Multiple-peak response to tracer injection tests in single fractures: A numerical study

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Water Resources Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91WR00507· OSTI ID:5963737

Moreno, L ^[1]; Tsang, Chin Fu ^[2]

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1. Royal Inst. of Tech., Stockholm (Sweden)
2. Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)

Under certain conditions, when pulse tracer injection tests are performed in a single fracture with a regional flow field, the breakthrough curves may display multiple peaks. Furthermore, the shape of these curves may change when the injection flow rate is varied. In this paper the conditions under which the breakthrough curve may present multiple peaks and analyzed numerically using stochastically generated fractures. The dispersivities of these peaks are also calculated. It is found that the dispersivity is small for each of the peaks and that the dispersivities of the different peaks in a breakthrough curve are quite similar. The results presented in this paper may be equally applied to tracer tests in a two-dimensional strongly heterogeneous medium.

• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 5963737
• Journal Information: Water Resources Research; (United States), Journal Name: Water Resources Research; (United States) Vol. 27:8; ISSN 0043-1397; ISSN WRERA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540210 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- (1990-)
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
FLOW MODELS
FLUID FLOW
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SIMULATION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
WATER