Channelization in Porous Media driven by Erosion and Deposition

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new model to analyze how erosion and deposition influence channel formation in 3D porous media, revealing conditions for stable or temporary channels depending on driving mechanisms and local properties.

Contribution

The study presents a novel model for simultaneous erosion and deposition in porous media, highlighting the conditions that lead to stable or transient channelization.

Findings

Constant flux induces stable channels.

Range of shear stress affects channel steadiness.

Erosion and deposition dynamics determine structure evolution.

Abstract

We develop and validate a new model to study simultaneous erosion and deposition in three-dimensional porous media. We study the changes of the porous structure induced by the deposition and erosion of matter on the solid surface and find that when both processes are active, channelization in the porous structure always occurs. The channels can be stable or only temporary depending mainly on the driving mechanism. Whereas a fluid driven by a constant pressure drop in general does not form steady channels, imposing a constant flux always produces stable channels within the porous structure. Furthermore we investigate how changes of the local deposition and erosion properties affect the final state of the porous structure, finding that the larger the range of wall shear stress for which there is neither erosion nor deposition, the more steady channels are formed in the structure.