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Tests of Capillary Flow Scaling
Author(s) -
Elrick D. E.,
Scandrett J. H.,
Miller E. E.
Publication year - 1959
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1959.03615995002300050008x
Subject(s) - scaling , capillary action , hysteresis , colloid , flow (mathematics) , surface tension , mechanics , porous medium , tension (geology) , geotechnical engineering , materials science , mathematics , chromatography , thermodynamics , chemistry , geology , physics , composite material , porosity , geometry , condensed matter physics , ultimate tensile strength
Four types of experiments testing predicted scaling relations are reported. In the first two, different liquids are compared in the same medium. The first compares hysteresis loops—liquid content vs. tension. The second compares conductivities at a certain tension. The third and fourth experiments concern entire flow systems; they compare systems constructed from different (but “ similar ”) media; only one liquid being used. The third experiment measures flow into the top of a dry column. The fourth measures drainage from a saturated column under a combination of tension and gravity. The results of all four experiments are in excellent agreement with theory when the media are clean sands. The hysteresis experiment was also run for media having increasing colloidal fractions. In the latter cases, the results show definite departures from theory which increase with the amount of colloid.