Characterization of fracture permeability with high-resolution vertical flow measurements during borehole pumping.

Ground Water
By: , and 

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Abstract

The distribution of fracture permeability in granitic rocks was investigated by measuring the distribution of vertical flow in boreholes during periods of steady pumping. Pumping tests were conducted at two sites chosen to provide examples of moderately fractured rocks near Mirror Lake, New Hampshire and intensely fractured rocks near Oracle, Arizona. A sensitive heat-pulse flowmeter was used for accurate measurements of vertical flow as low as 0.2 liter per minute. Results indicate zones of fracture permeability in crystalline rocks are composed of irregular conduits that cannot be approximated by planar fractures of uniform aperture, and that the orientation of permeability zones may be unrelated to the orientation of individual fractures within those zones.-Authors
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Characterization of fracture permeability with high-resolution vertical flow measurements during borehole pumping.
Series title Ground Water
DOI 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1987.tb02113.x
Volume 25
Issue 1
Year Published 1987
Language English
Publisher Wiley
Contributing office(s) Toxic Substances Hydrology Program
Description 13 p.
First page 28
Last page 40
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