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Pore scale consideration in unstable gravity driven finger flow
Author(s) -
Steenhuis Tammo S.,
Baver Christine E.,
Hasanpour Bahareh,
Stoof Cathelijne R.,
DiCarlo David A.,
Selker John S.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1002/2013wr013928
Subject(s) - wetting , mechanics , capillary action , geotechnical engineering , capillary pressure , radius , flow (mathematics) , front (military) , suction , pore water pressure , scale (ratio) , geology , materials science , porous medium , physics , thermodynamics , porosity , oceanography , computer security , computer science , quantum mechanics
To explain the dynamic behavior of the matric potential at the wetting front of gravity driven fingers, we take into account the pressure across the interface that is not continuous and depends on the radius of the meniscus, which is a function of pore size and the dynamic contact angle θ d . θ d depends on a number of factors including velocity of the water and can be found by the Hoffman‐Jiang equation that was modified for gravity effects. By assuming that water at the wetting front imbibes one pore at a time, realistic velocities are obtained that can explain the capillary pressures observed in unstable flow experiments in wettable and water repellent sands.