Numerical inverse interpretation of single-hole pneumatic tests in unsaturated fractured tuff

A numerical inverse method was used to interpret simultaneously multirate injection and recovery data from single-hole pneumatic tests in unsaturated fractured tuff at the Apache Leap Research Site near Superior, Arizona. Our model represents faithfully the three-dimensional geometry of boreholes at the site, and accounts directly for their storage and conductance properties by treating them as high-permeability and high-porosity cylinders of finite length and radius. It solves the airflow equations in their original nonlinear form and yields information about air permeability, air-filled porosity and dimensionless borehole storage coefficient. Some of this is difficult to accomplish with analytical type-curves. Air permeability values obtained by our inverse method agree well with those obtained by steady-state and type-curve analyses.