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Solute Transport Analysis Through Heterogeneous Media in Nonuniform in the Average Flow by a Stochastic Approach

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Abstract

The stochastic approach has been shown to be an excellent tool for the characterisation and analysis of velocity fields and transport processes through heterogeneous porous formations. The main results (linear theory) have been obtained for problems with simplified flow conditions, usually in the assumption of uniform in the average flow, but a great effort is spent to reach theoretical results for more complex situations.

This paper deals with 2D heterogeneous aquifers subject to uniform recharge; the stochastic approach is adopted to characterise, as ensemble behaviour, the velocity field and transport processes of a nonreactive solute. The impact of transmissivity conditioning on solute particles’ trajectories is analysed and an application is carried out. The analytical formulations, obtained by a first order analysis, are compared to the one resulting from constant in the average hydraulic gradient, and their reliability is investigated with numerical tests performed by a Monte Carlo method.

The result of this study is that strong non-stationarities are present in the flow and transport process. A detailed analysis shows that the theoretical results cannot be extended to cases with high heterogeneity level, unlike the uniform in the average flow fields.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. D.I.I.A.R, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

    Ilaria Butera & Maria Giovanna Tanda

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  1. Ilaria Butera
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  2. Maria Giovanna Tanda
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Butera, I., Tanda, M.G. Solute Transport Analysis Through Heterogeneous Media in Nonuniform in the Average Flow by a Stochastic Approach. Transport in Porous Media 36, 255–291 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006693929445

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006693929445

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