Saturation levels and trends in the unsaturated zone, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:61001

Nelson, P H ^[1]

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1. Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)

Water content and porosity within the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain are computered from the caliper, density, and epithermal neutron logs obtained in 15 WT-boreholes. Separation between the water content and porosity logs clearly demarcate the lithophysal zones within the Topopah Spring Member of the Paintbrush Tuff. Lithophysal and nonlithophysal zones constitute regionally correlatable intervals across the area penetrated by the WT-boreholes. Lithophysal abundance appears to be nearly zero in the lower lithophysal zone in the southernmost borehole. Total porosity increases as lithophysal abundance increases, and water saturation decreases in the zones with high lithophysal abundance. Averages of water content for two lithophysal zones in the Topopah Spring Member of the Paintbrush Tuff show that water content decreases with height above the static water level; the trends in water content versus elevation are a function of geological zone. Thus, the pore size distribution spectrum appears to be preserved in the lithophysal zones.

• Research Organization: American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, NY (United States); American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, IL (United States)
• OSTI ID: 61001
• Report Number(s): CONF-940553--Vol.4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
44 INSTRUMENTATION
INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS
58 GEOSCIENCES
BOREHOLES
CALIPER LOGGING
GAMMA-GAMMA LOGGING
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
HYDROLOGY
LITHOLOGY
NEUTRON LOGGING
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
TUFF
WATER SATURATION
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
Yucca Mountain Project