Civil Engineering ETDs

Publication Date

Summer 7-14-2022

Abstract

In this study, permeability and porosity measurements are made and reported for loose granular salt from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Measurements are made on a particularly wide range of particle sizes of this salt in a permeameter constructed large enough to fit and represent mixtures containing salt particles up to 25.4 cm in size. Salt samples with different particle size distributions are constructed and tested at varying levels of consolidation due to induced vibrations. Permeability measurements are made at a varying range of porosities for a given sample. Measurements are also compared with a predictive model for permeability of porous media to further evaluate the results of this study. The permeabilities measured in this study are within an order of magnitude to the predictions made by the model. Adjustments for settling and instability are also made to the model to better predict permeability measurements.

Keywords

Permeability, Porous Media, Salt, Porosity

Sponsors

Sandia National Laboratories

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

Civil Engineering

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Civil Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

John Stormont

Second Committee Member

Maryam Hojati

Third Committee Member

Melissa Mills

Download

Share

COinS