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Field and numerical determinations of pneumatic flow parameters of unsaturated fractured porous rocks on various scales
Abstract : Air permeability is measured in the fractured crystalline rocks of the Roselend Natural Laboratory (France). Single-hole pneumatic injection tests as well as differential barometric pressure monitoring are conducted on scales ranging from 1 to 50 m, in both shallow and deep boreholes, as well as in an isolated 60 m 3 chamber at 55 m depth. The field experiments are interpreted using numerical simulations in equivalent homogeneous porous media with their real 3-D geometry in order to estimate pneumatic parameters. For pneumatic injection tests, steady-state data first allow to estimate air permeability. Then, pressure recovery after a pneumatic injection test allows to estimate the air-filled porosity. Comparison between the various studied cases clarifies the influence of the boundary conditions on the accuracy of the often used 1-D estimate of air permeability. It also shows that permeabilities correlate slightly with fracture density. In the chamber, a 1 order-of-magnitude difference is found between the air permeabilities obtained from pneumatic injection tests and from differential barometric pressure monitoring. This discrepancy is interpreted as a scale effect resulting from the approximation of the heterogeneous fractured rock by a homogeneous numerical model. The difference between the rock volumes investigated by pneumatic injection tests and by differential barometric pressure monitoring may also play a role. No clear dependence of air permeability on saturation has been found so far.
Cited literature [49 references]
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01483372
Contributor : Sophie Guillon Connect in order to contact the contributor
Submitted on : Friday, August 21, 2020 - 3:04:21 PM
Last modification on : Wednesday, November 17, 2021 - 12:32:16 PM
Long-term archiving on: : Tuesday, December 1, 2020 - 4:34:36 AM
Contributor : Sophie Guillon Connect in order to contact the contributor
Submitted on : Friday, August 21, 2020 - 3:04:21 PM
Last modification on : Wednesday, November 17, 2021 - 12:32:16 PM
Long-term archiving on: : Tuesday, December 1, 2020 - 4:34:36 AM
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