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Laura Elizabeth Dalton

Laura Elizabeth Dalton

Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering
laura.dalton@duke.edu
121 Hudson Hall, Box 90287, Durham, NC 27708-9024
Ciemas 2469, Durham, NC 27708

Selected Publications

Investigating the use of electrical capacitance tomography to image rapid transient moisture flow through cracks in concrete

Journal Article Cement and Concrete Composites · July 1, 2023 In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) to image rapid three-dimensional (3D) moisture transport in damaged portland cement mortar and concrete. ECT is a tomography method that uses inter-electrode capacitan ... Full text Cite

Application of unsupervised deep learning to image segmentation and in-situ contact angle measurements in a CO2-water-rock system

Journal Article Advances in Water Resources · March 1, 2023 Rock surface wettability is a critical property that regulates multiphase flows in porous media, which can be quantified using the surface contact angle (CA). X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) provides an effective approach to in-situ measurements of s ... Full text Cite

Corrigendum to “Deep-learning-based workflow for boundary and small target segmentation in digital rock images using UNet++ and IK-EBM” [215 (2022) 110596](S0920410522004715)(10.1016/j.petrol.2022.110596)

Journal Article Geoenergy Science and Engineering · February 1, 2023 Corresponding author: Cheng Chenff Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, 07030, USA. The authors regret: In the published paper, the affiliation for the corresponding author missed the unive ... Full text Cite

Does ITZ Influence Moisture Transport in Concrete?

Journal Article Transport in Porous Media · September 1, 2022 The contributions of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) to mass transport in cement-based materials remain ambiguous and disputed. In this study, the neutron and X-ray tomography (NeXT) system is used to develop imaging techniques to capture unsaturated ... Full text Cite

Deep-learning-based workflow for boundary and small target segmentation in digital rock images using UNet++ and IK-EBM

Journal Article Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering · August 1, 2022 Three-dimensional (3D) X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) has been widely used in petroleum engineering because it can provide detailed pore structural information for a reservoir rock, which can be imported into a pore-scale numerical model to simulate ... Full text Cite

Role of heterogeneous surface wettability on dynamic immiscible displacement, capillary pressure, and relative permeability in a CO2-water-rock system

Journal Article Advances in Water Resources · July 1, 2022 Surface wettability is one of the major factors that regulate immiscible fluid displacement in porous media. However, the role of pore-scale wettability heterogeneity on dynamic immiscible displacement is rarely investigated. This study investigated the im ... Full text Cite

Supercritical, liquid, and gas CO2 reactive transport and carbonate formation in portland cement mortar

Journal Article International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control · May 1, 2022 In this study, we investigate carbonate formation and reactive transport rate in variably saturated portland cement mortars when high concentrations of gas, liquid, or supercritical CO2 flow through their pore network. X-ray computed tomography completed d ... Full text Cite

The role of the spatial heterogeneity and correlation length of surface wettability on two-phase flow in a CO2-water-rock system

Journal Article Advances in Water Resources · December 1, 2020 This study characterized and modeled heterogeneous surface wettability in sandstone and investigated the role of spatial heterogeneity and correlation length of surface wettability on relative permeability in a supercritical CO2 (scCO2)-brine-rock system. ... Full text Cite

Influence of Clay Wettability Alteration on Relative Permeability

Journal Article Geophysical Research Letters · September 28, 2020 Understanding the wettability of porous materials is important to model fluid flow in the subsurface. One of the critical factors that influences wetting in real reservoirs is the composition of geologic materials. The wetting properties for clay minerals ... Full text Cite

CO2 induced changes in Mount Simon sandstone: Understanding links to post CO2 injection monitoring, seismicity, and reservoir integrity

Journal Article International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control · September 1, 2020 The purpose of this study is to quantify geochemical reactions of CO2 and brine with subsurface samples taken from the Mt. Simon sandstone and identify any potential alterations of the geomechanical rock properties that could lead to changes observable in ... Full text Cite

The Effect of Gas Solubility on the Secondary Sorption in a Portland Cement Mortar Observed by X-ray CT

Journal Article Transport in Porous Media · July 1, 2020 In this study, we investigate the secondary sorption in an air-entrained Portland cement mortar that is purged with different gases—CO 2, CH 4, or N 2. By altering the gas phase present in the void space, we are able to evaluate how gas solubility influenc ... Full text Cite

CO2-Brine Contact Angle Measurements on Navajo, Nugget, Bentheimer, Bandera Brown, Berea, and Mt. Simon Sandstones

Journal Article Energy and Fuels · May 21, 2020 In this study, contact angles were measured for CO2 bubbles on six different sandstones (Navajo, Nugget, Bentheimer, Bandera Brown, Berea, and Mt. Simon) that could potentially represent properties of CO2 storage depositional environments. The impacts of p ... Full text Cite

Contact Angle Measurements Using Sessile Drop and Micro-CT Data from Six Sandstones

Journal Article Transport in Porous Media · May 1, 2020 Numerous sessile drop and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) studies have been conducted to quantify geologic carbon storage formation wettability by measuring static contact angles (θ); however, the influence of pore geometry remains unknown. In this wo ... Full text Cite

Reactive alteration of a Mt. Simon Sandstone due to CO2-rich brine displacement

Journal Article Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta · February 15, 2020 We report a series of acidified brine flow-through experiments designed to quantify the coupled alteration of geochemical, structural and fluid transport properties of a Mt. Simon sandstone core recovered at a depth of 2110.5 m as part of the Illinois Basi ... Full text Cite

Characterizing the Evolution of Trapped scCO2 Curvature in Bentheimer and Nugget Sandstone Pore Geometry

Journal Article Geofluids · January 1, 2020 During a Geologic Carbon Storage process, supercritical CO2 (scCO2) is subjected to a series of dynamic and static conditions where the relationship between pore geometry and the trapped scCO2 curvature remains to be established. To mimic the dynamic proce ... Full text Cite

Comprehensive study of the interactions between the critical dimensionless numbers associated with multiphase flow in 3D porous media

Journal Article Fuel · September 15, 2019 Multiphase flow in porous media is of great interest in many engineering applications, such as geologic carbon sequestration, enhanced oil recovery, and groundwater contamination and remediation. In order to advance the fundamental understanding of multiph ... Full text Cite

A review of geochemical–mechanical impacts in geological carbon storage reservoirs

Journal Article Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology · June 1, 2019 Geological carbon storage (GCS) refers to the technology of capturing man-made carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, typically from stationary power sources, and storing such emissions in deep underground reservoirs. GCS is an approach being explored globally as ... Full text Cite

Laboratory foamed-cement-curing evolution using CT scanning: Insights from elevated-pressure generation

Journal Article Spe Drilling and Completion · March 1, 2019 Computed-tomography (CT) scanning has become a mainstay among scientists (Wildenschild and Sheppard 2013) because it enables nondestructive observation of material processes and formation in real time. Foamed cement is a high-strength, low-density material ... Full text Cite

Methods to measure contact angles in scCO2-brine-sandstone systems

Journal Article Advances in Water Resources · December 1, 2018 Numerous methods are used to measure contact angles (θ) in multiphase systems. The wettability and θ are primary controls on CO2 residual trapping during Geologic Carbon Storage (GCS) and determining these values within rock pores is paramount to increasin ... Full text Cite

Permeability and Mineral Composition Evolution of Primary Seal and Reservoir Rocks in Geologic Carbon Storage Conditions

Journal Article Environmental Engineering Science · May 1, 2018 An experimental study to probe the geochemical interactions of CO2/brine/rock system under geologic CO2 storage conditions was performed in a static reaction system. Marine shale (primary sealing formation) and Lower Tuscaloosa sandstone (CO2 storage forma ... Full text Cite

Investigating the use of electrical capacitance tomography to image rapid transient moisture flow through cracks in concrete

Journal Article Cement and Concrete Composites · July 1, 2023 In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) to image rapid three-dimensional (3D) moisture transport in damaged portland cement mortar and concrete. ECT is a tomography method that uses inter-electrode capacitan ... Full text Cite

Application of unsupervised deep learning to image segmentation and in-situ contact angle measurements in a CO2-water-rock system

Journal Article Advances in Water Resources · March 1, 2023 Rock surface wettability is a critical property that regulates multiphase flows in porous media, which can be quantified using the surface contact angle (CA). X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) provides an effective approach to in-situ measurements of s ... Full text Cite

Corrigendum to “Deep-learning-based workflow for boundary and small target segmentation in digital rock images using UNet++ and IK-EBM” [215 (2022) 110596](S0920410522004715)(10.1016/j.petrol.2022.110596)

Journal Article Geoenergy Science and Engineering · February 1, 2023 Corresponding author: Cheng Chenff Department of Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ, 07030, USA. The authors regret: In the published paper, the affiliation for the corresponding author missed the unive ... Full text Cite

Does ITZ Influence Moisture Transport in Concrete?

Journal Article Transport in Porous Media · September 1, 2022 The contributions of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) to mass transport in cement-based materials remain ambiguous and disputed. In this study, the neutron and X-ray tomography (NeXT) system is used to develop imaging techniques to capture unsaturated ... Full text Cite

Deep-learning-based workflow for boundary and small target segmentation in digital rock images using UNet++ and IK-EBM

Journal Article Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering · August 1, 2022 Three-dimensional (3D) X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) has been widely used in petroleum engineering because it can provide detailed pore structural information for a reservoir rock, which can be imported into a pore-scale numerical model to simulate ... Full text Cite

Role of heterogeneous surface wettability on dynamic immiscible displacement, capillary pressure, and relative permeability in a CO2-water-rock system

Journal Article Advances in Water Resources · July 1, 2022 Surface wettability is one of the major factors that regulate immiscible fluid displacement in porous media. However, the role of pore-scale wettability heterogeneity on dynamic immiscible displacement is rarely investigated. This study investigated the im ... Full text Cite

Supercritical, liquid, and gas CO2 reactive transport and carbonate formation in portland cement mortar

Journal Article International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control · May 1, 2022 In this study, we investigate carbonate formation and reactive transport rate in variably saturated portland cement mortars when high concentrations of gas, liquid, or supercritical CO2 flow through their pore network. X-ray computed tomography completed d ... Full text Cite

The role of the spatial heterogeneity and correlation length of surface wettability on two-phase flow in a CO2-water-rock system

Journal Article Advances in Water Resources · December 1, 2020 This study characterized and modeled heterogeneous surface wettability in sandstone and investigated the role of spatial heterogeneity and correlation length of surface wettability on relative permeability in a supercritical CO2 (scCO2)-brine-rock system. ... Full text Cite

Influence of Clay Wettability Alteration on Relative Permeability

Journal Article Geophysical Research Letters · September 28, 2020 Understanding the wettability of porous materials is important to model fluid flow in the subsurface. One of the critical factors that influences wetting in real reservoirs is the composition of geologic materials. The wetting properties for clay minerals ... Full text Cite

CO2 induced changes in Mount Simon sandstone: Understanding links to post CO2 injection monitoring, seismicity, and reservoir integrity

Journal Article International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control · September 1, 2020 The purpose of this study is to quantify geochemical reactions of CO2 and brine with subsurface samples taken from the Mt. Simon sandstone and identify any potential alterations of the geomechanical rock properties that could lead to changes observable in ... Full text Cite

The Effect of Gas Solubility on the Secondary Sorption in a Portland Cement Mortar Observed by X-ray CT

Journal Article Transport in Porous Media · July 1, 2020 In this study, we investigate the secondary sorption in an air-entrained Portland cement mortar that is purged with different gases—CO 2, CH 4, or N 2. By altering the gas phase present in the void space, we are able to evaluate how gas solubility influenc ... Full text Cite

CO2-Brine Contact Angle Measurements on Navajo, Nugget, Bentheimer, Bandera Brown, Berea, and Mt. Simon Sandstones

Journal Article Energy and Fuels · May 21, 2020 In this study, contact angles were measured for CO2 bubbles on six different sandstones (Navajo, Nugget, Bentheimer, Bandera Brown, Berea, and Mt. Simon) that could potentially represent properties of CO2 storage depositional environments. The impacts of p ... Full text Cite

Contact Angle Measurements Using Sessile Drop and Micro-CT Data from Six Sandstones

Journal Article Transport in Porous Media · May 1, 2020 Numerous sessile drop and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) studies have been conducted to quantify geologic carbon storage formation wettability by measuring static contact angles (θ); however, the influence of pore geometry remains unknown. In this wo ... Full text Cite

Reactive alteration of a Mt. Simon Sandstone due to CO2-rich brine displacement

Journal Article Geochimica Et Cosmochimica Acta · February 15, 2020 We report a series of acidified brine flow-through experiments designed to quantify the coupled alteration of geochemical, structural and fluid transport properties of a Mt. Simon sandstone core recovered at a depth of 2110.5 m as part of the Illinois Basi ... Full text Cite

Characterizing the Evolution of Trapped scCO2 Curvature in Bentheimer and Nugget Sandstone Pore Geometry

Journal Article Geofluids · January 1, 2020 During a Geologic Carbon Storage process, supercritical CO2 (scCO2) is subjected to a series of dynamic and static conditions where the relationship between pore geometry and the trapped scCO2 curvature remains to be established. To mimic the dynamic proce ... Full text Cite

Comprehensive study of the interactions between the critical dimensionless numbers associated with multiphase flow in 3D porous media

Journal Article Fuel · September 15, 2019 Multiphase flow in porous media is of great interest in many engineering applications, such as geologic carbon sequestration, enhanced oil recovery, and groundwater contamination and remediation. In order to advance the fundamental understanding of multiph ... Full text Cite

A review of geochemical–mechanical impacts in geological carbon storage reservoirs

Journal Article Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology · June 1, 2019 Geological carbon storage (GCS) refers to the technology of capturing man-made carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, typically from stationary power sources, and storing such emissions in deep underground reservoirs. GCS is an approach being explored globally as ... Full text Cite

Laboratory foamed-cement-curing evolution using CT scanning: Insights from elevated-pressure generation

Journal Article Spe Drilling and Completion · March 1, 2019 Computed-tomography (CT) scanning has become a mainstay among scientists (Wildenschild and Sheppard 2013) because it enables nondestructive observation of material processes and formation in real time. Foamed cement is a high-strength, low-density material ... Full text Cite

Methods to measure contact angles in scCO2-brine-sandstone systems

Journal Article Advances in Water Resources · December 1, 2018 Numerous methods are used to measure contact angles (θ) in multiphase systems. The wettability and θ are primary controls on CO2 residual trapping during Geologic Carbon Storage (GCS) and determining these values within rock pores is paramount to increasin ... Full text Cite

Permeability and Mineral Composition Evolution of Primary Seal and Reservoir Rocks in Geologic Carbon Storage Conditions

Journal Article Environmental Engineering Science · May 1, 2018 An experimental study to probe the geochemical interactions of CO2/brine/rock system under geologic CO2 storage conditions was performed in a static reaction system. Marine shale (primary sealing formation) and Lower Tuscaloosa sandstone (CO2 storage forma ... Full text Cite

Foamed cement generation methods: Insights from macro-porosity and void distribution

Journal Article Aci Materials Journal · January 1, 2018 The American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice 10B-4 is the industry standard for measuring foamed cement stability; however, it does not incorporate the effects of elevated pressure or placement. Using high-resolution computed tomography (CT) ... Full text Cite

Assessment of pressurized foamed cement used in deep offshore wells

Conference Proceedings of the Annual Offshore Technology Conference · January 1, 2015 The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in conjunction with industry partners began a project to assess field-generated foamed cement at pressurized surface conditions. The collected samples were compared to previous field-generated samples as wel ... Full text Cite