Transport study in unsaturated porous media by tracer experiment in a dichromatic X-ray experimental device

Abstract

Estimating contaminant migration in the context of waste disposal and/or environmental remediation of polluted soils requires a complete understanding of the underlying transport processes. In unsaturated porous media, water content is one of the most determining parameters to describe solute migration because it impacts directly on solute pore velocity. However, numerous studies are satisfied with only a global or a partial spatial distribution of water content within the studied porous media. Therefore, distribution of water content in porous media must be precisely achieved to optimize transport processes modeling. Tracer experiments with downward flow were performed on the BEETI experimental device equipped with a sand column. Water content and concentration profiles of tracer (KI) were measured along the column during experiment. The relative dispersion of water content, calculated along the column, gives an idea of influence of this parameter on transport properties. A relationship between pore velocity, Darcy flow velocity and water content is proposed. © Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2013.