As one of the non-destructive testing (NDT) methods, acoustic emission (AE) can be widely applied to the field of engineering and applied science owing to its advantageous characteristics. In particular, the AE method is effectively applied to monitor concrete structures in civil engineering. For this technology to be employed in a monitoring system, it is necessary to investigate the propagation characteristics of the AE in structures. Hence, this study investigates the characteristics of AE in concrete structures to evaluate the field applicability of AE monitoring systems. To achieve this goal, experiments employing an AE system are conducted for concrete structures 20 × 0.2 × 1.2 m in length, width, and height, respectively, to explore the AE parameters according to the impact energy. Among all AE parameters, absolute energy is determined to be most sensitive factor with respect to the impact energy. In addition, the attenuation effect of the AE wave is quantitatively evaluated according to the wave propagation distance. Moreover, the concept of effective distance is newly suggested based on the experimental results. The effective distance is shown to increase as the impact energy increases, although the increased effective distance is limited because the damaged AE signal is of high frequency. This study helps improve the field applicability of AE monitoring systems by suggesting suitable AE sensor spacing, which contributes to promote the practice of technology.

In deep geological disposal system designs, it is important to minimize the installation area for cost effectiveness while satisfying the thermal requirements of the systems. An effective method to reduce the installation area for the systems is to employ an enhanced buffer material, as this can decrease the spacing between the disposal tunnels and deposition holes. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of an enhanced buffer material on the thermal behavior of the systems and their spacing. First, the discrete element method (DEM) was adopted to validate the thermal conductivity of the enhanced buffer material used, which was a mixture of bentonite and graphite. Then, a 3D finite element method (FEM) was conducted to analyze the proper disposal tunnel and hole spacing considering three cases with thermal conductivities values of the buffer as 0.8 W/(m K), 1.0 W/(m K), and 1.2 W/(m K). The results showed that the disposal tunnel and hole spacing could be reduced to 30 m and 6 m, respectively, when the temperature of the buffer surface facing the canister was 100 °C with a thermal conductivity value of approximately 1.2 W/(m K) or if more than 3% of graphite is added.

Amid the ongoing global warming crisis, there has been growing interest in hydrogen energy as an environmentally friendly energy source to achieve carbon neutrality. A stable and large-scale hydrogen storage infrastructure is essential to satisfy the increasing demand for hydrogen energy. Particularly for hydrogen refueling stations located in urban areas, technological solutions are required to ensure the stability of adjacent civil structures in the event of hydrogen storage tank explosions. In this study, a numerical analysis using equivalent trinitrotoluene (TNT) and Concrete Damage Plasticity (CDP) models was employed to analyze the dynamic behavior of the ground in response to hydrogen gas explosions in shallow underground hydrogen storage facilities and to assess the stability of nearby structures against explosion effects. According to the simulation results, it was possible to ensure the structural stability of nearby buildings and tunnel structures by maintaining a minimum separation distance. In the case of nearby building structures, a distance of at least 6 to 7 m is needed to be maintained from the underground hydrogen storage facility to prevent explosion damage from a hydrogen gas explosion. For nearby tunnel structures, a distance of at least 10 m is required to ensure structural stability.

We present an evaluation of the grain bulk modulus of rocks through experimental and theoretical methods. Unjacketed tests were performed on three rock types—Berea sandstone, Idaho sandstone, and Hwangdeung granite—to measure grain-scale compressibility. Theoretical estimates were obtained using mineral composition data and the Voigt–Reuss–Hill averaging method. To examine the role of pore structure, X-ray computed tomography (CT) was employed to visualize and quantify pore geometry, including isolated pores. Experimental results indicated material-dependent variation in grain bulk modulus not directly correlated with conventional mechanical properties. Theoretical values were consistently higher than those of experimental measurements, with deviations attributed to pore-scale characteristics unaccounted for in the theoretical model. X-ray CT analysis confirmed that isolated pores contribute to additional volumetric deformation, which is unaccounted for in volume fraction-based models. A correlation between theoretical estimates and experimental values was derived to improve the applicability of the model. Conclusively, we present a systematic methodology for accurately evaluating grain bulk modulus by integrating experimental and theoretical approaches, offering foundational data and insight critical for geomechanical modeling in deep subsurface applications such as radioactive waste disposal or underground liquid hydrogen storage.