The Role of Cavitation in Desaturation of Porous Media Under Tension Dani Or and Markus Tuller Dept'

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The Role of Cavitation in Desaturation of Porous
Media Under Tension Dani Or and Markus
TullerDept. of Plants, Soils and
Biometeorology, Utah State University
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Cavitation During Desaturation of Porous Media
Under Tension

• Liquid drainage from porous media does not
  necessarily require air entering the system.
• Liquid under tension can be displaced internally,
  driven by its own vapor pressure.

• Evacuation of a pressurized idealized pore (a)
  occurs in a piston like fashion, whereas in the
  pore under tension (b) the spherical section
  evacuates first by formation of a water vapor
  bubble.

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Drainage Characteristic Curve for an Idealized
Pore Under Tension vs. Positive Pressure
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Drainage Characteristic Curve for an Idealized
Pore Under Tension vs. Positive Pressure