Permeability Evolution During Non-linear Viscous Creep of Calcite Rocks

Permeability, storage capacity and volumetric strain were measured in situ during deformation of hot-pressed calcite aggregates containing 10, 20, and 30 wt% quartz. Both isostatic and conventional triaxial loading conditions were used. The tests were performed at confining pressure of 300 MPa, pore pressures between 50 to 290 MPa, temperatures from 673 to 873 K and strain rates of 3 × 10⁻⁵ s⁻¹. Argon gas was used as the pore fluid. The initial porosities of the starting samples varied from 5% to 9%, with higher porosity correlated to higher quartz content. Microstructural observations after the experiment indicate two kinds of pores are present: 1) Angular, crack-like pores along boundaries between quartz grains or between quartz and calcite grains and 2) equant and tubular voids within the calcite matrix. Under isostatic loading conditions, the compaction rate covaries with porosity and increases with increasing effective pressure. Most of the permeability reduction induced during compaction is irreversible and probably owes to plastic processes. As has been found in previous studies on hot-pressed calcite aggregates, permeability, k, is nonlinearly related to porosity, ϕ. Over small changes in porosity, the two parameters are approximately related as k ∝ ϕⁿ. The exponent n strongly increases as porosity decreases to a finite value (from about 4 to 6% depending on quartz content), suggesting a porosity percolation threshold. When subjected to triaxial deformation, the calcite-quartz aggregates exhibit shear-enhanced compaction, but permeability does not decrease as rapidly as it does under isostatic conditions. During triaxial compaction the exponent n only varies between 2 and 3. Non-isostatic deformation seems to reduce the percolation threshold, and, in fact, enhances the permeability relative to that at the same porosity during isostatic compaction. Our data provide constraints on the governing parameters of the compaction theory which describes fluid flow through a viscous matrix, and may have important implications for expulsion of sedimentary fluids, for fluid flow during deformation and metamorphism, and melt extraction from partially molten rocks.     

Experimental Investigation into the Scale Dependence of Fluid Transport in Heterogeneous Rocks

We investigated the dependence of hydraulic properties on the spatial scale of intrinsic and artificial heterogeneity, applying harmonic pore pressure testing to two varieties of Fontainebleau sandstone at various periods and effective pressures. Blocks with porosities of about 5 and 8% were chosen exhibiting a permeability of about 2·10⁻¹⁹ and 1·10⁻¹³ m², respectively. The permeability of the less permeable variety strongly depends on sample size. Artificial heterogeneous rock samples were prepared by stacking pieces of the two sandstone varieties perpendicular and parallel to the main flow direction. The perturbation of the fluid flow owing to the interfaces between pieces of the same variety is controlled by the orientation of and subordinately by the effective stress on the interfaces. Constraints on conduit geometry derived from the effect of interfaces indicate that interconnectivity is more important than pore radius at the lower porosity. The effective permeability of alternating stacks of the two varieties differs tremendously for the two interface orientations; arithmetic and harmonic averages coincide with the effective properties parallel and perpendicular to the main flow, respectively. When the oscillation period is varied two regimes are observed, one with constant permeability at long periods and a second with decreasing permeability for decreasing period at short periods. Order of magnitude considerations of penetration depth suggest that this period dependence may be related to heterogeneity.     

The effect of water on stress relaxation of faulted and unfaulted sandstone

A series of stress relaxation experiments have been carried out on faulted and intact Tennessee sandstone to explore the influence of pore water on strength at different strain rates. Temperatures employed were 20, 300 and 400°C, effective confining pressure was 1.5 kb and strain rates as low as 10^–10 sec^–1 were achieved. Most samples were prefaulted at 2.5 kb confining pressure and room temperature. This is thought to have secured a reproducible initial microstructure.The strength of the dry rock was almost totally insensitive to strain rate in the range 10^–4 to 10^–10 sec^–1. In contrast, the strength of the wet rock decreased rapidly with strain rate at rates less than 10^–6 sec^–1. Brittle fracture of the quartz grains which constitute this rock is the most characteristic mode of failure under the test conditions used.The experimental data are discussed in terms of the possible deformation rate controlling processes, and it is suggested that in the wet experiments at intermediate to high strain rates (10^–7 to 10^–4 sec^–1) the observed deformation rate is controlled by the kinetics of water assisted stress corrosion, whilst deformation at low strain rates (ca. 10^–9 sec^–1) is controlled by a pressure solution process.The results have implications for the rheology of fault rocks at depths of perhaps 10 to 15 km in sialic crust.     

Influence of pore pressure on velocity in low-porosity sandstone: Implications for time-lapse feasibility and pore-pressure study

As seismic data quality improves, time‐lapse seismic data is increasingly being called upon to interpret and predict changes during reservoir development and production. Since pressure change is a major component of reservoir change during production, a thorough understanding of the influence of pore pressure on seismic velocity is critical. Laboratory measurements show that differential pressure (overburden minus fluid pressure) does not adequately determine the actual reservoir conditions. Changes in fluid pressure are found to have an additional effect on the physical properties of rocks. The effective‐stress coefficient n is used to quantify the effect of pore pressure compared to confining pressure on rock properties. However, the current practice in time‐lapse feasibility studies, reservoir‐pressure inversion and pore‐pressure prediction is to assume that n= 1. Laboratory measurements, reported in both this and previous research show that n can be significantly less than unity for low‐porosity rocks and that it varies with porosity, rock texture and wave type. We report the results of ultrasonic experiments to estimate n for low‐porosity sandstones with and without microcracks. Our results show that, for P‐waves, n is as low as 0.4 at a differential pressure of 20 MPa (about 3000 psi) for a low‐porosity sandstone. Thus, in pore‐pressure inversion, an assumption of n= 1 would lead to a 150% underestimation of the pore pressure. Comparison of the effective‐stress coefficient for fractured and unfractured samples suggests that the presence of microfractures increases the sensitivity of P‐wave velocity to pore pressure, and therefore the effective‐stress coefficient. Our results show that the effective‐stress coefficient decreases with the differential pressure, with a higher differential pressure resulting in a lower effective‐stress coefficient. While the effective‐stress coefficient for P‐wave velocity can be significantly less than unity, it is close to one for S‐waves.     

Strain and stress changes in the Tokai region of central Japan expected from a 3D subduction model

Using a 3D simulation model with a rate- and state-dependent friction law, Kuroki et al. (2002) discussed a process of a hypothetical great earthquake in the Tokai region, where the Philippine Sea plate subducts beneath the Eurasian plate. One of the main concerns was characteristic changes in volumetric strain and displacement on the ground surface which are caused by the evolution of the coupling between the two plates, i.e. evolution of a strongly coupled region between the plates which results in a preslip of the earthquake.In the present paper we discuss other observable phenomena which might help us to identify the stage of the coupling. The preslip of the earthquake could be more effectively detected by using full information about the change of strain rather than volumetric strain alone; the change in rotation angle of principal strain axes should amount to several tens of degrees while the order of the change in volumetric strain is 10⁻⁸ to 10⁻⁷ for 1 day before the earthquake. The spatial pattern of the displacement field on the ground surface provides us with information on the intermediate-term precursory changes in the plate coupling. Information given by micro-earthquakes is less direct. The seismicity should change considerably when a highly shear-stressed ring on the plate interface passes nearby, and ups and downs of seismicity rate will be estimated by Coulomb failure stress. On the other hand, focal mechanisms are rather insensitive to the progress of plate subduction. The changes may be not significant even at the time of the preslip. The interplate coupling yields a stress field that should produce reverse fault type mechanisms, but the stress field is modulated by a curved shape of the plate interface. Superposition of a regional tectonic stress to this field explains observed spatial distribution of focal mechanisms in the Tokai region which involve large strike-slip components.     

Pore-fluid pressures and frictional heating on a fault surface

This study considers the effects of heat transfer and fluid flow on the thernal, hydrologic, and mechanical response of a fault surface during seismic failure. Numerical modeling techniques are used to account for the coupling of the thermal, fluid-pressure, and stress fields. Results indicate that during an earthquake the failure surface is heated to a tempeature required for the thermal expansion of pore fluids to balance the rate of fluid loss due to flow and the fluid-volume changes due to pore dilatation. Once this condition is established, the pore fluids pressurize and the shear strength decreases rapidly to a value sufficient to maintain the thermal pressurization of pore fluids at near-lithostatic values. If the initial fluid pressure is hydrostatic, the final temperature attained on the failure surface will increase with depth, because a greater pressure increase can occur before a near-lithostatic pressure is reached. The rate at which thermal pressurization proceeds depends primarily on the hydraulic characteristics of the surrounding porous medium, the coefficient of friction on the fault surface, and the slip velocity. If either the permeability exceeds 10^–15 m² or the porous medium compressibility exceeds 10^–8 Pa^–1, then frictional melting may occur on the fault surface before thermal pressurization becomes significant. If the coefficient of friction is less than 10^–1 and if the slip velocity is less than 10^–2 msec^–1, then it is doubtful that either thermal pressurization or frictional melting on the fault surface could cause a reduction in the dynamic shear strength of a fault during an earthquake event.     

Stability of buoyancy opposed mixed convection in a vertical channel and its dependence on permeability

Non-Darcy mixed convective flow of water due to external pressure gradient and buoyancy opposed forces are considered in a vertical channel filled with porous medium, which can be either isotropic or anisotropic. The linear theory of stability analysis has been used to numerically investigate the dependence of the transition behavior of the fully developed basic flow on the permeability of the medium. Numerical experiments indicate that mainly two main instability modes appear: Rayleigh–Taylor (R–T) and buoyant instability. For Darcy numbers (Da) ?10⁻⁹, R–T instability dominates within the entire Reynolds number (Re) range considered here. It was also found that for the same Re, the fully developed base flow is highly unstable (stable) for porous media with high (low) permeability. Further, it was seen that the disturbance isotherm cells migrate from the channel walls toward the centerline when permeability is reduced. Reducing the permeability by one order of magnitude (corresponding to a decrease of Darcy number from 10⁻⁶ to 10⁻⁷) increases base flow stability approximately 20-fold. For higher Reynolds numbers, buoyant, mixed and shear instability of the basic flow were found when Da was increased from 10⁻⁷ to 10⁻³. However, for cases in which permeability and porosity behaved as suggested by Carman–Kozeny relation (CKR), buoyant stability was the only mode of instability. Critical values of the Rayleigh (Ra) and Darcy (Da) numbers in the R–T mode of instability were related to each other by the hyperbolic function RaDa = −2.465.     

Nanoscale porosity in SAFOD core samples (San Andreas Fault)

With transmission electron microscopy (TEM) we observed nanometer-sized pores in four ultracataclastic and fractured core samples recovered from different depths of the main bore hole of the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD). Cutting of foils with a focused ion beam technique (FIB) allowed identifying porosity down to the nm scale. Between 40 and 50% of all pores could be identified as in-situ pores without any damage related to sample preparation. The total porosity estimated from TEM micrographs (1–5%) is comparable to the connected fault rock porosity (2.8–6.7%) estimated by pressure-induced injection of mercury. Permeability estimates for cataclastic fault rocks are 10^? 21–10^? 19 m² and 10^? 17 m² for the fractured fault rock. Porosity and permeability are independent of sample depth. TEM images reveal that the porosity is intimately linked to fault rock composition and associated with deformation. The TEM-estimated porosity of the samples increases with increasing clay content. The highest porosity was estimated in the vicinity of an active fault trace. The largest pores with an equivalent radius > 200 nm occur around large quartz and feldspar grains or grain-fragments while the smallest pores (equivalent radius < 50 nm) are typically observed in the extremely fine-grained matrix (grain size < 1 μm). Based on pore morphology we distinguish different pore types varying with fault rock fabric and alteration. The pores were probably filled with formation water and/or hydrothermal fluids at elevated pore fluid pressure, preventing pore collapse. The pore geometry derived from TEM observations and BET (Brunauer, Emmett and Teller) gas adsorption/desorption hysteresis curves indicates pore blocking effects in the fine-grained matrix. Observations of isolated pores in TEM micrographs and high pore body to pore throat ratios inferred from mercury injection suggest elevated pore fluid pressure in the low permeability cataclasites, reducing shear strength of the fault.     

Volume changes during fracture and frictional sliding: A review

Summary Volume changes in geologic materials have been measured with strain gauges, cantilever displacement gauges, or through observation of either pore or total volume. When porosity is less than 0.05, compaction is small or absent; apart from elastic strains in the minerals, dilatancy predominates, beginning at 50 to 75 percent of the fracture stress difference. When initial porosity exceeds about 0.05, compaction and dilatancy may overlap. The onset of dilatancy has not been identified, but most of the dilatancy occurs within about 10 percent of the fracture stress difference. In low porosity rocks, dilatancy increases initial porosity by a factor of 2 or more; in porous rocks or granular aggregates the increase is only 20 to 50 percent. However, the actual pore volume increase is larger in rocks of high initial porosity. Hence, earthquake precursors which depend on the magnitude of dilatancy should be more pronounced in porous rocks or in fault gouge. In contrast, precursors which are based on fractional changes in some porosity-related property may be more pronounced in rocks of low initial porosity. Future work is particularly needed on constitutive relations suitable for major classes of rocks, on the effects of stress cycling in porous rocks, on the effects of high temperature and pore fluids on dilatancy and compaction, and on the degree of localization of strain prior to fracture.     

V p /V s anomalies in dilatant rock samples

Summary In a series of triaxial experiments we have measuredV _p ,V _s and volumetric strain simultaneously in dilating dry and saturated rocks. For the first time these data permit quantitative comparison of seismic velocities or their ratio and dilatant volumetric strain. In air-dry samplesV _p /V _s decreases by a few per cent at strains of 10^–3; in saturated materials with high pore pressure,V _p /V _s increases by a comparable amount. Decreases in seismic velocity ratio are difficult to generate in initially saturated rocks even with low pore pressures and at strain rates of 10^–4/sec. A liquid-vapor transition will not produce a significant drop inV _p /V _s . If dilatancy and fluid flow are responsible for seismic travel time anomalies prior to earthquakes, our results suggest that such anomalies will occur only in regions where pore fluid source to sink dimensions are of the order of 10 km or more, or in regions where the rocks are not saturated to begin with.     

The effect of stress on pore pressure in rocks and the mechanism of water table anomaly before earthquakes

Triaxial compressive experiments of porous rock samples were carried out under various confining pressures and initial pore pressures without drainage; axial strain and pore pressure were observed versus differential stress. The results of such experiments show that pore pressure increases with increase of differential stress at low differential stress; pore pressure decreases with increase of differential stress at medium and high differential stress. Pore pressure also increases with large amplitude decrease of differential stress at high differential stress. Based on such experiments, it is suggested that water table anomaly before an earthquake reflects the change of differential stress in crustal rocks. The anomalous behavior of water tables in the epicentral and peripheral areas before the great Tangshan earthquake of July 28, 1976 are explained by such suggestion. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,13, 88–95, 1991. This study is supported by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation. Professor Yongtai Che gave us much help in applying fund support and supplying earthquake case histories.     

Decoupling of the coupled poroelastic equations for quasistatic flow in deformable porous media containing two immiscible fluids

The study of the poroelastic behavior of sedimentary materials containing two immiscible fluids in response to either applied stress or pore pressure change in a quasistatic limit, i.e., negligible second time-derivatives, is of great importance to many hydrogelogical problems, e.g., land subsidence caused by withdrawal of subsurface fluids. The poroelasticity models developed for analyzing these problems feature partial differential equations that are coupled in the terms describing viscous damping and strain field. To determine closed-form analytical solutions for induced volumetric strain (dilatation) of the solid framework and its interaction with fluid flows, the choice of normal coordinates whose transformation can be performed to decouple these poroelastic equations is highly desirable. In this paper, we show that normal coordinates for decoupling these equations are real-valued and equal to three different linear combinations of the dilatations of the solid and the fluids (or equivalently, three different linear combinations of two individual fluid pressures and solid dilatation). In contrast to fully saturated porous media, it is found that the viscous damping effect must be represented in normal coordinates in the presence of the second fluid. The resulting decoupled equations representing independent motional modes are a Laplace equation and two diffusion equations, which can be solved analytically under a variety of initial and boundary conditions. Thus, after inverse transformation of normal coordinates is performed, the closed-form analytical solutions for induced solid volumetric strain and excess pore fluid pressures can be obtained simultaneously from our decoupled partial differential equations.     

Strength and deformation behavior of the Shimanto accretionary complex across the Nobeoka thrust

A rapid reduction in sediment porosity from 60 to 70 % at seafloor to less than 10 % at several kilometers depth can play an important role in deformation and seismicity in the shallow portion of subduction zones. We conducted deformation experiments on rocks from an ancient accretionary complex, the Shimanto Belt, across the Nobeoka Thrust to understand the deformation behaviors of rocks along plate boundary faults at seismogenic depth. Our experimental results for phyllites in the hanging wall and shale‐tuff mélanges in the footwall of the Nobeoka Thrust indicate that the Shimanto Belt rocks fail brittlely accompanied by a stress drop at effective pressures < 80 MPa, whereas they exhibit strain hardening at higher effective pressures. The transition from brittle to ductile behavior in the shale–tuff mélanges lies on the same trend in effective stress–porosity space as that for clay‐rich and tuffaceous sediments subducting into the modern Nankai subduction zone. Both the absolute yield strength and the effective pressure at the brittle–ductile transition for the phyllosilicate‐rich materials are much lower than for sandstones. These results suggest that as the clay‐rich or tuffaceous sediments subduct and their porosities are reduced, their deformation behavior gradually transitions from ductile to brittle and their yield strength increases. Our results also suggest that samples of the ancient Shimanto accretionary prism can serve as an analog for underthrust rocks at seismogenic depth in the modern Nankai Trough.     

Peak velocities and peak surface strains during Northridge, California, earthquake of 17 January 1994

We present contours of the largest horizontal and vertical recorded peak velocities of strong ground motion during the Northridge, California, earthquake. Above the fault, the horizontal peak velocities exceeded 100 cm/s. The vertical velocities were larger than 20 cm/s. We also present contours of peak horizontal and vertical strain factors. Through most of the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Susana Mountains, the horizontal surface strain factor was larger than 10⁻³. The largest horizontal strain factor computed was for the Rinaldi Receiving Station ∼10^−2·2. The corresponding vertical strains were >10^−3·25 and 10⁻¹³, respectively. Through most of the Los Angeles Basin the horizontal peak surface strain factors were between 10^−3·75 and 10⁻³.     

The effect of plastic fines on the pore pressure generation characteristics of saturated sands

Pore water pressure generation during earthquake shaking initiates liquefaction and affects the shear strength, shear stiffness, deformation, and settlement characteristics of soil deposits. The effect of plastic fines (kaolinite) on pore pressure generation in saturated sands was studied through strain-controlled cyclic triaxial tests. In addition to pore pressure generation, this experimental study also focused on evaluating the threshold shear strain for pore pressure generation and the volumetric compressibility of specimens during pore pressure dissipation. The results reveal that specimens having up to 20% plastic fines content generated larger values of pore water pressure than clean sand specimens. At 30% fines content, the excess pore water pressure decreased below that of clean sand. The threshold shear strain, which indicates the strain level above which pore pressures begin to generate, was assessed for different kaolinite–sand mixtures. The threshold shear strain was similar for 0–20% fines (γ_t0.006–0.008%), but increased to about 0.025% for 30% fines. The volumetric compressibility, measured after pore pressure generation, was similar for all specimens. The transition of behavior at fines contents between 20% and 30% can be attributed to a change in the soil structure from one dominated by sand grains to one dominated by fines.     

Permeability measurements of natural and experimental volcanic materials with a simple permeameter: Toward an understanding of magmatic degassing processes

Permeability measurement of quenched volcanic porous materials is an important approach to understand permeability development and degassing of vesicular silicic magmas. In this study, we developed a gas permeameter to measure permeability of natural samples and experimental products. The permeameter has broad measurement ranges of pressure difference (10¹–10⁵ Pa) and gas-flow rate (10^− 9–10^− 5 m³/s). These ranges enable us to measure viscous permeability in the range of 10^− 17–10^− 9 m² for 1 centimeter-scale samples, using the Forchheimer equation, which includes the inertial effect of gas flow permeating through the samples. In addition, we improved the procedure for performing permeability measurements of mm-sized products of decompression experiments. Although a previous study reported the first permeability data for vesicular silicic glass products of decompression experiments, we found an overestimation in their permeability data due to problems in sample preparation, especially for very low permeability samples. Our improved measurements give lower permeability values than those of Takeuchi et al. (2005)(Takeuchi, S., Nakashima, S., Tomiya, A., Shinohara, H., 2005. Experimental constraints on the low gas permeability of vesicular magma during decompression. Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L10312 doi:10.1029/2005GL022491).     

Numerical modeling of a long-term in situ chemical osmosis experiment in the Pierre Shale,South Dakota

We have numerically modeled evolving fluid pressures and concentrations from a nine-year in situ osmosis experiment in the Pierre Shale, South Dakota. These data were obtained and recently interpreted by one of us (C.E.N.) as indicating a potentially significant role for chemical osmosis in media like the Pierre Shale. That analysis considered only the final pressure differentials among boreholes that were assumed to represent osmotic equilibrium. For this study, the system evolution was modeled using a recently developed transient model for membrane transport. The model simulates hydraulically and chemically driven fluid and solute transport. The results yield an estimate of the thickness of the water film between the clay platelets b of 40 Å, which corresponds to an osmotic efficiency σ of 0.21 for the ambient pore water salinity of 3.5 g/l TDS. These values largely confirm the results of the earlier equilibrium analysis. However, the new model analysis provides additional constraints suggesting that intrinsic permeability k = 1.4 × 10⁻¹⁹ m², specific storage S_s = 1.7 × 10⁻⁵ m⁻¹, and diffusion coefficient D* = 6 × 10⁻¹¹ m²/s. The k value is larger than certain independent estimates which range from 10⁻²¹ to 10⁻²⁰; it may indicate opening of microcracks during the experiments. The fact that the complex transient pressure and concentration behavior for the individual wells could be reproduced quite accurately, and the inferred parameter values appear to be realistic for the Pierre Shale, suggests that the new model is a useful tool for modeling transient coupled flows in groundwater systems.     

Permeability of Triaxially Compressed Sandstone: Influence of Deformation and Strain-rate on Permeability

— The influence of differential stress on the permeability of a Lower Permian sandstone was investigated. Rock cylinders of 50 mm in diameter and 100 mm length of a fine-grained (mean grain size 0.2 mm), low-porosity (6–9%) sandstone were used to study the relation between differential stress, rock deformation, rock failure and hydraulic properties, with a focus on the changes of hydraulic properties in the pre-failure and failure region of triaxial rock deformation. The experiments were conducted at confining pressures up to 20 MPa, and axial force was controlled by lateral strain with a rate ranging from 10^?6 to 10^?7 sec^?1. While deforming the samples, permeability was determined by steady-state technique with a pressure gradient of 1 MPa over the specimen length and a fluid pressure level between 40 and 90% of the confining pressure. The results show that permeability of low-porosity sandstones under increasing triaxial stress firstly decreases due to compaction and starts to increase after the onset of dilatancy. This kind of permeability evolution is similar to that of crystalline rocks. A significant dependence of permeability evolution on strain rate was found. Comparison of permeability to volumetric strain demonstrates that the permeability increase after the onset of dilatancy is not sufficient to regain the initial permeability up to failure of the specimen. The initial permeability, which was determined in advance of the experiments, usually was regained in the post-failure region. After the onset of dilatancy, the permeability increase displays a linear dependence on volumetric strain.     

Effects of pore fluid chemistry on stable sliding of Berea sandstone

Single-cycle and multiple-cycle frictional-sliding experiments were employed to evaluate the effects of pore fluid environments on yield strength, frictional-sliding dynamics, and gouge production and morphology. Circular right cylinders cored from Berea sandstone sawcut at 35° to the axes were saturated in water, an inorganic brine, and various anionic, cationic, and nonionic aqueous surface-active agents. Samples were deformed under an effective confining pressure of 50 MPa and an axial strain rate of 6×10^–5 sec^–1 until a 2% axial strain beyond yield (defined as the onset of sliding) was achieved. All samples were displaced by stable sliding. In the single-cycle tests the unsaturated and water-saturated samples displayed small stress peaks at yield. During stable sliding samples saturated with DTAB and SDS displayed slight increases in differential stress and statistically significant higher frictional coefficients than other environments (including water) but were very similar in behavior to dry, unsaturated samples. In the multiple-cycle tests, samples were loaded to 2% strain beyond yield and unloaded to a differential stress of approximately 5–10 MPa a total of four times. These results further suggest that DTAB exerts a strengthening effect on the sandstone relative to water which, to a limiting value, increased with displacement. The DTAB and SDS environments also produced a coarser grain-size distribution in the gouge relative to gouge produced in the other environments. Investigation of the gouge by scanning electron microscope revealed that these larger grains were composed of dense, apparently cemented aggregates of ultrafine, platy quartz particles.     

Enhancing the Sustainability of Household Fe0/Sand Filters by Using Bimetallics and MnO2

Filtration systems containing metallic iron as reactive medium (Fe⁰ beds) have been intensively used for water treatment during the last two decades. The sustainability of Fe⁰ beds is severely confined by two major factors: (i) reactivity loss as result of the formation of an oxide scale on Fe⁰ and (ii) permeability loss due to pore filling by generated iron corrosion products. Both factors are inherent to iron corrosion at pH > 4.5 and are common during the lifespan of a Fe⁰ bed. It is of great practical significance to improve the performance of Fe⁰ beds by properly addressing these key factors. Recent studies have shown that both reactivity loss and permeability loss could be addressed by mixing Fe⁰ and inert materials. For a non‐porous additive like quartz, the threshold value for the Fe⁰ volumetric proportion is 51%. Using the Fe⁰/quartz system as reference, this study theoretically discusses the possibility of (i) replacing Fe⁰ by bimetallic systems (e.g., Fe⁰/Cu⁰), or (ii) partially replacing quartz by a reactive metal oxide (MnO₂ or TiO₂) to improve the efficiency of Fe⁰ beds. Results confirmed the suitability of both tools for sustaining Fe⁰ bed performance. It is shown that using a Fe⁰:MnO₂ system with the volumetric proportion 51:49 will yield a filter with 40% residual porosity at Fe⁰ depletion (MnO₂ porosity 62%). This study improves Fe⁰ bed design and can be considered as a basis for further refinement and detailed research for efficient Fe⁰ filters.