• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.310-317
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• 2016

It has been a big problem to estimate rainfall for the studies of mud-debris flows because the estimated rainfall from the nearest AWS (Automatic Weather Station) can tend to be quite inaccurate at individual sites. This study attempts to improve this problem through accurate rainfall depth estimation by applying an artificial neural network with radar rainfall data. For this, three models were made according to utilizing methodologies of rainfall data. The first model uses the nearest rainfall, observing the site from an ungauged site. The second uses only radar rainfall data and the third model integrates the above two models using both radar and observed rainfall at the sites around the ungauged site. This methodology was applied to the metropolitan area in Korea. It appeared as though the third model improved rainfall estimations by the largest margin. Therefore, the proposed methodology can be applied to forecast mud-debris flows in ungageed sites.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2008.11b
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• pp.815-829
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• 2008

Debris flows are a natural hazard which looks like a combination of flood, land and rock slide. Large rainfall in July 2006 produced several large scale debris flows and many small debris flows that resulted in loss of life and considerable property and railway damage, as was widely reported in the national media. The hazard "debris flow" is still insufficiently researched. Furthermore debris flows are very hard to predict. Flexible Ring net barriers are multi-functional mitigation devices commonly applied to rock fall or floating wood protection in floods, snow avalanches and also mud flows or granular debris flows, if properly dimensioned for the process or processes for which they are intended. Overtopping of the barriers by debris flows and sediment transport is possible, supporting the design concept that a series of barriers may be used to stop volumes of debris larger than are possible using only one barrier. The future for these barrier concepts looks promising because these barriers represent the state of art for such applications and are superior to many other available options.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2005.09b
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• pp.1255-1256
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• 2005

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.11 no.8
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• pp.15-23
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• 2010

Debris flows are a natural hazard which looks like a combination of flood, land and rock slide. Large rainfall in July 2006 produced several large scale debris flows and many small debris flows that resulted in loss of life and considerable property and railway damage, as was widely reported in the national media. The hazard "debris flow" is still insufficiently researched. Furthermore debris flows are very hard to predict. Flexible Ring net barriers are multi-functional mitigation devices commonly applied to rock fall or floating wood protection in floods, snow avalanches and also mud flows or granular debris flows, if properly dimensioned for the process or processes for which they are intended. Overtopping of the barriers by debris flows and sediment transport is possible, supporting the design concept that a series of barriers may be used to stop volumes of debris larger than are possible using only one barrier. The future for these barrier concepts looks promising because these barriers represent the state of art for such applications and are superior to many other available options.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.181-194
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• 2013

Landslides are known as gravitational mass movements that can carry the flow materials ranging in size from clay to boulders. The various types of landslides are differentiated by rate and depositional features. Indeed, flow characteristics are observed from very slow-moving landslides (e.g., mud slide and mud flow) to very fast-moving landslides (e.g., debris avalanches and debris flows). From a geomechanical point of view, shear-rate-dependent shear strength should be examined in landslides. This paper presents the design of advanced ring-shear apparatus to measure the undrained shear strength of debris flow materials in Korea. As updated from conventional ring-shear apparatus, this apparatus can evaluate the shear strength under different conditions of saturation, drainage and consolidation. We also briefly discussed on the ring shear apparatus for enforcing sealing and rotation control. For the materials with sands and gravels, an undrained ring-shear test was carried out simulating the undrained loading process that takes place in the pre-existing slip surface. We have observed typical evolution of shear strength that found in the literature. This paper presents the research background and expected results from the ring-shear apparatus. At high shear speed, a temporary liquefaction and grain-crushing occurred in the sliding zone may take an important role in the long-runout landslide motion. Strength in rheology can be also determined in post-failure dynamics using ring-shear apparatus and be utilized in debris flow mobility.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.23-27
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• 2013

The risks of debris flows caused by climate change have increased significantly around the world. Recently, landslide disaster prevention technology is more focused on the failure and post-failure dynamics to mitigate the hazards in flow-prone area. In particular, we should define the soil strength and flow characteristics to estimate the debris flow mobility in the mountainous regions in Korea. To do so, we selected known ancient landslides area: Inje, Pohang and Sangju debris flows. Firstly we measured physical and mechanical properties: liquidity index and undrained shear strength by fall cone penetrometer. From the test results, we found that there is a possible relationship between liquidity index and undrained shear strength, $C_{ur}=(1.2/I_L)^{3.3}$, in the selected areas, even though they were different in geological compositions. Assuming that the yield stress is equal to the undrained shear strength at the initiation of sliding, we examined the flow characteristics of weathered soils in Korea. When liquidity index is given as 1, 1.5 and 3.0, the debris flow motion of weathered soils is compared with that of mud-rich sediments, which are known as low-activity clays. At $I_L=1$, it seems that debris flow could reach approximately 250m after 5 minutes. As liquidity index increased from 1 to 3, the debris flow propagation of weathered soils is twice than that of low-activity clays. It may be due to the fact that soil masses mixed with the ambient water and then highly fragmented during flow, thereby leading to the high mobility. The results may help to predict the debris flow propagation and to develop disaster prevention technology at similar geological settings, especially for the weathered soils, in Korea.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.366-374
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• 2017

The objective of this study is to explore the applicability of very short-range-forecast rainfall for the early warning of mud-debris flows. An artificial neural network was applied to use the very short-range-forecast rainfall data. The neural network is learned by using the relationship between the radar and the AWS, and forecasted rainfall is estimated by replacing the radar rainfall with the MAPLE data as the very short-range-forecast rainfall data. The applicability of forecasted rainfall by the MAPLE was compared with the AWS rainfall at the test-bed using the rainfall criteria for cumulative rainfall of 6hr, 12hr, and 24hr respectively. As a result, it was confirmed that forecasted rainfall using the MAPLE can be issued prior to the AWS warning.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.204-217
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• 2013

This study shows the geomorphological processes of Yuga alluvial fan at Dalseong-gun, Daegu in Korea, based on characteristics of geomorphological surfaces, analysis of geomorphological deposits and OSL age dating. Alluvial fans of this area are classified into three surfaces(YG-F1, YG-F2, YG-F3) and were formed by the depositional processes resulting from the changes in hydraulic geometry of flowing water which was a stream flowing out of mountains debouched on to a plain, not by a sudden decrease in surface gradient of river bed. YG-F3 surface, about 110,000 yr B.P.(MIS 5.4), was formed as Yongri river deposited a lot of debris. This result was due to the process that the deposition took place actively with the upward of base level as the last interglacial period began. Later, the denudation of the river valley and geomorphological surface constantly occurred and the local and seasonal changes were found in precipitation and stream discharge with the beginning of the interstadial of the last glacial stages(MIS 3), leading to YG-F2 formed by debris flow, earth flow, mud flow and stream flow. Then, short-term climate changes and temporal climate events repeatedly caused aggradation and denudation over time and going through these processes, YG-F1 is believed to have been made by earth flow or mudflow during the last glacial maximum(MIS 2).

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.136-146
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• 2017

We selected 6 plots ($100m^2$) located 2.2-3.8 km from Minamidake Crater on the north flank of Sakurajima Volcano. We conducted a field study to investigate the effects of volcanic activity on vegetation succession and surface erosion rate. The results showed that trees growing in plots further from the crater had a greater diameter at breast height (DBH), total height, and age. In addition, these plots had a greater number of woody plants and species, as well as a greater total cross-sectional area at breast height. The Fisher-Williams index of diversity (${\alpha}$) and the proportion of evergreen broad-leaved trees were higher in plots located further from the crater. Vegetation succession in these plots was not at the level of a climax forest. From 1972 to 2015, the timing for active volcano, the depth of volcanic ash layer, the dry density, and the pH of ground surface were lower for plots located further from the crater. Furthermore, the average annual sheet erosion from 1972 to 2015 was also lower for plots located further away from the crater. Overall, plots further away from the crater have a better environment for vegetation growth and a lower dry density of the volcanic ash surface layer. It is thought that lower dry density results in increased soil permeability, which impedes surface flow. In order to prevent debris-flow disasters, caused by mud and rock flow resulting from impaired soil penetrability, it is essential to promote soil development and restore penetrability by artificial vegetation restoration.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.85-106
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• 2017

The Lago Sofia conglomerate in southern Chile is a deep-marine gravelly deposit, which is hundreds of meters thick and kilometers wide and extends laterally for more than 100 km, filling the foredeep trough of the Cretaceous Magallanes Basin. For understanding the depositional processes and environments of this gigantic deep-sea conglomerate, detailed analyses on sedimentary facies, architecture and paleoflow patterns were carried out, highlighting the differences between the northern (Lago Pehoe and Lago Goic areas) and southern (Lago Sofia area) parts of the study area. The conglomerate bodies in the northern part occur as relatively thin (< 100 m thick), multiple units intervened by thick mudstone-dominated sequences. They show paleoflows toward ENE and S to SW, displaying a converging drainage pattern. In the southern part, the conglomerate bodies are vertically interconnected and form a thick (> 400 m thick) conglomerate sequence with rare intervening fine-grained deposits. Paleoflows are toward SW. The north-to-south variations are also distinct in sedimentary facies. The conglomerate bodies in the southern part are mainly composed of clast-supported conglomerate with sandy matrix, which is interpreted to be deposited from highly concentrated bedload layers under turbidity currents. Those in the northern part are dominated by matrix- to clast-supported conglomerate with muddy matrix, which is interpreted as the products of composite mass flows comprising a turbidity current, a gravelly hyperconcentrated flow and a mud-rich debris flow. All these characteristics suggest that the Lago Sofia conglomerate was formed in centripetally converging submarine channels, not in centrifugally diverging channels of submarine fans. The tributaries in the north were dominated by mass flows, probably affected by channel-bank failures or basin-marginal slope instability processes. In contrast, the trunk channel in the south was mostly filled by tractive processes, which resulted in the vertical and lateral accretion of gravel bars, deposition of gravel dunes and filling of scours and channels, similar to deposits of terrestrial gravel-bed rivers. The trunk channel developed along the axis of foredeep trough and its confinement within the trough is probably responsible for the thick, interconnected channel fills. The large-scale architecture of the trunk-channel fills shows an eastward offset stacking pattern, suggesting that the channel migrated eastwards most likely due to the uplift of the Andean Cordillera.