Measuring the permeability of open-framework gravel.
Open-framework gravel has permeability, k, above the measurement range of most laboratory constant-head permeameters because the head difference across the length of conventional permeameters is too small to be measured. Here we addressed the challenge of measuring the high k by using a 3 m long permeameter. The head difference over this length was of the order of 10(-2) to 10(-3) m, which we could measure to the nearest 10(-5) m. We collected data over the range of linear, laminar flow to nonlinear, laminar flow to verify that k was measured using data collected within the Darcian regime. We measured k between 4000 and 100,000 Darcies among experiments using different sediments.
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, OH 45435, USA.
James T
JT
Ferreira
Robert W
RW
Ritzi
David F
DF
Dominic
D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005618:Fresh Water; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D005844:Geology / Q000379:methods*; D010539:Permeability