A Hierarchical Model for the Computation of Permeation Properties of Porous Materials and Their Enhancement due to Microcracks

Abstract

This paper presents a model capable of providing estimates of the apparent permeability directly from the pore-size distribution and from the properties of the fluid to be considered. The model is based on a hierarchical assembly of capillaries with decreasing diameter, generated randomly. The technique yields a porous network, which mimics the pore space measured experimentally by mercury intrusion. The intrinsic permeability and the evolution of the apparent permeability with mean pressure are provided by equating Darcy’s law and a combination of Poiseuille’s and Knudsen’s laws. Comparisons with experimental data on mortar specimens show that the model provides the intrinsic permeability and its evolution when the material is subjected to mechanical loads. For a given pore-size distribution, the evolution of the apparent permeability is also provided and test data with several types of gases compare quite well with the model.