22 Fractal Analysis of CT-Measured Solute Transport Parameters
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Published:2008
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Accurate predictions of contaminant transport in porous media are vital to assist in minimizing impairment of water resources. Fractal analysis of transport parameters may assist in quantifying soil heterogeneity at a variety of scales which will help in identifying possible water quality impairments and remedial procedures. Computed tomography (CT) methods can determine transport parameters, such as pore-water velocity and dispersivity, and provide detailed data sets at a finer resolution for fractal analysis. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether CT-measured solute transport parameters are fractal; and if so, determine the fractal dimension and lacunarity of pore-water velocity and dispersivity parameters. CT-measured breakthrough curve experiments were conducted in columns of glass beads (1.4 to 8.0 mm diam.). CT-measured porosity, pore-water velocity, and dispersivity were found to be fractal. Fractal dimensions of these parameters decreased with the logarithm of glass bead diameter. Results of the study indicated that both fractal dimension and lacunarity are required to discriminate spatial distributions of the solute transport parameters among different porous media. If fractal dimensions are the same for different fractal sets, lacunarity analysis may reveal different spatial patterns or fractal structures for such fractal sets.