The role of fracture coatings on water imbibition into unsaturated tuff from Yucca Mountain

Abstract

Studies dealing with fracture flow at Yucca Mountain have generally assumed that any water flowing down in a fracture will be absorbed by the porous matrix. However, a thin lining of low permeability material on the fracture walls may significantly impede imbibition into the matrix of unsaturated tuff. In this research, imbibition was measured across the fracture surfaces in the laboratory. Samples were collected from surface outcrops of Tiva Canyon and Topopah Spring members of the Paintbrush tuff near Yucca Mountain. Sorptivity, a convenient measure of imbibition, was used to investigate the changes in hydraulic properties as a result of fracture coatings. Results from experimental analysis of Topopah Spring tuff showed decreased sorptivity across coated fracture surfaces. Statistically, the coatings on the Tiva Canyon samples do not significantly affect sorptivity. Scanning Electron Microscope analysis shows that coatings on the s grit Tiva Canyon samples are made up of iron, aluminum and to some extent magnesium. Coating material on the Topopah Spring samples is made up of calcium, magnesium, aluminum and iron. Coating significantly reduces the sorptivity for the Topopah Spring tuff. Numerical results are presented to show the effect of fracture coatings on water infiltration down a vertical fracture in simulated tuff. For the Topopah Spring tuff, the wetting front in the coated fracture travels deeper in the fracture and less into the matrix compared to the wetting front in the uncoated fracture. For the Tiva Canyon tuff, the wetting front in the uncoated fracture travels deeper in the fracture and less into the matrix as compared to the wetting front in the coated fracture.