ESTIMATION OF HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY AND CONTENT OF FINES FROM EXPERIMENTAL LAWS THAT CORELATE HYDRAULIC AND ELECTRIC PARAMETERS

Abstract

Hydraulic conductivity is a basic element in the advancement of knowledge of a geological environment in both the flow and transport processes of pollutants for conservation projects, managementand environmental management and also for the development of public policies for protection of ecosystems, among others. The aim of this paper is to obtain the hydraulic conductivity (K) and the finescontent (C) of saturated granular half using two empirical laws. One correlates the electrical conductivity of saturated granular media σo and water saturated σw which depends on the formation factor(F), cation exchange capacity (CEC) and the fines content in the saturated soil. Using data obtained from materials of 18 samples from 6 wells the relationships between F-C and CEC-C were obtained,so the equation reduces to a σo function in terms of σw and C, with a correlation coefficient of R = 0.97. A second experimental law is the one that results from the experimental relationship between K and C,being 1.4054 K 0.1804.C with a correlation coefficient of R = 0.96. From both experimental expressions relationships between K and C, a and C,and C are created so from every pair knowing one of them you get to know the other one. Under the scheme outlined electrical conductivity sections for the saturated medium and fines content are obtained,finding that the groundwater in the study area consists of a thin top layer and beneath it there is a predominantly sandy environment.

Keywords

• Hydraulic conductivity
• Fines content
• Electrical resistivity
• Formation factor
• Porosity
• Electrical tomography.