Imaging and analyzing rock porosity by autoradiography and Hg-porosimetry/X-ray computertomography—Applications

• Published in: Physics and chemistry of the earth. Part A, Solid earth and geodesy Vol. 24; no. 7; pp. 569 - 573
• Main Authors: Hellmuth, K.-H., Siitari-Kauppi, M., Klobes, P., Meyer, K., Goebbels, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 1999
• ISSN: 1464-1895
• DOI: 10.1016/S1464-1895(99)00081-2

The application of two sets of methods for the characterization of rock pore systems is reported. Both are discussed in the context of other techniques described in the literature. (i) Impregnation with labelled polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and autoradiography or direct measurement of the tracer activity allows the investigation of the pattern of the spatial porosity distribution and quantitative measurement of mineral-specific, local porosities, porosity gradients as well as an assessment of hydraulic and diffusive transport properties. (ii) Quantitative information on surface areas within certain pore size ranges can be achieved by combination of mercury intrusion porosimetry with X-ray absorption computer-tomography. As examples of applications of these techniques, the effects of weathering, alteration, mechanical stress and large diameter coring on the pore network of rocks have been studied.