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Assessing geotechnical centrifuge modelling in addressing variably saturated flow in soil and fractured rock

  • Young Scholars in Earth & Environmental Sciences
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Abstract

The vadose zone typically comprises soil underlain by fractured rock. Often, surface water and groundwater parameters are readily available, but variably saturated flow through soil and rock are oversimplified or estimated as input for hydrological models. In this paper, a series of geotechnical centrifuge experiments are conducted to contribute to the knowledge gaps in: (i) variably saturated flow and dispersion in soil and (ii) variably saturated flow in discrete vertical and horizontal fractures. Findings from the research show that the hydraulic gradient, and not the hydraulic conductivity, is scaled for seepage flow in the geotechnical centrifuge. Furthermore, geotechnical centrifuge modelling has been proven as a viable experimental tool for the modelling of hydrodynamic dispersion as well as the replication of similar flow mechanisms for unsaturated fracture flow, as previously observed in literature. Despite the imminent challenges of modelling variable saturation in the vadose zone, the geotechnical centrifuge offers a powerful experimental tool to physically model and observe variably saturated flow. This can be used to give valuable insight into mechanisms associated with solid–fluid interaction problems under these conditions. Findings from future research can be used to validate current numerical modelling techniques and address the subsequent influence on aquifer recharge and vulnerability, contaminant transport, waste disposal, dam construction, slope stability and seepage into subsurface excavations.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the Water Research Commission of South Africa (www.wrc.org.za) for funding of project K5/2052 on Multidisciplinary Vadose Zone Hydrology, as well as project K5/2326 on Quantification of Unsaturated Flow in the Fractured Intermediate Vadose Zone by means of Geotechnical Centrifuge (to be published by the WRC in 2016). Furthermore, acknowledgment is extended to Prof S.W. Jacobsz and Prof J.L. Van Rooy for their guidance and input into this paper. Gratitude is also extended to the National Research Foundation (NRF) as well as Exxaro Resources Ltd. for their financial assistance to some of the authors of this paper. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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  1. Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, Department of Geology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa

    Brendon R. Jones, Luke B. Brouwers, Warren D. Van Tonder & Matthys A. Dippenaar

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  1. Brendon R. Jones
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Correspondence to Brendon R. Jones.

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Jones, B.R., Brouwers, L.B., Van Tonder, W.D. et al. Assessing geotechnical centrifuge modelling in addressing variably saturated flow in soil and fractured rock. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 13203–13223 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-8333-2

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