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Optimizing groundwater monitoring systems for landfills with random leaks under heterogeneous subsurface conditions

Optimisation des dispositifs de surveillance des eaux souterraines sous des décharges à fuites aléatoires sur sub-surface hétérogène

Optimización de sistemas de monitoreo de agua subterránea para rellenos sanitarios con filtraciones aleatorias bajo condiciones subsuperficiales heterogéneas

الاستفادةالمثلىمنأنظمةرصدالمياهالجوفيةعندمدافنالنفاياتمنمصدرتسريباتعشوائي فيظلظروفغيرمتجانسةللتكويناتالجيولوجيهتحتسطحالأرض

非均质地下条件下随机泄漏垃圾填埋场的地下水监测系统优化

Optimização dos sistemas de monitorização de água subterrânea em aterros com fugas aleatórias em condições subsuperficiais heterogéneas

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Abstract

Landfills are one of the most common human activities threatening the natural groundwater quality. The landfill may leak, and the corresponding plumes may contaminate an area, entailing costly remediation measures. The objective of the installation of monitoring systems at landfill sites is to detect the contaminant plumes before they reach the regulatory compliance boundary in order to enable cost-effective counter measures. In this study, a classical decision analysis approach is linked to a stochastic simulation model to determine the optimal groundwater monitoring system given uncertainties due to the hydrogeological conditions and contaminant source characteristics. A Monte Carlo approach is used to incorporate uncertainties. Hydraulic conductivity and the leak location are the random inputs of the simulation model. The design objectives are to: (1) maximize the detection probability, (2) minimize the area of contamination at the time of detection, and (3) minimize the total cost of the monitoring system. A synthetic test case based on a real-world case in the Netherlands is analyzed. The results show that monitoring systems located close to the source are optimal except for the cases with very high unit installation and sampling cost and/or very cheap unit remediation.

Résumé

Les décharges sont une des activités humaines les plus communes mettant en péril la qualité des eaux souterraines naturelles. La décharge peut fuir et les panaches correspondant peuvent contaminer une zone, entraînant des mesures de remédiation coûteuses. L’objectif de l’installation de systèmes de surveillance sur des sites de décharges est de détecter les panaches de contaminants avant qu’ils n’atteignent la limite de qualité réglementaire afin que des contre-mesures d’un bon rapport coût-performance puissent être mises en œuvre. Dans cette étude, une approche classique d’analyse de décision est associée à un modèle de simulation stochastique pour déterminer le système optimal de surveillance des eaux souterraines étant données les incertitudes dues aux conditions hydrogéologiques et aux caractéristiques de la source de contamination. Une approche de Monte Carlo est utilisée pour intégrer les incertitudes. La perméabilité et la localisation de la fuite sont les entrées aléatoires du modèle de simulation. Les objectifs du dispositif sont de : (1) maximiser la probabilité de détection, (2) de minimiser la surface contaminée et le délai de détection, et (3) minimiser le coût total du système de surveillance. Un cas-test synthétique, basé sur un cas réel aux Pays-Bas, est analysé. Les résultats montrent que les systèmes de surveillance proches de la source de contamination sont optimaux sauf dans le cas de coût très élevé d’installation et de prélèvement et/ou d’une unité de remédiation très bon marché.

Resumen

Los rellenos sanitarios son una de las actividades humanas más comunes que amenazan la calidad natural del agua subterránea. El relleno sanitario puede filtrar, y las plumas correspondientes pueden contaminar un área, implicando costosas medidas de remediación. El objetivo de la instalación de sistemas de monitoreo en sitios de relleno sanitario es detectar las plumas contaminantes antes de que ellos alcancen los límites regulatorios de las norma para permitir contramedidas de costos razonables. En este estudio se vincula un enfoque de análisis de decisión clásica a un modelo de simulación estocástica para determinar el sistema óptimo de monitoreo de agua subterránea dada las incertidumbres debido a las condiciones hidrogeológicas y a las características de las fuentes contaminantes. Se usó un enfoque de Monte Carlo para incorporar incertidumbres. La conductividad hidráulica y la localización de la filtración son las entradas aleatorias del modelo de simulación. Los objetivos de diseño son para: (1) maximizar la probabilidad de detección, (2) minimizar el área de contaminación al tiempo de su detección, y (3) minimizar el costo total del sistema de monitoreo. Se analiza un caso de prueba sintética basado en un caso real en Holanda. Los resultados muestran que los sistemas de monitoreo localizados cerca a la fuente son óptimos excepto para los casos con muy alto costos unitarios de instalación y instalación y/o muy bajo costo unitario de remediación.

الملخص

مرادمالنفاياتهيواحدةمنالأنشطةالأكثرشيوعاللإنسانوالتيتهددنوعيةالمياهالجوفيةالطبيعية.وقدتتسربالملوثاتمنالمدافنوبالتاليتسببتلوثالمنطقةالمحيطهوتكونعمليهالمعالجةمكلفة.الهدفمنوضعنظمأبارلرصدالملوثاتفيمواقعدفنالنفاياتهوالكشفعنهذهالملوثاتقبلوصولهاإلىالحدودالمخططلعدمتجاوزهاوامكانيهالقيامبطريقهاقتصاديهوفعالهلمكافحهالتلوث. فيهذهالدراسة،تماتباعنهجتحليلالقراربالطريقهالكلاسيكيةوربطهمعنموذجلمحاكاةالمياهالجوفيهونقلالملوثاتومعافتراضحدوثالتسرباتبطريقهعشوائيهولتحديدنظامأمثللمراقبةالمياهالجوفيةاخذينفيالاعتبارعدماليقينبسببالظروفالهيدروجيولوجيةوموقعالتسربداخلالمدفن.تماستخدامطريقهمونتكارلولمعالجهعدماليقين.وكانالتوصيلالهيدروليكيوموقعالتسربداخلالمدفنهماالمدخلاتعشوائيةفينموذجالمحاكاة.وكانمنأهدافتصميمشبكهالرصدهو:)1(تعظيماحتمالكشفالملوثات،و)2(تقليلمنطقةالتلوثفيوقتالكشف،و)3(تقليلالتكلفةالإجماليةلنظامالرصد.ولقدتمدراسهوتحليلحالةاصطناعيةمبنيهعليأساسحالةواقعيهفيهولندا.وأظهرتالنتائجأنأنظمةالرصدالتيتقععلىمقربةمنمصدرالنفاياتهيالأمثلباستثناءالحالاتالتييكونفيهاتكلفهوحدةتركيبأبارالرصدعاليةجداوكذلكتكلفهوحدةأخذالعيناتومعأوبدونوحدةمعالجةذاتتكلفهرخيصةجدا.

摘 要

垃圾填埋是威胁天然地下水质量最常见的人类活动之一。垃圾填埋发生泄漏形成的污染羽能够污染一定的区域,其修复措施成本高昂。在垃圾填埋场安装监测系统的目的就在于污染羽超出规定界限前得到发现,得以确定经济合理的应对措施。本研究将经典的决策分析方法与随机仿真模型联用,以优化地下水监测系统,该系统由于水文地质条件和污染源特征而具有不确定性。我们选用蒙特卡罗方法整合本系统的不确定性,将渗透系数和泄漏位置作为模拟模型的随机输入参数。设计内容包括:(1)检测概率的最大化;(2)监测时段污染区域的最小化;(3)监测系统总成本的最小化。并将本系统应用于荷兰真实的综合实验案例。结果表明, 除了高昂的安装和取样费用和/或低廉的修复费用,靠近污染源的监测系统是最佳的.

Resumo

Os aterros são uma das actividades humanas que mais frequentemente ameaçam a qualidade da água subterrânea. Os aterros podem ter fugas e as respectivas plumas podem contaminar uma área, o que implica medidas de remediação custosas. O objetivo da instalação de sistemas de monitorização em áreas de aterros é a detecção de plumas de contaminação antes de estas alcançarem o limiar de normativas legais, de modo a permitir a implementação de medidas corretivas com custo eficaz. Neste estudo, um método clássico de análise de decisões está ligado a um modelo estocástico de simulação para determinar o sistema óptimo de monitorização da água subterrânea, tendo em conta as incertezas associadas às condições hidrogeológicas e às características da fonte de contaminação. É usado o método de Monte Carlo para incorporar incertezas. A condutividade hidráulica e a localização das fugas são as variáveis de entrada aleatória do modelo de simulação. Os objetivos projetados são: (1) maximizar a probabilidade de deteção, (2) minimizar a área de contaminação no momento da deteção e (3) minimizar o custo total do sistema de monitorização. É analisado um caso piloto sintético baseado numa situação real nos Países Baixos. Os resultados indicam que os sistemas de monitorização localizados próximo da fonte são óptimos, excepto nos casos de custos unitários muito elevados de instalação e de amostragem e/ou custos unitários muito baixos da remediação.

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Acknowledgements

The useful remarks by Wolfgang Nowak about this work are highly appreciated. The financial support by DIOC Water of the Delft University of Technology and International Consulting and Engineering Company Tauw for this research is gratefully acknowledged. A.M.M. Elfeki is currently on leave from the Irrigation and Hydraulics Dept., Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Water Resources Section, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands

    N. B. Yenigül & C. van den Akker

  2. Department of Hydrology and Water Resources Management, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    A. M. M. Elfeki

  3. Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands

    F. M. Dekking

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  1. N. B. Yenigül
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  2. A. M. M. Elfeki
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  3. C. van den Akker
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  4. F. M. Dekking
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Correspondence to F. M. Dekking.

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Yenigül, N.B., Elfeki, A.M.M., van den Akker, C. et al. Optimizing groundwater monitoring systems for landfills with random leaks under heterogeneous subsurface conditions. Hydrogeol J 21, 1761–1772 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-013-1013-0

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