Use of a submersible pressure outflow cell for determination of moisture characteristic curves on rock core

Conference · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993

OSTI ID:139518

Flint, L E ^[1]; Flint, A L ^[2]

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1. Fenix and Scisson, Inc., Mercury, NV (United States)
2. Geological Survey, Mercury, NV (United States)

A simple device for developing moisture characteristic data curves, the submersible pressure outflow cell, was modified for application to rock core at matric potentials of 0 to -0.5 megapascals (MPa) and possibly to -1.0 Mpa. An automated system was developed to continuously and simultaneously collect data from many cells, obtain sorption and desorption characteristic curves to provide hysteretic information, and data from multi-step outflow experiments. The latter can be used to estimate unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. The system has resolved many of the problems inherent in standard measurement techniques. Model simulation of imbibition using the hysteretic data collected are in close agreement with laboratory measurements of imbibition, data collected are in close agreement with laboratory measurements of imbibition, suggesting the moisture characteristic data correctly describes the core properties.19 refs., 4 figs.

• Research Organization: Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States). Div. of Regulatory Applications; Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (United States). Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses; Arizona Univ., Tucson, AZ (United States). Dept. of Hydrology and Water Resources
• OSTI ID: 139518
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CP--0040; CONF-9101106--; ON: TI93016989
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
DESORPTION
FLUID FLOW
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOISTURE
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
ROCKS
SORPTION
TUFF
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
Yucca Mountain Project