EGU2020-6706, updated on 11 Jan 2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-6706
EGU General Assembly 2020
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Digital rock physics and laboratory considerations on a high-porosity volcanic rock

Laura L. Schepp1, Benedikt Ahrens1, Martin Balcewicz2, Mandy Duda3, Mathias Nehler1, Maria Osorno4, David Uribe4, Holger Steeb4, Benoit Nigon2, Ferdinand Stöckhert5, Donald A. Swanson6, Mirko Siegert7, Marcel Gurris7, and Erik H. Saenger1,2,3
Laura L. Schepp et al.
  • 1Fraunhofer-Institut für Energieinfrastrukturen und Geothermie, Bochum, Germany (laura.schepp@hs-bochum.de)
  • 2Bau- und Umweltingenieurwesen, University of Applied Sciences Bochum, Bochum, Germany
  • 3Instistute of Geology, Mineralogy and Geophysics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
  • 4Institute of Applied Mechanics (CE), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
  • 5Engineering Geology / Rock Engineering, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
  • 6Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, U.S. Geological Survey, Hilo, Hawaii, United States
  • 7Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, University of Applied Sciences Bochum, Bochum, Germany

Microtomographic imaging techniques and advanced numerical simulations are combined by digital rock physics (DRP) to obtain effective physical material properties. The numerical results are typically used to complement laboratory investigations with the aim to gain a deeper understanding of physical processes related to transport (e.g. permeability and thermal conductivity) and effective elastic properties (e.g. bulk and shear modulus). The present study focuses on DRP and laboratory techniques applied to a rock called reticulite, which is considered as an end-member material with respect to porosity, stiffness and brittleness of the skeleton. Classical laboratory investigations on effective properties, such as ultrasonic transmission measurements and uniaxial deformation experiments, are very difficult to perform on this class of high-porosity and brittle materials.

Reticulite is a pyroclastic rock formed during intense Hawaiian fountaining events. The open honeycombed network has a porosity of more than 80 % and consists of bubbles that are supported by glassy threads. The natural mineral has a strong analogy to fabricated open-cell foams. By comparing experimental with numerical results and theoretical estimates we demonstrate the potential of digital material methodology with respect to the investigation of porosity, effective elastic properties, thermal conductivity and permeability

We show that the digital rock physics workflow, previously applied to conventional rock types, yields reasonable results for a high-porosity rock and can be adopted for fabricated foam-like materials. Numerically determined effective properties of reticulite are in good agreement with the experimentally determined results. Depending on the fields of application, numerical methods as well as theoretical estimates can become reasonable alternatives to laboratory methods for high porous foam-like materials.

How to cite: Schepp, L. L., Ahrens, B., Balcewicz, M., Duda, M., Nehler, M., Osorno, M., Uribe, D., Steeb, H., Nigon, B., Stöckhert, F., Swanson, D. A., Siegert, M., Gurris, M., and Saenger, E. H.: Digital rock physics and laboratory considerations on a high-porosity volcanic rock, EGU General Assembly 2020, Online, 4–8 May 2020, EGU2020-6706, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-6706, 2020

This abstract will not be presented.