Hydrogeophysical characterization of transport processes in fractured rock by combining push-pull and single-hole ground penetrating radar experiments

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_9F80F402E54F
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Hydrogeophysical characterization of transport processes in fractured rock by combining push-pull and single-hole ground penetrating radar experiments
Journal
Water Resources Research
Author(s)
Shakas A., Linde N., Baron L., Bochet O., Bour O., Le Borgne T.
ISSN
0043-1397
ISSN-L
1944-7973
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2016
Volume
52
Pages
938-953
Language
english
Abstract
The in situ characterization of transport processes in fractured media is particularly challenging due to the considerable spatial uncertainty on tracer pathways and dominant controlling processes, such as dispersion, channeling, trapping, matrix diffusion, ambient and density driven flows. We attempted to reduce this uncertainty by coupling push-pull tracer experiments with single-hole ground penetrating radar (GPR) time-lapse imaging. The experiments involved different injection fractures, chaser volumes and resting times, and were performed at the fractured rock research site of Ploemeur in France (H+ network, hplus.ore.fr/en). For the GPR acquisitions, we used both fixed and moving antenna setups in a borehole that was isolated with a flexible liner. During the fixed-antenna experiment, time-varying GPR reflections allowed us to track the spatial and temporal dynamics of the tracer during the push-pull experiment. During the moving antenna experiments, we clearly imaged the dominant fractures in which tracer transport took place, fractures in which the tracer was trapped for longer time periods, and the spatial extent of the tracer distribution (up to 8 m) at different times. This demonstrated the existence of strongly channelized flow in the first few meters and radial flow at greater distances. By varying the resting time of a given experiment, we identified regions affected by density-driven and ambient flow. These experiments open up new perspectives for coupled hydrogeophysical inversion aimed at understanding transport phenomena in fractured rock formations.
Open Access
Yes
Create date
27/06/2016 11:11
Last modification date
20/08/2019 16:05
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