A Hierarchical Model for the Computation of Permeation Properties of Porous Materials and Their Enhancement due to Microcracks
Publication: Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 144, Issue 2
Abstract
This paper presents a model capable of providing estimates of the apparent permeability directly from the pore-size distribution and from the properties of the fluid to be considered. The model is based on a hierarchical assembly of capillaries with decreasing diameter, generated randomly. The technique yields a porous network, which mimics the pore space measured experimentally by mercury intrusion. The intrinsic permeability and the evolution of the apparent permeability with mean pressure are provided by equating Darcy’s law and a combination of Poiseuille’s and Knudsen’s laws. Comparisons with experimental data on mortar specimens show that the model provides the intrinsic permeability and its evolution when the material is subjected to mechanical loads. For a given pore-size distribution, the evolution of the apparent permeability is also provided and test data with several types of gases compare quite well with the model.
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Acknowledgments
Financial support from the European Research Council through the ERC advanced grant Failflow (27769), from the French Région Aquitaine through the grant CEPAGE (20121105002), and from the French Agglomération Côte Basque—Adour are gratefully acknowledged. F. K. is grateful to the Syrian Ministry of Higher Education for its support (13153/4/W). Finally, the authors would like to thank Lionel Ecay for his help with calculations with the model.
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Published In
Journal of Engineering Mechanics
Volume 144 • Issue 2 • February 2018
Copyright
©2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 23, 2016
Accepted: Jul 20, 2017
Published online: Nov 24, 2017
Published in print: Feb 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Apr 24, 2018
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