Modelacion de Flujo em zona no saturada

Nilson Guiguer, Ph.D. Qz +  Qz

18 Noviembre 2017

Qx Qx +  Qx

Qy
Qz
  h    h    h  h
 K xx    K yy    K zz   W  Ss
x  x  y  y  z  z  t
Equação de Fluxo de Águas Subterrâneas
• Transient 3-D groundwater flow equation (variation of
Darcy’s flux in x,y,z equal change in storage):

  h    h    h  h
 K xx    K yy    K zz   Ss
x  x  y  y  z  z  t
h
• If there is no change in storage (steady state flow 0
t
equation):

  h    h    h 
 xx
K   
 K 
   zz
K 0
x  x  y  y  z  z 
yy

2
Physical Aspects of Unsaturated Flow

• Two fluid phases present: water + gas (air)

• Capillary pressure:
pressure difference
between phases gas
water

• Gas phase reduces

conductivity:
blocking of flow paths
by gas phase

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Relacion de cargas con presion

𝑝
ℎ= +𝑧
𝜌𝑟𝑒𝑓 ∗ 𝑔

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V = -K dh
dx
Mathematical Description
Model is described by the Richards equation

Nonlinearity

o Describes the water phase with its constitutive relationships

o Capillary pressure function S(Ψ)
o Relative conductivity Kr(S)
o For saturated conditions, Kr = 1 and S = 1, Richards equation becomes identical to the
groundwater flow equation based on Darcy’s law

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Application Examples

Dam seepage

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Pressure Distribution in Unsaturated Systems

capillary fringe

water table /
capillary pressure phreatic line
(p < 0; h < z) (p = 0 = patm;
h = z)

hydrostatic pressure distribution

(p > 0; h > z)

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Challenges

...resulting from constitutive relations s(y) and Kr(s(y))

o Nonlinearity

o Parametric expressions

o Hysteresis

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Parametric Functions
For constitutive relationships:

Soil-water Retention Relative Conductivity

S Kr

p S
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Parametric Functions
For constitutive relationships:
 Empirical models:

• Van Genuchten
• Brooks&Corey
• Exponential
• Van Genuchten modified
• Haverkamp
• Linear

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Functions for K
(saturation – pressure relationships)

• Brooks-Corey
• Haverkamp
• Van Genuchten

Choose the method that best fits the data

Can be determined experimentally or analytically
Literature values available

14
Brooks-Corey Equation
Ss - (“scaled”
Se = Sr +
S
saturation)
n
r

Fitting Parameters

• used mostly for NAPL

systems and when there is
a sharp wetting front or
well-defined displacement
pressure

• residual is normalized

From VS2DT manual

15
 Haverkamp Equation

(Ss–Sr)
Se = S r +
+
 

Fitting Parameters

From Haverkamp and others, 1977

16
van Genuchten Equation

• use in absence of a sharp

wetting front
• better behaved numerically
• reaches qs at a higher h than BC

From van Genuchten,

1980
17
Example of van Genuchten fit

18
van Genuchten Modified

smoothed K curve with saturation

19
Brooks-Corey

Residual is normalized
Discontinuous at S = 1
(i.e. sand / gravel)
20
Haverkamp

note: zero residual saturation

Also - curve is flat
Small d = large dK

21
Parametric Functions Measurements

For constitutive relationships:

Alternative to empirical models:

 Splines

• Very flexible
• Can strictly honor measured data

Spline model
Empirical model

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Seepage Face Boundary Condition
• Atmospheric pressure on the outside
• Outflow direction: gradient-driven outflow
• Inflow direction: no inflow
• Implementation: hydraulic-head BC + fluid-flow constraint:
Boundary condition: h = z
Fluid-flow constraint: Qmax = 0 Q=0 Seepage-face BC
p<0
(unsat. p>0
model)
p=0
Q<0

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