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Neutron imaging and digital volume correlation to analyse the coupled hydro-mechanics of geomaterials

Tudisco, Erika LU orcid ; Hall, Stephen A. LU ; Athanasopoulos, Stefanos LU and Hovind, Jan (2017) In Rivista Italiana di Geotecnica 51(4). p.60-68
Abstract

A new approach to characterise the evolution and coupling of deformation and fluid flow in geomaterials is presented. The method exploits some key features of neutrons, namely penetration of dense materials used for triaxial pressure cells, sensitivity to hydrogen and the possibility to distinguish hydrogen from its isotope deuterium (in normal water, H2O, and heavy water, D2O, respectively). Illustration of the approach is provided with results from a combined fluid flow/triaxial compression test on a cemented sand specimen performed in-situ (i.e., acquiring images during loading) at a neutron imaging station. Quantitative analysis of neutron tomography images acquired at different stages of deformation is made by... (More)

A new approach to characterise the evolution and coupling of deformation and fluid flow in geomaterials is presented. The method exploits some key features of neutrons, namely penetration of dense materials used for triaxial pressure cells, sensitivity to hydrogen and the possibility to distinguish hydrogen from its isotope deuterium (in normal water, H2O, and heavy water, D2O, respectively). Illustration of the approach is provided with results from a combined fluid flow/triaxial compression test on a cemented sand specimen performed in-situ (i.e., acquiring images during loading) at a neutron imaging station. Quantitative analysis of neutron tomography images acquired at different stages of deformation is made by Digital Volume Correlation to provide full 3D strain fields that highlight the evolution of localised deformation features. Spatio-temporal tracking of the effect of the evolution of the permeability in the sample was possible by neutron radiographies acquired during pressure driven flow of H2O into the sample saturated with D2O. By exploiting the H2O/D2O neutron transmission contrast and similarities of their flow behaviour, the tracking of the H2O/D2O front can be considered as an indicator of the permeability of the sample that is correlated to the measured evolution of the deformation.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Fluid flow, Localised deformation, Neutron radiography, Neutron tomography
in
Rivista Italiana di Geotecnica
volume
51
issue
4
pages
9 pages
publisher
Patron Editore
external identifiers
  • scopus:85041962638
ISSN
0557-1405
DOI
10.19199/2017.4.0557-1405.60
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
24e98979-4688-45f3-b763-ac21466c7f70
date added to LUP
2018-02-22 12:19:20
date last changed
2022-04-25 05:49:27
@article{24e98979-4688-45f3-b763-ac21466c7f70,
  abstract     = {{<p>A new approach to characterise the evolution and coupling of deformation and fluid flow in geomaterials is presented. The method exploits some key features of neutrons, namely penetration of dense materials used for triaxial pressure cells, sensitivity to hydrogen and the possibility to distinguish hydrogen from its isotope deuterium (in normal water, H<sub>2</sub>O, and heavy water, D<sub>2</sub>O, respectively). Illustration of the approach is provided with results from a combined fluid flow/triaxial compression test on a cemented sand specimen performed in-situ (i.e., acquiring images during loading) at a neutron imaging station. Quantitative analysis of neutron tomography images acquired at different stages of deformation is made by Digital Volume Correlation to provide full 3D strain fields that highlight the evolution of localised deformation features. Spatio-temporal tracking of the effect of the evolution of the permeability in the sample was possible by neutron radiographies acquired during pressure driven flow of H<sub>2</sub>O into the sample saturated with D<sub>2</sub>O. By exploiting the H<sub>2</sub>O/D<sub>2</sub>O neutron transmission contrast and similarities of their flow behaviour, the tracking of the H<sub>2</sub>O/D<sub>2</sub>O front can be considered as an indicator of the permeability of the sample that is correlated to the measured evolution of the deformation.</p>}},
  author       = {{Tudisco, Erika and Hall, Stephen A. and Athanasopoulos, Stefanos and Hovind, Jan}},
  issn         = {{0557-1405}},
  keywords     = {{Fluid flow; Localised deformation; Neutron radiography; Neutron tomography}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{60--68}},
  publisher    = {{Patron Editore}},
  series       = {{Rivista Italiana di Geotecnica}},
  title        = {{Neutron imaging and digital volume correlation to analyse the coupled hydro-mechanics of geomaterials}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.19199/2017.4.0557-1405.60}},
  doi          = {{10.19199/2017.4.0557-1405.60}},
  volume       = {{51}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}