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Ultrasonic properties of granular media saturated with DNAPL/water mixtures
Author(s) -
AjoFranklin J. B.,
Geller J. T.,
Harris J. M.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2006gl029200
Subject(s) - saturation (graph theory) , aquifer , ultrasonic sensor , soil science , materials science , trichloroethylene , environmental science , mineralogy , groundwater , geology , chemistry , geotechnical engineering , environmental chemistry , acoustics , physics , mathematics , combinatorics
We present the results of four experiments investigating the ultrasonic properties of granular materials partially saturated with trichloroethylene (TCE), a dense non‐aqueous contaminant. P‐wave velocity measurements were made under in situ effective stress conditions using a pulse transmission cell at ≈250 kHz. Two synthetic samples and two natural aquifer cores were fully saturated with water and then subjected to an axial injection of TCE. The resulting measurements show reductions in P‐wave velocity of up to 15% due to contaminant saturation. A theoretical model combining Gassmann fluid substitution and Hill's equation was used to estimate the effects of DNAPL saturation; this model underpredicted observed reductions in velocity at high TCE saturations. A linear relationship, expressed in terms of volumetric contaminant fraction, provided an excellent empirical fit to the laboratory measurements.