Download or read book An Integrated Modeling Analysis of Unsaturated Flow Patterns InFractured Rock written by and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Characterizing percolation patterns in unsaturated zones hasposed a greater challenge to numerical modeling investigations thancomparable saturated zone studies, because of the heterogeneous nature ofunsaturated media as well as the great number of variables impactingunsaturated zone flow. This paper presents an integrated modelingmethodology for quantitatively characterizing percolation patterns in theunsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, a proposed undergroundrepository site for storing high-level radioactive waste. It takes intoaccount the multiple coupled processes of air, water, heat flow andchemical isotopic transport in Yucca Mountain s highly heterogeneous, unsaturated fractured tuffs. The modeling approach integrates a widevariety of moisture, pneumatic, thermal, and isotopic geochemical fielddata into a comprehensive three-dimensional numerical model for modelinganalyses. Modeling results are examined against different types offield-measured data and then used to evaluate different hydrogeologicalconceptual models and their results of flow patterns in the unsaturatedzone. In particular, this integration model provides a much clearerunderstanding of percolation patterns and flow behavior through theunsaturated zone, both crucial issues in assessing repositoryperformance. The integrated approach for quantifying Yucca Mountain sflow system is also demonstrated to provide a comprehensive modeling toolfor characterizing flow and transport processes in complex subsurfacesystems.
Download or read book Analyzing Unsatirated Flow Patterns in Fractured Rock Using an Integrated Modeling Approach written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Characterizing percolation patterns in unsaturated fractured rock has posed a greater challenge to modeling investigations than comparable saturated zone studies, because of the heterogeneous nature of unsaturated media and the great number of variables impacting unsaturated flow. This paper presents an integrated modeling methodology for quantitatively characterizing percolation patterns in the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, a proposed underground repository site for storing high-level radioactive waste. The modeling approach integrates a wide variety of moisture, pneumatic, thermal, and isotopic geochemical field data into a comprehensive three-dimensional numerical model for modeling analyses. It takes into account the coupled processes of fluid and heat flow and chemical isotopic transport in Yucca Mountain's highly heterogeneous, unsaturated fractured tuffs. Modeling results are examined against different types of field-measured data and then used to evaluate different hydrogeological conceptualizations and their results of flow patterns in the unsaturated zone. In particular, this model provides a much clearer understanding of percolation patterns and flow behavior through the unsaturated zone, both crucial issues in assessing repository performance. The integrated approach for quantifying Yucca Mountain's flow system is demonstrated to provide a practical modeling tool for characterizing flow and transport processes in complex subsurface systems.
Download or read book Analyzing Flow Patterns in Unsaturated Fractured Rock of YuccaMountain Using an Integrated Modeling Approach written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper presents a series of modeling investigations to characterize percolation patterns in the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, a proposed underground repository site for storing high-level radioactive waste. The investigations are conducted using a modeling approach that integrates a wide variety of moisture, pneumatic, thermal, and isotopic geochemical field data into a comprehensive three-dimensional numerical model through model calibration. This integrated modeling approach, based on a dual-continuum formulation, takes into account the coupled processes of fluid and heat flow and chemical isotopic transport in Yucca Mountain's highly heterogeneous, unsaturated fractured tuffs. In particular, the model results are examined against different types of field-measured data and used to evaluate different hydrogeological conceptual models and their effects on flow patterns in the unsaturated zone. The objective of this work to provide understanding of percolation patterns and flow behavior through the unsaturated zone, which is a crucial issue in assessing repository performance.
Download or read book Unsaturated Flow in Hydrologic Modeling written by H.J. Morel-Seytoux and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 534 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume certainly is a Conference Proceedings, the Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) on "Unsaturated Flow in Hydrologic Modeling" held at "Les Villages du Soleil" near ArIes, France from June 13 to 17, 1988. Let me therefore acknowledge properly, at the very beginning, the gratitude of all the participants to the NATO Science Committee for its generous support and worthwhile goal of bringing together scientists of many countries to communicate and share their experiences. Particular thanks are extended to the director of the program, Dr. Luis Vega da Cunha for his interest and understanding. On the other hand this volume is also, and probably more so, a Textbook that fills a gap in the field of unsaturated flow. Many treatises on the subject present the theory in its different aspects. Hardly any explain in details how the different pieces can be put together to address realistic problems at the basin scale. The various invited contributions to the ARW were structured in a subject progression much as chapters are organized in a book. The intent of the ARW was to assess the current state of knowledge in "Unsaturated Flow" and its use in "Hydrologic Modeling Practice". In a sense the interest in fundamentals of unsaturated flow in this ARW was not just for the sake of knowledge but also and primarily for the sake of action. Can such fundamental knowledge be utilized for better management of the water resource? was the basic question.
Download or read book Modeling Unsaturated Flow and Transport Processes in Fractured Tuffs of Yucca Mountain written by G. S. Bodvarsson and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 5 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper presents a field modeling study characterizing fluid flow and tracer transport in the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, a proposed underground repository for storing high-level radioactive waste. The 500 to 700 meter thick unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain consists of highly heterogeneous layers of anisotropic, fractured ash flow and air fall tuffs. Characterization of fluid flow and heat transfer through such a system has been a challenge due to the heterogeneities prevalent on various scales. Quantitative evaluation of water, gas, and heat flow by means of numerical simulation is essential for design and performance assessment of the repository. A three-dimensional numerical flow and transport model will be discussed. The model has been calibrated against field-measured data and takes into account the coupled processes of unsaturated flow and tracer transport in the highly heterogeneous, unsaturated fractured porous rock. The modeling approach of the model is based on a dual-continuum formulation of coupled multiphase fluid and tracer transport through fractured porous rock. As application examples, effects of current and future climates on the unsaturated zone processes are evaluated to aid in the assessment of the proposed repository's system performance.
Download or read book An Integrated Methodology for Characterizing Flow and Transportprocesses in Fractured Rock written by and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To investigate the coupled processes involved in fluid andheat flow and chemical transport in the highly heterogeneous, unsaturated-zone (UZ) fractured rock of Yucca Mountain, we present anintegrated modeling methodology. This approach integrates a wide varietyof moisture, pneumatic, thermal, and geochemical isotopic field data intoa comprehensive three-dimensional numerical model for modeling analyses. The results of field applications of the methodology show that moisturedata, such as water potential and liquid saturation, are not sufficientto determine in situ percolation flux, whereas temperature andgeochemical isotopic data provide better constraints to net infiltrationrates and flow patterns. In addition, pneumatic data are found to beextremely valuable in estimating large-scale fracture permeability. Theintegration of hydrologic, pneumatic, temperature, and geochemical datainto modeling analyses is thereby demonstrated to provide a practicalmodeling approachfor characterizing flow and transport processes incomplex fractured formations.
Download or read book Modeling Flow and Transport in Unsaturated Fractured Rock written by and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 5 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Because the continuum approach is relatively simple and straightforward to implement, it has been commonly used in modeling flow and transport in unsaturated fractured rock. However, the usefulness of this approach can be questioned in terms of its adequacy for representing fingering flow and transport in unsaturated fractured rock. The continuum approach thus needs to be evaluated carefully by comparing simulation results with field observations directly related to unsaturated flow and transport processes. This paper reports on such an evaluation, based on a combination of model calibration and prediction, using data from an infiltration test carried out in a densely fractured rock within the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Comparisons between experimental and modeling results show that the continuum approach may be able to capture important features of flow and transport processes observed from the test. The modeling results also show that matrix diffusion may have a significant effect on the overall transport behavior in unsaturated fractured rocks, which can be used to estimate effective fracture-matrix interface areas based on tracer transport data. While more theoretical, numerical, and experimental studies are needed to provide a conclusive evaluation, this study suggests that the continuum approach is useful for modeling flow and transport in unsaturated, densely fractured rock.
Download or read book A MOUNTAIN SCALE 3 D NUMERICAL MODEL FOR CHARACTERIZING UNSATURATED FLOW AND TRANSPORT IN FRACTURED VOLCANIC ROCK AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN written by Yu-Shu Wu and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A three-dimensional site-scale numerical model has been developed to simulate water and gas flow, heat transfer, and radionuclide transport in the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain, Nevada, the American underground repository site for high level radioactive waste. The modeling approach is based on a mathematical formulation of coupled multiphase fluid and heat flow and tracer transport through porous and fractured rock. This model is intended for use in predicting current and future conditions in the unsaturated zone, so as to aid in assessing the system performance of the repository. In particular, an integrated modeling methodology is discussed for integrating a wide variety of moisture, pneumatic, thermal, and isotopic geochemical data into comprehensive modeling analyses. The reliability and accuracy of the model predictions were the subject of a comprehensive model calibration study, in which the model was calibrated against measured data, including liquid saturation, water potential, and temperature. This study indicates that the model is able to reproduce the overall system behavior at Yucca Mountain with respect to moisture profiles, pneumatic pressure and chloride concentration variations in different geological units, and ambient geothermal conditions.
Download or read book Rock Fractures and Fluid Flow written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1996-08-27 with total page 568 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scientific understanding of fluid flow in rock fracturesâ€"a process underlying contemporary earth science problems from the search for petroleum to the controversy over nuclear waste storageâ€"has grown significantly in the past 20 years. This volume presents a comprehensive report on the state of the field, with an interdisciplinary viewpoint, case studies of fracture sites, illustrations, conclusions, and research recommendations. The book addresses these questions: How can fractures that are significant hydraulic conductors be identified, located, and characterized? How do flow and transport occur in fracture systems? How can changes in fracture systems be predicted and controlled? Among other topics, the committee provides a geomechanical understanding of fracture formation, reviews methods for detecting subsurface fractures, and looks at the use of hydraulic and tracer tests to investigate fluid flow. The volume examines the state of conceptual and mathematical modeling, and it provides a useful framework for understanding the complexity of fracture changes that occur during fluid pumping and other engineering practices. With a practical and multidisciplinary outlook, this volume will be welcomed by geologists, petroleum geologists, geoengineers, geophysicists, hydrologists, researchers, educators and students in these fields, and public officials involved in geological projects.
Download or read book Conceptual Models of Flow and Transport in the Fractured Vadose Zone written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-05-21 with total page 398 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fluid flow and solute transport within the vadose zone, the unsaturated zone between the land surface and the water table, can be the cause of expanded plumes arising from localized contaminant sources. An understanding of vadose zone processes is, therefore, an essential prerequisite for cost-effective contaminant remediation efforts. In addition, because such features are potential avenues for rapid transport of chemicals from contamination sources to the water table, the presence of fractures and other channel-like openings in the vadose zone poses a particularly significant problem, Conceptual Models of Flow and Transport in the Fractured Vadose Zone is based on the work of a panel established under the auspices of the U.S. National Committee for Rock Mechanics. It emphasizes the importance of conceptual models and goes on to review the conceptual model development, testing, and refinement processes. The book examines fluid flow and transport mechanisms, noting the difficulty of modeling solute transport, and identifies geochemical and environmental tracer data as important components of the modeling process. Finally, the book recommends several areas for continued research.
Download or read book Modelling Water Flow in Unsaturated Porous Media written by Adam Szymkiewicz and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-10-11 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book focuses on two issues related to mathematical and numerical modelling of flow in unsaturated porous media. In the first part numerical solution of the governing equations is discussed, with particular emphasis on the spatial discretization of highly nonlinear permeability coefficient. The second part deals with large scale flow in heterogeneous porous media of binary structure. Upscaled models are developed and it is shown that the presence of material heterogeneities may give rise to additional non-equilibrium terms in the governing equations or to hysteresis in the averaged constitutive relationships.
Download or read book Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project Bibliography 1994 1995 written by and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book DRIFT SCALE MODELING written by and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unsaturated flow in heterogeneous fractured porous rock was simulated using a stochastic continuum model (SCM). In this model, both the more conductive fractures and the less permeable matrix are generated within the framework of a single continuum stochastic approach, based on non-parametric indicator statistics. High-permeable fracture zones are distinguished from low-permeable matrix zones in that they have assigned a long range correlation structure in prescribed directions. The SCM was applied to study small-scale flow in the vicinity of an access tunnel, which is currently being drilled in the unsaturated fractured tuff formations at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Extensive underground testing is underway in this tunnel to investigate the suitability of Yucca Mountain as an underground nuclear waste repository. Different flow scenarios were studied in the present paper, considering the flow conditions before and after the tunnel emplacement, and assuming steady-state net infiltration as well as episodic pulse infiltration. Although the capability of the stochastic continuum model has not yet been fully explored, it has been demonstrated that the SCM is a good alternative model feasible of describing heterogeneous flow processes in unsaturated fractured tuff at Yucca Mountain.
Download or read book Research Program to Develop and Validate Conceptual Models for Flow and Transport Through Unsaturated Fractured Rock Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project written by and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 63 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As part of the Yucca Mountain Project, our research program to develop and validate conceptual models for flow and transport through unsaturated fractured rock integrates fundamental physical experimentation with conceptual model formulation and mathematical modeling. Our research is directed toward developing and validating macroscopic, continuum-based models and supporting effective property models because of their widespread utility within the context of this project. Success relative to the development and validation of effective property models is predicted on a firm understanding of the basic physics governing flow through fractured media, specifically in the areas of unsaturated flow and transport in a single fracture and fracture-matrix interaction.
Download or read book Selected Water Resources Abstracts written by and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 962 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Advanced Conceptual Models for Unsaturated and Two Phase Flow in Fractured Rock written by and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 5 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This project was initiated in FY03. As of December 2003, we have accomplished the following: (1) We conducted a more detailed evaluation of the preliminary experiments used to develop our investigative approach. In those experiments, water was invaded at a variety of flow rates into an air-filled, two dimensional analog fracture network. Results demonstrated the critical control that fracture intersections place on two-phase flow in fracture networks. At low flows, capillary and gravitational forces combined to create a narrow pulsing flow structure that spanned the system vertically. At higher flows, viscous forces acted to remove the pulsation; however, the flow structure remained narrow. The intersections acted to impose a narrow ''slender ladder'' structure on the flowing phase that did not expand with depth, but instead remained focused. A manuscript documenting this effort has been published in Water Resources Research [Glass et al., 2003a]. (2) We initiated a collaborative relationship with a research group at Seoul National University. This group, which is led by Dr. Kang-Kun Lee is also using a combined experimental numerical approach to consider DNAPL migration in fracture networks. They are particularly interested in the influence of ambient groundwater flows, making their work complementary to ours. The first fruit of that collaboration is an article demonstrating that modification of an Invasion Percolation algorithm to include gravity and the first-order effects of viscous forces shows good agreement with physical experiments in a simplistic fracture network. Results were published in Geophysical Research Letters [Ji et al., 2003a]. (3) We carried out an extensive review of models for fracture networks. These include models developed from observations of networks on outcrops at several scales and stochastic models that are prevalent in the literature from the 1980s to very recent developments. The results of this review were included as par t of a review paper co-authored by Rajaram, which was submitted to Reviews in Geophysics [Molz et al., in press]. (4) We prepared a manuscript based on previous work that will be used to support the development of our new conceptual model(s) for transport in fractured rock. Eight experiments were conducted to evaluate the repeatability of flow under nearly identical conditions and to characterize general patterns in flow behavior. Collected data revealed that flow generally converged to a single fracture in the bottom row of blocks. Periods of pathway switching were observed to be more common than periods with steady, constant flow pathways. We noted the importance of fracture intersections for integrating uniform flow and discharging a ''fluid cascade'', where water advances rapidly to the next capillary barrier creating a stop and start advance of water through the network. The results of this simple experiment suggest that the interaction of multiple fracture intersections in a network creates flow behavior not generally recognized in popular conceptual and numerical models. A manuscript documenting this effort has been accepted for publication in Vadose Zone Journal [Wood et al., 2003]. (5) Slender transport pathways have been found in laboratory and field experiments within unsaturated fractured rock. We considered the simulation of such structures with a Modified form of Invasion Percolation (MIP). Results show that slender pathways form in fracture networks for a wide range of expected conditions, can be maintained when subsequent matrix imbibition is imposed, and may arise even in the context of primarily matrix flow due to the action of fractures as barriers to inter-matrix block transport. A manuscript documenting this effort has been submitted to Geophysical Research Letters [Glass et al., 2003b].
Download or read book Flow and Transport Through Unsaturated Fractured Rock written by Daniel D. Evans and published by American Geophysical Union. This book was released on 2001-01-09 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 42. This monograph is an update and revision of the first edition, Geophysical Monograph 42, on ground-water flow and transport through unsaturated, fractured rock, published by AGU in 1987. The first edition evolved from a special symposium held during the American Geophysical Union fall meetings in San Francisco in December 1986. Invited and contributed papers at that AGU session, as well as panel presentations, focused on conceptualizing, measuring and modeling flow and transport through unsaturated fractured rock. As noted in the preface to the first edition, "the expanded interest in the topic (water flow and contaminant transport through unsaturated fractured rock) was initiated when the U.S. Geological Survey proposed that deep unsaturated zones in arid regions be considered in the site selection for the first high-level, commercially generated radioactive waste repository." Much of the research reported in that first edition was motivated by the U.S. Department of Energy's program to investigate Yucca Mountain at the Nevada Test Site as a possible geologic repository for commercially generated, high-level radioactive waste. As noted in the overview paper of the first edition, "characterization methods and modeling are in their developmental stage with the greatest lack of knowledge being the interaction between fracture and matrix flow and transport properties." Although the first edition of this monograph reflected the state-of-the science, laboratory and field experimental programs were novel and limited and, in general, followed from the principles and methods developed in the soil science community.
