Permeability dried zone shape

In order to investigate the possible influence of permeability changes on water movement, the shape of the dried zone has been compared for different permeability variations. The following cases have been defined Case CEP Constant intrinsic permeability Case DIP Decreased permeability by... 

Figure 12 shows that the shape of the dried zone is different after 4 years depending on the case. If permeability is constant or decreases moderately (with h=500 and f>=1000, the results were similar), the shape is elliptical. 

Figure 12. Different shape of the dried zone depending on the intrinsic permeability variations induced by deformations.

Finally, a sensitivity analysis has been presented concerning the shape of the dried zone for different possibilities of intrinsic permeability evolutions induced by deformations. It is interesting that the dried zone shows low sensitivity to the strong intrinsic permeability variations introduced which confirms that hydrological effects are more important than the mechanical couplings, and secondly, that the dried zone tends to reduce in size regardless of the intrinsic permeability variation introduced. This later can be explained by the possible influence of intrinsic permeability on the liquid phase or on the gas phase. 

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