WWRC 92-13
Finite Layer Method for Groundwater Flow Models
Abstract
The finite layer method (FLM) is an extension of the finite strip method familiar in structural
engineering. The idea behind the method is to discretize two space dimensions using truncated Fourier
series, approximating variations in the third via finite elements. The eigenfunctions used in the Fourier
expansions are orthogonal, and, consequently, the Galerkin integrations decouple the weighted
residual equations associated with different Fourier modes. The method therefore reduces three-dimensional
problems to sets of independent matrix equations that one can solve either sequentially on
a microcomputer or concurrently on a parallel processor. The latter capability makes the method
suitable for such computationally intensive applications as optimization and inverse problems. Four
groundwater flow applications are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of FLM as a forward
solver.
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