Assessing the anisotropic permeability of Glossifungites surfaces

The potential permeability enhancement of a substrate that has been burrowe d by a suite of fauna that inhabit geological firmgrounds (i.e. the Glossif ungites ichnofacies) is investigated by using computer simulations, laborat ory and field measurements to assess the effective permeability of a Pleist ocene Glossifungites surface. All the testing methods indicate that the eff ective permeability of a substrate is markedly enhanced by the presence of sand-filled Glossifungites burrows in the low-permeability substrate. Furth ermore, the permeability of these burrowed horizons can be well approximate d by using a modified arithmetic mean that accounts for the degree of inter connectivity between burrows. These formulae are robust and, conceptually a t least, can be applied to a variety of geological media and burrow configu rations.