Small-scale behavior of single gravity-driven fingers in an initially dry fracture
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Gravity-driven infiltration instability under full-field conditions in initially dry, rough-walled analog fractures and natural fractures in volcanic tuff similar to that found at Yucca Mountain has been demonstrated. Experiments investigating the behavior of individual, gravity-driven fingers in an initially dry, rough-walled analog fracture are presented. Fingers were initiated from constant flow to a point source. Finger structure is described in detail; specific phenomena observed include: desaturation behind the finger-tip bifurcation, and formation of dendritic sub-fingers. Measurements were made of finger-tip velocity, finger width, and finger-tip length. Non-dimensional forms of the measured variables are analyzed relative to the independent parameters, flow rate and gravitational gradient.
- Research Organization:
- American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, IL (United States); American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, NY (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 145408
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930408--Vol.2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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