Advances in Computed Tomography for Geomaterials: GeoX 2010

Characterization of Porous Media in Agent Transport Simulation

Examining building materials using x-ray computed tomograhy

L.-B. Hu¹ — C. Savidge¹ — D. Rizzo¹ — N. Hayden¹ — M. Dewoolkar¹ — L. Meador² — J. W. Hagadorn³

¹ School of Engineering, University of VermontBurlington, VT 05405, [e-mail],[e-mail]

 

²Department of Anthropology, University of MassachusettsAmherst, MA 01003, [e-mail]

 

³Department of Geology, Amherst CollegeAmherst, MA 01002, [e-mail]

ABSTRACT. Microscopic geomorphic structure is critical to the process of transport in porous building materials. X-ray scans were obtained on a variety of building materials to both qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate their pore structures. Scanned images were subsequently processed using a random walk analysis to estimate the macroscopic transport properties that are useful for numerical simulation of transport phenomena. 3D image reconstruction was also performed to provide better visualization of the pore structures and a basis for 3D simulation.

 

KEYWORDS: porous media, characterization, x-ray CT, transport, random walk

1. Introduction

An understanding of geomorphic pore structure of building materials (natural and man-made) in terms of pore size, shape and connectivity is important in contaminant transport studies involving porous building materials. Examples include the transport, fate and remediation ...