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Air Tests on Low-Permeability Claystone Formations. Experimental Results and Simulations

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Multiphysical Testing of Soils and Shales

Abstract

The paper presents the results of an experimental investigation aimed at characterising the water and air permeability properties of low-permeability claystone formations from a Mesozoic sequence in Northern Switzerland. The experiments, besides providing quantitative data to calibrate hydraulic and two-phase flow properties, intend to analyse the phenomena and processes, which control the percolation of air through an initially water saturated claystone. Fast controlled- volume rate air injection experiments were performed in a triaxial cell, testing a total of four rock samples under isotropic stress state conditions at different initial porosity and at two sample orientations (flow parallel and orthogonal to bedding planes). Simulation results showed a good agreement between the measured pressures at the injection and outflow sides of the sample using a standard two-phase flow simulation code.

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Correspondence to Enrique Romero .

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Romero, E., Senger, R., Marschall, P., Gómez, R. (2013). Air Tests on Low-Permeability Claystone Formations. Experimental Results and Simulations. In: Laloui, L., Ferrari, A. (eds) Multiphysical Testing of Soils and Shales. Springer Series in Geomechanics and Geoengineering. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-32492-5_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-32492-5_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-32491-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-32492-5

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

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