Modeling groundwater contaminant transport in the presence of large heterogeneity: a case study comparing MT3D and RWhet

Guo, Zhenxing; Fogg, Graham E.; Brusseau, Mark L.; LaBolle, Eric M.; López, José Manuel Nieto

doi:10.1007/s10040-019-01938-9

Cited by 33 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 40 publications

(51 reference statements)

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“…The top of the generated domain coincides with the water table. More details on the domain generation were discussed in Guo, Fogg, Brusseau, et al ().…”

Section: The Ammt Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The top of the generated domain coincides with the water table. More details on the domain generation were discussed in Guo, Fogg, Brusseau, et al (2019). Guo, Fogg, and Henri (2019) presented results for 10 realizations, where the high-K facies percolate or interconnect in all three dimensions.…”

Section: Reference Model With Explicit Representation Of Heterogeneitmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adaptive Multirate Mass Transfer (aMMT) Model: A New Approach to Upscale Regional‐Scale Transport Under Transient Flow Conditions

Guo

Henri

Fogg

et al. 2020

Water Resources Research

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The long‐term evaluation of regional‐scale groundwater quality needs efficient upscaling methods for transient flow. Upscaling techniques, such as the Multirate Mass Transfer (MRMT) method with constant upscaling parameters, have been used for transport with steady‐state flow, yet the upscaling parameters (i.e., rate coefficients) may be time dependent. This study proposed and validated an adaptive MRMT (aMMT) method by allowing the mass transfer coefficients in MRMT to change with the flow field. Advective‐dispersive contaminant transport simulated in a 3‐D heterogeneous medium was used as a reference solution. Equivalent transport under homogeneous flow conditions was evaluated by applying the MRMT and aMMT models for upscaling. The relationship between mass transfer coefficients and flow rates was fitted under steady‐state flow driven by various hydraulic gradients. A power law relationship was obtained, which was then used to update the mass transfer coefficients in each stress period under transient flow conditions in the aMMT method. Results indicated that for advection‐dominated transport, both the MRMT and aMMT methods can upscale the anomalous transport dynamics affected by subgrid heterogeneity under transient flow conditions. Whereas for diffusion‐dominated systems, the MRMT model failed to capture the tails of tracer breakthrough curves after the boundary condition changed, but the results from the aMMT model were significantly improved. However, if the overall flow direction changed, both MRMT and aMMT failed to represent the breakthrough curve tail generated by the heterogeneous system. The results point toward a promising path for upscaling transport in complex aquifers with transient flow.

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“…The top of the generated domain coincides with the water table. More details on the domain generation were discussed in Guo, Fogg, Brusseau, et al ().…”

Section: The Ammt Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Reference Model With Explicit Representation Of Heterogeneitmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive Multirate Mass Transfer (aMMT) Model: A New Approach to Upscale Regional‐Scale Transport Under Transient Flow Conditions

Guo

Henri

Fogg

et al. 2020

Water Resources Research

Self Cite

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“…The top of the generated domain coincides with the water table. More details on the domain generation are discussed in Guo et al (). Ten realizations were generated to perform the analysis.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Upscaling of Regional Scale Transport Under Transient Conditions: Evaluation of the Multirate Mass Transfer Model

Guo

Fogg

Henri

2019

Water Resources Research

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Regional scale transport models are needed to support the long‐term evaluation of groundwater quality and to develop management strategies aiming to prevent serious groundwater degradation. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the capacity of a previously developed upscaling approach to adequately describe the main solute transport processes, including the capture of late‐time tails under changing boundary conditions. Potential factors that impact the performance of upscaling methods, including temporal variations in mass transfer rates and mass distributions, were investigated. Advective‐dispersive contaminant transport in a 3‐D heterogeneous domain was simulated and used as a reference solution. The equivalent transport under homogeneous flow conditions was then evaluated by applying the multirate mass transfer (MRMT) model. The random walk particle tracking method was used to solve the solute transport for heterogeneous and homogeneous MRMT scenarios under steady state and transient conditions. The results indicate that the MRMT model can capture the tails satisfactorily for plumes transported with ambient steady state flow fields at all studied scales using the same parameters. However, when the boundary conditions change in either local, plume, or regional scale, the mass transfer model calibrated for transport under steady state conditions cannot accurately reproduce the tailings observed for the heterogeneous scenario. The deteriorating impacts of transient boundary conditions on the upscaled model are more significant for regions where the flow fields are dramatically affected, which highlights the poor applicability of the MRMT approach for complex field settings. This finding also has implications for the suitability of other potential upscaling approaches.

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“…Groundwater flow and solute contaminant transport occur at much higher rates along bedding planes, joints, and damage zone of low-porosity carbonates (Berkowitz 2002;Guo et al 2019). Hence, the modeling strategy must be arranged accounting for the structural setting, which controls the pattern of the rock discontinuities.…”

Section: Applications Of Modeling Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Review of Modeling Approaches to Groundwater Flow in Deformed Carbonate Aquifers

et al. 2021

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We discuss techniques to represent groundwater flow in carbonate aquifers using the three existing modeling approaches: equivalent porous medium, conduit network, and discrete fracture network. Fractures in faulted stratigraphic successions are characterized by dominant sets of sub-vertical joints. Grid rotation is recommended using the equivalent porous medium to match higher hydraulic conductivity with the dominant orientation of the joints. Modeling carbonate faults with throws greater than approximately 100 m is more challenging. Such faults are characterized by combined conduit-barrier behavior. The barrier behavior can be modeled using the Horizontal Flow Barrier Package with a low-permeability vertical barrier inserted to represent the impediment of horizontal flow in faults characterized by sharp drops of the piezometric surface. Cavities can occur parallel to the strike of normal faults generating channels for the groundwater. In this case, flow models need to account for turbulence using a conduit network approach. Channels need to be embedded in an equivalent porous medium due to cavities a few centimeters large, which are present in carbonate aquifers even in areas characterized by low hydraulic gradients. Discrete fracture network modeling enables representation of individual rock discontinuities in three dimensions. This approach is used in non-heavily karstified aquifers at industrial sites and was recently combined with the equivalent porous medium to simulate diffusivity in the matrix. Following this review, we recommend that the future research combines three practiced modeling approaches: equivalent porous medium, discrete fracture network, and conduit network, in order to capture structural and flow aspects in the modeling of groundwater in carbonate rocks.

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Modeling groundwater contaminant transport in the presence of large heterogeneity: a case study comparing MT3D and RWhet

Cited by 33 publications

References 40 publications

Adaptive Multirate Mass Transfer (aMMT) Model: A New Approach to Upscale Regional‐Scale Transport Under Transient Flow Conditions

Adaptive Multirate Mass Transfer (aMMT) Model: A New Approach to Upscale Regional‐Scale Transport Under Transient Flow Conditions

Upscaling of Regional Scale Transport Under Transient Conditions: Evaluation of the Multirate Mass Transfer Model

Review of Modeling Approaches to Groundwater Flow in Deformed Carbonate Aquifers

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