The role of fracture coatings on water imbibition into unsaturated tuff
- Univ. and Community College System of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States)
A thin lining of low permeability material on fracture walls may significantly impede imbibition into the matrix of unsaturated fractured tuff. Capillary forces from the matrix acting on the mobile liquid water in the fractures start the process of imbibition. A convenient measure of the property of imbibition is the sorptivity. To investigate the role of fracture coatings on sorptivity in the laboratory we modified a simple sorptivity cell. This sorptivity cell was used to measure imbibition across the fracture surfaces and to investigate the role of fracture coatings. Results of Tiva Canyon tuff samples collected from surface outcrops near Yucca Mountain were contrary to the hypothesis that the fracture coating may impede imbibition.
- Research Organization:
- American Society of Civil Engineers, New York, NY (United States); American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, IL (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 61010
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940553--Vol.4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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