Understanding the influence of pore space characteristics on the hydraulic
conductivity and spectral induced polarization (SIP) response is
critical for establishing relationships between the electrical and
hydrological properties of surficial sedimentary deposits. Here,
we present the results of laboratory SIP measurements on saturated
quartz samples with granulometric characteristics ranging from fine
sand to fine gravel. We alter the pore characteristics using three
principal methods: (i) variation of the grain sizes, (ii) changing
the degree of compaction, and (iii) changing the level of sorting.
We then examine how these changes affect both the SIP response and
the hydraulic conductivity. In general, the results indicate a clear
connection between the applied changes in pore characteristics and
the SIP response. In particular, we observe a systematic correlation
between the hydraulic conductivity and the relaxation time of the
Cole-Cole model describing the observed SIP effect for the whole
range of considered grain sizes.