InterPore Benelux Meetings – 3rd Benelux Day

The 3rd Interpore Benelux day took place on Friday October 12 2018, organised by prof. Claire Chassagne (TUDelft) and dr. Johan Pennekamp (Deltares) at Deltares, an independent institute for applied research on water and subsurface resources in Delft (The Netherlands).

As usual, the Interpore Benelux chapter brought together academic and industry porous media reseachers from a wide spectrum of fields and applications.  Eight interesting and inspiring oral presentations were given by scientists from Norway (1), The Netherlands (5) and Belgium (2):

• Prof. Dick Bedeaux (NTNU, Norway): Non-isothermal transport of immiscible fluids in porous media: surface contributions to driving Dr. Suzanne Hangx (Utrecht University): Deformation and transport processes in evaporitic caprocks
• Prof. Herman Wijshoff (TU/e, Océ): Fundamental fluid dynamics challenges in inkjet printing: penetration of ink into porous substrates
• Dr. Gemmina Di Emidio (UGent, Belgium): Hydro-chemico-osmotic behaviour of polymerized clays
• Ir. Thomas Arends (TU/e, The Netherlands): Bending of panel paintings due to relative humidity fluctuations
• Prof. Cristina Jommi (TUDelft, The Netherlands): Retention behaviour of compressible soils
• Dr. Frédéric Collin (ULiège): THM modelling of the excavation damage zone in clay rock
• Dr. Wouter van der Star (Deltares): Transformation of mud to soil at the Pilot Kleirijperij: interaction of (bio)geochemical and physical processes in ripening in soil

A special mention goes out to our invited lecturer prof. Dick Bedeaux (NTNU, Norway), representing an inter-chapter collaboration in Interpore.  As can be seen from the presentation titles, this 3rd Interpore Benelux day focused on clay as a porous medium.  In general though, various aspects of experimental, theoretical and computational research on porous media have been adressed.  In addition to the general presentations, seveal micro- and poster presentations were given.

Complementary to a full pogram of presentations and discussions, the organisers also arranged a visit to the Deltares labs.  This visit was very well organised, with both young and senior researchers giving short introductions and answering questions from curious attendees.

Personally, I was deeply impressed by the big effort made by Deltares, and its representatives, in the organisation of such a fruitful Interpore Benelux day.  I am grateful to Claire Chassagne and Hans Janssen from the Interpore Benelux chapter for their tremendous contributions in organising this meeting.

Thank you all and I look forward to our meeting in 2020 !

Nicolae Tomozeiu, Chair of Interpore Benelux chapter