Transport of water and ions in partially water-saturated porous media. Part 3. Electrical conductivity

Abstract

In hydrogeophysics, we need a reliable petrophysical model connecting (non-linearly) the conductivity of a porous material (like a soil) to the conductivity of the pore water and the water saturation. Classical models are too simplistic especially at low salinities. The convexity of the electrical conductivity of a porous material as a function of the pore water conductivity is due to both a textural effect and the dependence of the specific surface conductivity on salinity. The textural effect arises because of a change in the distribution of pore network conductances with salinity. From volume averaging arguments, it is possible to provide a general equation for the conductivity of porous ..