- 2063 Baisakh (old course) · 2 marks
Permeability versus hydraulic conductivity
Short answer
Permeability (intrinsic, k) is a property of the porous medium alone (units m² or darcy), independent of fluid. Hydraulic conductivity (K) depends on both medium and fluid, with K = kρg/μ and units m/s. Groundwater flow uses K; petroleum uses k.
Differentiate between permeability and hydraulic conductivity.
Permeability (intrinsic permeability, ) is a property of the porous medium alone, independent of the fluid. Hydraulic conductivity () depends on both the medium and the fluid (its density and viscosity).
| Point | Permeability () | Hydraulic conductivity () |
|---|---|---|
| Depends on | Pore size and shape only | Medium and fluid (density, viscosity) |
| Unit | m or darcy | m/s |
| Fluid | Same for all fluids | Different for water, oil, etc.; changes with temperature |
| Use | Oil and gas, general | Groundwater, Darcy's law |
In many civil engineering books the term "coefficient of permeability" is used for in m/s.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
Related questions
- Weathering versus erosion · Engineering Geology I, chapter 6 · asked 5×
- Primary versus secondary geological structures · Engineering Geology I, chapter 5 · asked 4×
- Convergent versus divergent plate boundary · Engineering Geology I, chapter 2 · asked 3×
- Intrusive versus extrusive igneous rocks · Engineering Geology I, chapter 4 · asked 3×
- Engineering geology versus geology; disciplines · Engineering Geology I, chapter 1 · asked 2×
- Body waves versus surface waves · Engineering Geology I, chapter 2 · asked 2×
- Fat lime versus hydraulic lime · Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 4 · asked 3×
- Quick lime versus hydraulic lime · Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 4
- Hydrated versus hydraulic lime · Civil Engineering Materials, chapter 4
- Compensated semiconductor concentrations and conductivity · Electrical Engineering Material, chapter 6