IMPIEGO DELLA FORZA CENTRIFUGA PER LA CARATTERIZZAZIONE IDRAULICA DI ROCCE POROSE IN CONDIZIONI DI SATURAZIONE VARIABILE

The paper introduces a new experimental apparatus spinning in a centrifuge to measure directly the unsaturated hydraulic properties of porous media. An innovative methodology "Quasi-Steady Centrifuge Method", developed to use the new apparatus, is also described. This methodology has notable advantages over the other methods commonly used for hydraulic characterisation of porous media. Specifi cally, it is less time-consuming and does not require such complex and expensive tools as other methods. The new apparatus was tested with samples of calcarenite, a carbonatic rock of sedimentary origin. The results throw new light on two different aspects. Firstly, they furnish data for the hydraulic characterisation of the calcarenite. This is of interest because there are few such characterisations in the literature, generally only relating to saturated conditions. Secondly, thanks to the greater adaptability of the simplifi ed apparatus, the new technique makes it possible to expand the potential for exploring situations that are common in nature but have been the subject of few laboratory investigations.