Numerical Simulation of Solute Transport in Fractured Rock with Particle Tracking Method

Abstract

Abstract-In this work an open source scientific software platform OpenGeoSys (OGS) was utilized for the simulation of fluid flow and solute transport in fractured porous media. A particle based method was proposed which takes use of velocities calculated by finite element method (FEM) to obtain flow patterns, and in which the distribution of the solute mass is represented by particle plume and can be quantitatively obtained by counting the number of particles. Two benchmarks were developed in order to verify the proposed method: one was to simulate solute transport in two dimensional steady flow through infinite fractured porous media with one single crack; the other was to simulate solute transport in an artificial rock fracture in novaculite under laboratory conditions. The simulation results showed that the proposed particle tracking method agreed well with the classical FEM simulation methods. The particle plume could exhibit the flow pattern, as well as the detailed channeling effects and accelerations or decelerations in some regions. This method can be applied as a tool to observe the detailed structure of evolving contaminant plumes in fractured rock.