A laboratory apparatus for streaming potential and resistivity measurements on soil samples

Abstract

We describe an apparatus designed to perform streaming potential and resistivity measurements on unconsolidated soil samples. The apparatus enables the use of both unidirectional and oscillatory flow methods to measure the streaming potential coupling coefficient (C); the direct current resistivity method is used to measure the bulk resistivity (rho) of the soil sample. Measuring both of these parameters on the same sample under the same conditions enables us to properly characterize the streaming current cross-coupling coefficient (L). The apparatus is designed to test reconstituted saturated soil samples up to a maximum grain size of 9.5 mm, and hydraulic gradients from less than 0.1 up to a maximum of 4 m of H(2)Om in flow-through experiments. Excellent agreement between C values measured using the unidirectional and oscillatory flow methods validates the oscillatory flow method for unconsolidated samples.

Geophysical Properties of the Near Surface Earth: Electrical Properties

“…The most advanced proponents of these measurements include Laurence Jouniaux (e.g., Allègre et al, 2010;Guichet et al, 2006), Phil Reppert (e.g., Reppert andMorgan, 2001, 2003a,b;Sheffer et al, 2007), André Revil (e.g., Crespy et al, 2007), and Tsuneo Ishido (e.g., Jouniaux and Ishido, 2013). The most advanced proponents of these measurements include Laurence Jouniaux (e.g., Allègre et al, 2010;Guichet et al, 2006), Phil Reppert (e.g., Reppert andMorgan, 2001, 2003a,b;Sheffer et al, 2007), André Revil (e.g., Crespy et al, 2007), and Tsuneo Ishido (e.g., Jouniaux and Ishido, 2013).…”

Zeta potential at the root surfaces of rice characterized by streaming potential measurements

“…In contrast, the streaming potential method can be used for materials with much larger dimensions and thus complex pretreatment of materials is not required. Streaming potential measurements have been widely used to characterize charged materials such as membranes (Lawrence et al 2006;Xie et al 2011), hollow fibers (Lanteri et al 2012), natural fibers (Hubbe et al 2007; Wang and Hubbe 2001) and porous materials (Sheffer et al 2007). The zeta potential at the root surfaces of plants is likely to be adequately calculated from streaming potential because of the large and fiber-like dimensions of roots.…”

Frequency-Dependent Streaming Potential of Porous Media—Part 1: Experimental Approaches and Apparatus Design

“…It is equally important that no part of the cell, driver, fluid, or fluid tanks acts as an antenna in order to reduce electrical noise. Since the apparatus is to be used with a range of fluid salinities (10 −6 − 2 mol/L) and pH (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11), it is important that its wetted parts are sufficiently resistant to corrosion.…”

“…For completeness it should be noted that measurements have also been made by Pengra et al [10] up to about 100 Hz, while Sheffer et al [11] have published a design for measuring the streaming potential of soils but only for frequencies less than 0.5 Hz.…”