Evaluation of the MODFLOW-2005 Conduit Flow Process

The recent development of the Conduit Flow Process (CFP) by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides hydrogeologic modelers with a new tool that incorporates the non-Darcian, multiporosity components of flow characteristic of karst aquifers. CFP introduces new parameters extending beyond those of traditional Darcian groundwater flow codes. We characterize a karst aquifer to collect data useful for evaluating this new tool at a test site in west-central Florida, where the spatial distribution and cross-sectional area of the conduit network are available. Specifically, we characterize: (1) the potential for Darcian/non-Darcian flow using estimates of specific discharge vs. observed hydraulic gradients, and (2) the temporal variation for the direction and magnitude of fluid exchange between the matrix and conduit network during extreme hydrologic events. We evaluate the performance of CFP Mode 1 using a site-scale dual-porosity model and compare its performance with a comparable laminar equivalent continuum model (ECM) using MODFLOW-2005. Based on our preliminary analyses, hydraulic conductivity coupled with conduit wall conductance improved the match between observed and simulated discharges by 12% to 40% over turbulent flow alone (less than 1%).     

A New Equation Solver for Modeling Turbulent Flow in Coupled Matrix‐Conduit Flow Models

Karst aquifers represent dual flow systems consisting of a highly conductive conduit system embedded in a less permeable rock matrix. Hybrid models iteratively coupling both flow systems generally consume much time, especially because of the nonlinearity of turbulent conduit flow. To reduce calculation times compared to those of existing approaches, a new iterative equation solver for the conduit system is developed based on an approximated Newton–Raphson expression and a Gauß–Seidel or successive over‐relaxation scheme with a single iteration step at the innermost level. It is implemented and tested in the research code CAVE but should be easily adaptable to similar models such as the Conduit Flow Process for MODFLOW‐2005. It substantially reduces the computational effort as demonstrated by steady‐state benchmark scenarios as well as by transient karst genesis simulations. Water balance errors are found to be acceptable in most of the test cases. However, the performance and accuracy may deteriorate under unfavorable conditions such as sudden, strong changes of the flow field at some stages of the karst genesis simulations.     

Nonlinear Flow Process: A New Package to Compute Nonlinear Flow in MODFLOW

A new MODFLOW package (Nonlinear Flow Process; NLFP) simulating nonlinear flow following the Forchheimer equation was developed and implemented in MODLFOW‐2005. The method is based on an iterative modification of the conductance calculated and used by MODFLOW to obtain an effective Forchheimer conductance. The package is compatible with the different layer types, boundary conditions, and solvers as well as the wetting capability of MODFLOW. The correct implementation is demonstrated using four different benchmark scenarios for which analytical solutions are available. A scenario considering transient flow in a more realistic setting and a larger model domain with a higher number of cells demonstrates that NLFP performs well under more complex conditions, although it converges moderately slower than the standard MODFLOW depending on the nonlinearity of flow. Thus, this new tool opens a field of opportunities to groundwater flow simulation with MODFLOW, especially for core sample simulation or vuggy karstified aquifers as well as for nonlinear flow in the vicinity of pumping wells.     

Suggested Modifications to Ground Water Sampling Procedures Based on Observations from the Colloidal Borescope

Observations of colloidal movement under natural conditions and during pumping were conducted at several field sites. Results indicate that several modifications to present sampling protocols may improve the representativeness and cost effectiveness of obtaining ground water samples for assessing the total mobile contaminant load. These modifications include the installation of dedicated sampling devices, limited purging of the well prior to sampling, sampling at a flow rate of 100 mL/min, and no filtering of samples. This sampling approach can result in significant cost savings while providing the best possible water samples.     

Modifications of the dispersion relations for surface waves in a layer on a half-space

Summary Dispersion relations for Love and Rayleigh waves in a layer on a half-space are modified by introducing quadratic slownesses instead of velocities. The advantages of this approach are demonstrated on analytical formulae for computing the group velocity.     

重庆巫山望霞W2-2危岩体失稳演化过程分析

重庆市巫山县望霞危岩是长江三峡黄金水道巫山段左岸的一处典型重大危岩体,2010年雨季出现明显变形,随后转入应急监测,并依据监测成果两次成功预警。本文基于地质分析和监测成果,研究望霞W2-2危岩体变形-演化的动力学过程,发现持续降雨是崩滑灾害发生的直接诱发因素。雨水渗入浸泡使泥岩软基强度降低,塑流变形加剧,加大了危岩的下部变形程度,使上覆砂岩层沿接触底面出现拉裂。同时水体作用造成危岩中节理、裂隙极其发育。W2-2危岩体变形破坏演化过程可分为前期累积变形、匀速变形、加速变形和临界加速变形四个阶段,其中加速变形点和临界加速变形点具有很好的预警指示意义,加速点可视为岩体稳定与不稳定破坏的分界点。     

桩基系统在地基液化和土体流动过程中的三维响应

松散的饱和砂土在液化之前可作为固体看待,但当过量的孔隙水压达到初始侧应力时它成为液体,之后又恢复其强度。这个过程不能各自单独处理,而应视为一个从固态到液态,或从液态到固态的连续变化过程。因此,整个伴随着地基液化———土体流动现象全过程应作为一个在固态和液态之间相变的系列过程。本文导出了一个简单的基本方程式,可以表达松散饱和砂土在液化和地基侧向滑移现象期间的固-液相转换。该基本方程式可用作桩基系统的动力分析,其适用性通过与弹塑性基本方程的比较得到验证。     

A Finite Layer Formulation for Groundwater Flow to Horizontal Wells

A finite layer approach for the general problem of three‐dimensional (3D) flow to horizontal wells in multilayered aquifer systems is presented, in which the unconfined flow can be taken into account. The flow is approximated by an integration of the standard finite element method in vertical direction and the analytical techniques in the other spatial directions. Because only the vertical discretization is involved, the horizontal wells can be completely contained in one specific nodal plane without discretization. Moreover, due to the analytical eigenfunctions introduced in the formulation, the weighted residual equations can be decoupled, and the formulas for the global matrices and flow vector corresponding to horizontal wells can be obtained explicitly. Consequently, the bandwidth of the global matrices and computational cost rising from 3D analysis can be significantly reduced. Two comparisons to the existing solutions are made to verify the validity of the formulation, including transient flow to horizontal wells in confined and unconfined aquifers. Furthermore, an additional numerical application to horizontal wells in three‐layered systems is presented to demonstrate the applicability of the present method in modeling flow in more complex aquifer systems.     

Leaky Aquifer Models to Simulate the Well Flow in Fractured Aquifers with Linear Interporosity Flow

Following Hemker and Maas (1987) the models of two or three leaky aquifers are applied to simulate the flow to vertical wells operating in the fractured or dual porosity aquifers. The software WellTest (WT) (Székely 2015) is used for calculating the drawdown and discharge rate variation. The comparative analysis with the independent analytical solutions by Boulton and Streltsova-Adams (1978), Warren and Root (1963), Kazemi et al. (1969) concluded with acceptable agreement between the WT simulation and the alternate calculation methods. The selected field tests have been conducted in fractured limestone aquifers. The pumping test west of Copenhagen shows an example of fractured aquifer with considerable negative skin effect at the well face. The flowing well Wafra W1 in Kuwait operates in the two-zone aquifer exhibiting sufficient vertical recharge via leakage beyond a circular domain of estimated radius of 2460 m.     

Geodynamic Implications for the 8 October 2005 North Pakistan Earthquake

We propose here that the 8 October 2005 North Pakistan earthquake occurred beneath the wedge-top of Balakot Formation in the Hazara-Kashmir syntaxial area. Slip occurred along the Muzaffarabad thrust, a southeast extended part of the Indus-Kohistan seismic zone. Tectonic loading of the high-density wedge/thrust sheet between the wedge-top and the descending Indian lithosphere coupled with continued flexural tectonics provoked this earthquake. The obliquely converging Indian plate along with block rotations led to development of a pinned zone around Northwestern Syntaxis of the Himalayas. Strain adjustment related to the rotational deformation processes resulted in the buckling of the more competent rock-units sandwiched between the less competent rock-units around the Hazara-Kashmir syntaxis. The western limb of the buckled unit gave rise to the development of thrusts and associated oblique slip in the inner arc of the competent rock-unit. The observations demonstrate reactivated tectonic movement along the growing fracture-tip of the buried Riasi thrust.     

Coulomb stress change due to 2005 Kashmir earthquake and implications for future seismic hazards

We calculate static stress change due to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake (M = 7.6). We suggest that the earthquake caused significant increase in stress in the Indo-Kohistan seismic zone (IKSZ) region, lying to the NW of the rupture and moderate increase in the adjacent Himalayan region, lying to the SE of rupture. Thus, these regions have been brought closer to the failure. On the other hand, the Salt Range region lies in the stress shadow of the earthquake, implying that future earthquakes in this region will be inhibited. We find that this earthquake may not be compared with typical Himalayan earthquake, and hence, rupture features of this earthquake may not be directly applicable to the earthquakes of the Himalayan region.