAFIC has been used for analyzing groundwater flow in fractured rock mass. The results showed that the values of range, average and deviation of leakage were $2.85\sim\;3.79\times10^{-1}$, $3.32\times10^{-1}$ and $1.70\times10^{-2}\;m^3/day/m^2$ respectively. Secondary, we have estimated the effect of grouting after the transmissivity$(T_f)$ of joint 1 as main pathway of leakage known from above results was changed from $1.78\times10^{-7}$ to $1.59\times10^{-9}\;m^2/s$. The results showed that the values of range, average and deviation of leakage were $7.80\times10^{-4}\sim1.53\times10^{-3}$, $1.18\times10^{-3}$ and $1.32\times10^{-4}\;m^3/day/m^2$ respectively. As the result, the amount of leakage after grouting has been decreased by a ratio of 1 to 277.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.341-348
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• 2011

As a result of the detailed site investigation performed for the design of a 4.3 km long tunnel, geological anomalies of four fault zones and a rock boundary were discovered on the tunnel route. Most of all, it was confirmed that pyrite, which may corrode steel material, is contained inside the geological anomalies, and pressured ground water flows out of the fault fractured zone. To overcome these geological conditions, antisulfur concrete for the concrete lining and anticorrosive swelling rock bolts are designed in the pyrite-containing sections. For the sections where a great amount of groundwater outflows, water blocking methods including grouting are applied according to the result of numerical analyses on the seepage. In addition, since the past earthquakes occurred around Korea have take place mainly near fault zones, seismic analyses were performed based on the Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) concept and the strength of concrete tunnel lining is designed to be 27 MPa from 24 MPa in order to reinforce the tunnel structure.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.65-75
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• 2021

We investigated hydrochemical and stable isotope characteristics of groundwater in a large agricultural plain, the Honam plain, to evaluate the adequacy of agricultural water supply. For preliminary assessment for the area, we collected 23 groundwater samples from domestic wells and conducted hydrochemical and water stable isotope analysis. Groundwater in the study area is mainly Ca-HCO3 type resulting from water-rock interactions. Stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions indicated that recharge water is derived from precipitation while some sampling sites had evaporation signatures. Irrigation water quality using sodium absorption ratio and salinity hazard showed most of the groundwater samples were found to be suitable for irrigation. The groundwater in the southwestern part of the study area was affected by both seawater intrusion and agricultural activities, indicating a higher possibility of groundwater contamination near the coastal areas. Elevated concentrations of nitrate and phosphate ions in the groundwater are considered to be influenced by anthropogenic activities such as fertilizer application. It is expected that this study would be able to provide preliminary information on groundwater quality for agricultural water supply in the Mangyeong-Dongjin watershed.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.255-269
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• 2001

The geochemical studies on groundwater in the borehole, which is straddled by multi-packer (MP) system, were carried out from a volcanic terrain in the Yeosu area. The pH of groundwater collected from selected sections in the MP-installed borehole is much higher (up to 9.6) than that of the borehole groundwater (7.0-7.9) collected using conventional pumping technique. Hydrochemistry shows that the groundwater has a typical chemical change with increasing sampling depth, suggesting that the groundwater is evolved through water-rock interaction along the fracture-controlled flow paths. The groundwater from the deeper part (138-175 m below the surface) in borehole KI is characterized by the Ca-C11 type with high Ca (up to 160 mg/L) and Cl (up to 293 mg/L) contents, probably reflecting seawater intrusion. The groundwater also has high sodium and sulfate contents compared to the waters from other boreholes. These observed groundwater chemistry is explained by the cation exchange, sulfide oxidation, and mixing process with seawater along the flow path.