Hydraulic and electrical conductivity: Conductivity exponents and critical path analysis

Abstract

This chapter describes how to estimate hydraulic and electrical conductivity, primarily as functions of saturation but, in a more limited fashion, also their dependence on porosity. Electrokinetic currents, because of their very close relationship with electrical and hydraulic conductivity, are discussed here too. Other properties, such as air permeability, solute and gas diffusion, and thermal conductivity are discussed in Chap. 7. The results are valid for generating sample scale properties from pore-scale variability. The theoretical development and the parameters obtained are consistent across the various properties, and the results predict experimentally measured values. © 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland.