WWRC 85-17(t)
Modeling Contaminant Flows in Unsaturated Soils
Abstract
This investigation focuses on the development of a methodology for modeling
contaminant movements in the unsaturated zones of soil columns. Such
problems are of great technical as well as social interest. They are mathematically
difficult and poorly understood from the physical standpoint, yet they
arise in most incidents of aquifer contamination by sources near the earth's
surface. Of particular concern are multiphase flows, which occur when contaminants
having limited solubility in water enter the soil column. This article reports
progress on several fronts in modeling subsurface contamination.
First, we propose a continuum-mechanical formulation of the equations governing
multiphase unsaturated flow. Second, we advance a one-dimensional
finite-element collocation scheme for the nonlinear governing equation. The
new scheme overcomes mass balance difficulties characteristic of this class of
problems. Finally, we discuss the extension of the numerical method to the
space dimensions and sketch plans for future contributions.
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