Use of existing pore models and X-ray computed tomography to predict saturated soil hydraulic conductivity

This study investigates the use of 3D soil pore characteristics (volume, surface area, and tortuosity) for prediction of saturated hydraulic conductivity ( K s). The pore characteristics were determined by cluster labeling of X-ray CT images and random-walk simulations of 3D pore space. The flow characteristics of the four soil cores were measured in the laboratory pre- and post-CT imaging. The predicted values of K s were arrived at through the use of Darcy's equation and a modified Poiseuille equation. For comparison the 2D pore characteristics were determined from individual slice of X-ray CT imagery, and fed into three established methods of predicting K s. The predicted K s by the proposed method exhibited a positive correlation to both pre- and post-imaging measured K s, and attained a greater correlation than the 2D K s prediction.