68th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and 7th Canadian Permafrost Conference

THE EFFECT OF FLOW REVERSAL ON PERMEABILITY MEASUREMENT IN ROCKS

Session: Groundwater / Eaux souterraines

Adrian Glowacki, McGill University (Canada)
A.P.S. Selvadurai, McGill University (Canada)

This paper presents the results of an experimental evaluation of flow reversal on the alteration of “permeability” in both saturated and unsaturated rock samples subjected to constant flow tests. Cylindrical samples of the rock (Indiana limestone, Stanstead granite and Rudna Sandstone measuring 50 mm in diameter and 20 mm in length) were tested. The samples were epoxy coated on the cylindrical surfaces and capped with acrylic disks, allowing only one-dimensional flow. A constant flow rate was applied at the upstream and the downstream was kept at atmospheric pressure. The inlet fluid pressure response was recorded with time. The samples were tested under different conditions: initially dry, initially saturated and flow reversal all using distilled de-aired water. The pressure response due to flow reversal was noted to be significant and dependent on the rock type. Sandstone was the least influenced by flow reversal, whereas granite and limestone showed an increase in pressure due to flow reversal.