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Aqueous Diffusion Coefficients in Unsaturated Materials

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2011

James L. Conca and
Judith Wright
James L. Conca
Affiliation:
Washington State University Tri-Cities, 100 Sprout Rd, Richland, WA 99352
Judith Wright
Affiliation:
Pacific Northwest Laboratory, Mail Stop K6–84, Richland, WA 99352.
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Abstract

Simple diffusion coefficients, D(θ), in most unsaturated media were found to be primarily a function of water content and not material characteristics except where the characteristics affect or determine water content. At high water contents, D(θ) gradually declines as water content decreases, from 10−5 cm2/sec at a volumetric water content of about 50% to 10−7 cm2/sec at a volumetric water content of about 5%, followed by a sharp decline as surface water films become thin and discontinuous and pendular water elements become very small, from 10−7 cm2/sec at a volumetric water content of about 5% to 10−9 cm2/sec at a volumetric water content of about 0.5% to 1%.

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References

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