Measurement of streambed hydraulic conductivity and its anisotropy

 A method is described for the measurement of streambed hydraulic conductivity. Unlike permeameter methods, this method applies straight and l-shaped standpipes directly to streambeds for measurements of in-situ hydraulic conductivity in the vertical (K _v ) and horizontal (K _h ) directions, as well as in other oblique directions (K _s ). This method has advantages in determination of K _v values over grain-size analysis, permeameter tests, or slug test methods. Also unique to this method is that it provides K _s values of a streambed. The measured results can be used to construct a hydraulic conductivity ellipse and to evaluate the anisotropy of streambed sediments. Field examples from the Republican River, Nebraska, demonstrated the usefulness of this method in the determination of streambed hydraulic conductivity and anisotropy along or across a river channel. Results indicate that the K _h is about three to four times larger than K _v , whereas K _s values are larger than K _v but smaller than K _h . Received: 6 March 2000 · Accepted: 18 April 2000     

Microstructure and hydraulic conductivity of a compacted lime-treated soil

Under a given compaction energy and procedure, it is known that maximum dry density of a soil is lowered due to lime addition. This modification of maximum dry density could alter the hydraulic conductivity of the soil. The main object of this study was to assess the impact of lime-stabilization on a silt soil microstructure and then on saturated hydraulic conductivity. An investigation at the microscopic level with mercury intrusion porosimetry showed that lime treatment induced the formation of a new small class, with a diameter lower than 3 × 10³ Å in the compacted soil. This class is responsible for the difference in dry density between the treated and the untreated sample after compaction. It is shown that this small pores class was not altered by the compaction water content, the compaction procedure or the dry density. As in untreated soils, only the larger pores were modified by the compaction water content and the compaction procedure in the lime treated samples. The hydraulic conductivity appeared to be only related to the largest pores volume of the tested silt, regardless of lime treatment. Therefore, this study demonstrated that even if addition of lime resulted in a dramatic change of the maximum dry density of the tested silty soil, its effect on hydraulic conductivity is limited.     

Hydrogeological studies on the mechanical behavior of landfill gases and leachate of the Nanjido Landfill in Seoul, Korea

 The Nanjido Landfill is the largest uncontrolled landfill in Korea and it causes various kinds of environmental problems. Landfill gases and leachate are recognized as the most serious environmental problems associated with the landfill. This study employs a series of numerical models and uses test data to interpret the distribution and flow of landfill gases and leachate. Leachate seepage appears about 40–60 m higher than the estimated basal groundwater table. Thus, seepage data indicate that perched or floating leachate layers are formed in the unsaturated zone of the landfill. The leachate production rate is estimated using infiltration test data and a model for unsaturated groundwater flow. Geochemical data indicate that the landfill leachate degrades the basal groundwater quality along the downgradient zone. The environmental impact of the leachate on river water is estimated. Received: 17 June 1996 · Accepted: 2 October 1996     

Hydrogeological investigation of a groundwater contamination site in southern Taiwan

 Groundwater samples taken from wells adjacent to a food machinery manufacturing plant in southern Taiwan indicate that there is a serious phenolic contamination. To understand the hydrogeological properties, and to prepare for remedial action, a series of hydrogeological investigations were conducted. Investigative work included collecting background information, analyzing existing data, measuring the groundwater, and conducting a slug test, pumping and recovery test, aerial photography analysis and electrical resistivity survey. Results from these investigations show that the local groundwater aquifer may be classified as an unconfined or confined formation, depending on the thickness of the interbedded clay layer. The direction of local groundwater flow is from southwest to northeast, with high transmissivity. The contaminant moves much more slowly than the average groundwater velocity, and it is limited to an area centered around the plant. The local geology of the contaminated area exhibits significant heterogeneity; it is not likely to have been formed by natural sedimentation. Data from the field aerial photography analysis and electrical resistivity survey also suggest that this shallow formation may result from artificial back-filling. Received: 1 September 1994 · Accepted: 28 December 1995     

Chemical composition of landfill leachate in a karst area with a Mediterranean climate (Marbella, southern Spain)

 Between March 1994 and April 1997, the physical and chemical parameters and chemical composition of the urban solid waste leachate of the Marbella landfill (southern Spain) were determined. The data obtained show an ammonium and sodium chloride and bicarbonate type, a pH>7 and high mineralization, effectively described by the following parameters: Na⁺, K⁺, NH₄ ⁺, Cl^– and alkalinity. The chemical composition depends on the rainfall: in dry years, the mineralization and component concentrations have values as much as double those found in normal rainfall years. After storm events, a major and rapid dilution (within several hours) is seen in the leachate. Received: 28 January 1998 · Accepted: 2 June 1998     

Digital simulation of the scale effect in hydraulic conductivity

 Measured hydraulic conductivity increases with the scale of testing, but the reason for this increase is not clear. Possibly, high-conductivity heterogeneities are more effective in raising hydraulic conductivity over the regional scale than at the local scale. Alternatively, borehole skin and storage effects, among others, can systematically bias the results of small-scale tests; thus, the increase may simply be an artifact of the test method. Radial-flow tests were simulated at various scales in digital models of fractured double-porosity media. The mean hydraulic conductivity increases until the radius of influence in the test exceeds the fracture spacing. Therefore, under radial flow, hydraulic conductivity is indeed dependent on measurement scale. The increase in hydraulic conductivity with scale is a natural consequence of heterogeneity. Over short distances, water converging toward a borehole must generally flow across heterogeneities. Therefore, small-scale tests tend to measure a weighted harmonic mean of the hydraulic-conductivity field. Over a large area, however, flow is primarily along high-conductivity heterogeneities. Therefore, large-scale tests approach a weighted arithmetic mean where high-conductivity heterogeneities have a greater influence. Received, April 1997 Revised, January 1998 Accepted, December 1997     

Electro-osmotic consolidation of soil with variable compressibility,hydraulic conductivity and electro-osmosis conductivity

In present study, the non-linear variations of soil compressibility, hydraulic and electro-osmosis conductivities were analyzed through laboratory experiments, and incorporated in a one-dimensional model. The analytical solutions for excess pore water pressure and degree of consolidation were derived, and numerical simulations were performed to verify its effectiveness. The results indicated that both the non-linear variations of hydraulic and electro-osmosis conductivities showed remarkable impacts on the excess pore water pressure and degree of consolidation, especially for soils with relative high compressibility. A further comparison with previous analytical solutions indicated that more accurate predictions could be obtained with the proposed analytical solutions.     

Suitability of Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) model of the US Environmental Protection Agency for the simulation of the water balance of landfill cover systems

 Cover systems are widely used to safeguard landfills and contaminated sites. The evaluation of the water balance is crucial for the design of landfill covers. The Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance (HELP) model of the US Environmental Protection Agency was developed for this purpose. This paper discusses some limitations of version 2 of this model and some operational difficulties for the use of this model in Germany, which has been developed for the United States. The model results are tested against field data of the water balance, measured on test fields on the Georgswerder landfill in Hamburg. Theoretically, HELP considers gravitational forces as driving forces of water flow only. Therefore capillary barriers cannot be simulated. Furthermore, the formation of and the flow through macropores are not considered, a main critical process that the diminishes the effectiveness of compacted soil liners. In the output comparison, the matching of measured and simulated data is quite good for lateral drainage, but failed for surface runoff and liner leakage through compacted soil liners. A further validation study is planned for HELP version 3 using a broader range of test field data. Received: 10 January 1995 · Accepted: 14 November 1995     

黄土高原北部坡面尺度土壤饱和导水率分布与模拟

为探明黄土高原北部坡面土壤饱和导水率(K_s)空间分布特征,为土壤水文过程模拟与预测提供理论依据,采用经典统计学和地统计学的空间变异分析方法,分析了坡面尺度土壤K_s的空间变异特征,并用一阶自回归状态空间模型对K_s的空间分布进行了模拟.研究区坡面尺度K_s的变异为中等程度变异,具有中等程度空间依赖性,变程为42 m.K_s与容重、砂粒、粉粒和黏粒含量在不同滞后距离下均具有自相关关系和交互相关关系.容重和土壤颗粒是影响坡面K_s空间分布的主要因素.状态空间模拟结果表明,基于容重和土壤颗粒的状态空间方程可以很好地解释坡面K_s的变异状况(R2>0.9).一阶自回归状态空间模型可用于田间条件下坡面尺度K_s分布特征的预测.     

土壤非饱和导水率模型中参数的敏感性分析

针对邵明安根据再分布过程得出的非饱和导水率模型,对其中参数的敏感性进行分析,通过实测资料计算非饱和导水率对不同参数的敏感度,对比参数对非饱和导水率的影响程度。研究表明采用线性关系表示土壤湿润剖面的平均湿度和湿润锋处湿度之间的关系时,非饱和导水率对参数的敏感性比其他参数高得多。     

Evaluation of methods for determination of hydraulic properties in an aquifer–aquitard system hydrologically connected to a river

Field and laboratory methods have been used to determine the hydraulic properties in a multiple-layer aquifer–aquitard system that is hydrologically connected to a river. First, hypothetical pumping tests in aquifer–aquitard systems were performed to evaluate the feasibility of MODFLOW-PEST in determining these parameters. Sensitivity analyses showed that: the horizontal hydraulic conductivity in the aquifer has the highest composite sensitivity; the vertical hydraulic conductivity has higher composite sensitivity than the horizontal hydraulic conductivity in the aquitard; and a partial penetration pumping well in an aquifer layer can improve the quality of the estimated parameters. This inverse approach was then used to analyze a pumping-recovery test conducted near the Platte River in southeastern Nebraska, USA. The hydraulic conductivities and specific yield were calculated for the aquitard and aquifer. The direct-push technique was used to generate sediment columns; permeameter tests on these columns produced the vertical hydraulic conductivities that are compatible with those obtained from the pumping-recovery test. Thus, the combination of the direct-push technique with permeameter tests provides a new method for estimation of vertical hydraulic conductivity. The hydraulic conductivity, determined from grain-size analysis, is smaller than the horizontal one but larger than the vertical one determined by the pumping-recovery test.     

Estimation of the hydraulic conductivity of soils improved with vertical drains

In this study, some limitations associated with modeling the hydraulic conductivity of soil improved with vertical drains are discussed. In addition, some limitations of conventional methodologies for deducing the hydraulic conductivity from oedometer or Rowe cell tests are investigated. An alternative approach for estimating the hydraulic conductivity in soils improved by vertical drains is discussed. This methodology will allow for simpler finite element modeling of consolidation due to vertical drains. The effectiveness of this technique has been demonstrated using a field study.     

Analysis of the distribution of inorganic constituents in a landfill leachate-contaminated aquifer: Astrolabe Park,Sydney, Australia

An investigation was conducted at Astrolabe Park landfill, a decommissioned municipal landfill in Sydney, Australia, to assess the physical and chemical processes affecting the distribution of inorganic constituents in the leachate plume. The plume is migrating from the landfill towards a groundwater-fed pond into which leachate-impacted groundwater discharges. Borehole geophysical logging and depth-discrete groundwater sampling were used to delineate the distribution of the leachate plume along two groundwater flow paths between the landfill and the shore of the pond. Borehole geophysical logs indicate a strong correlation between bulk and fluid electrical conductivity (EC) values, and help to identify small-scale heterogeneities that comprise a major constraint on contaminant transport within the aquifer. Variations in the distribution of several indicator parameters (EC, HCO₃^–, pH, Eh, NH₄⁺/NO₃^–, S^2–/SO₄^2–) are used to assess the dominant processes affecting contaminant distribution along the flow path, including mixing of fresh and contaminated groundwater, oxidation/reduction reactions and ion exchange.     

Transformations and hydraulic captures of petrochemical contaminants in a karst-fractured aquifer

 The development of a petrochemical industry may be responsible for petrochemical contamination of karst-fractured aquifers in an urban water supply system. In the Dawu Well Field, a karst-fractured aquifer in Zibo City, in the east of China, has been seriously polluted by petrochemicals from the operation of petrochemical plants. More than 60 species of organic contaminants have been detected in the water supply wells of the Liuhang-Hougao zone, in the west part of Dawu Well Field. Investigations indicate that contaminants are transported from the petrochemical plants to the karst-fractured aquifer along karst fractures and the Jinling Fault. In the groundwater, concentrations of pollutants vary with depth. Concentrations are greater with depth because of the transmissibility of the Jinling fault. The local convective flow field has a significant influence on transportation of contaminants. Hydraulic barriers can prevent the transportation of contaminants and they can be removed by extraction. Received: 22 October 1999 · Accepted: 14 February 2000     

Testing the ability of bentonite-amended natural zeolite (clinoptinolite) to remove heavy metals from liquid waste

 The design of environmentally sound liquid waste containment structures has become a crucial task in engineering applications due to ever increasing groundwater contamination from such sites. Construction of such structures usually requires a bottom liner of low hydraulic conductivity as part of the design. In order to reduce the hazards associated with liquid wastes including landfill leachate, bentonite-amended natural zeolite is proposed as an alternative to conventional earthen liners. Among many contaminants associated with liquid wastes, heavy metals are the most dangerous ones. This paper deals with determining the ability of natural zeolite to remove heavy metals from aqueous waste. For this purpose, crushed natural zeolite (clinoptinolite) is amended with commercial powdered bentonite to yield a soil mixture low in permeability and high in ion-exchange capacity. Leachate from a conventional landfill is used as the percolation fluid. Concentrations of certain heavy metals in the effluent fluid percolated through the bentonite-zeolite mixture are compared with that of initial leachate. The conclusion is reached that certain metals are efficiently removed from the influent solution by the soil matrix whereas some ions do not show significant reduction in concentration. This is attributed to high hydraulic conductivity of the bentonite-zeolite mixture.     

Estimating hydraulic conductivity using grain-size analyses, aquifer tests, and numerical modeling in a riverside alluvial system in South Korea

Hydraulic conductivity (K) for an alluvial system in a riverbank filtration area in Changwon City, South Korea, has been studied using grain-size distribution, pumping and slug tests, and numerical modeling. The alluvial system is composed of layers: upper fine sand, medium sand, lower fine sand, and a highly conductive sand/gravel layer at the base. The geometric mean of K for the sand/gravel layer (9.89?×?10^?4 m s^?1), as determined by grain-size analyses, was 3.33 times greater than the geometric mean obtained from pumping tests (2.97?×?10^?4 m s^?1). The geometric mean of K estimates obtained from slug tests (3.08?×?10^?6 m s^?1) was one to two orders of magnitude lower than that from pumping tests and grain-size analyses. K estimates derived from a numerical model were compared to those derived from the grain-size methods, slug tests and pumping tests in order to determine the degree of deviation from the numerical model. It is considered that the K estimates determined by the slug tests resemble the uppermost part of the alluvial deposit, whereas the K estimates obtained by grain-size analyses and pumping tests are similar to those from the numerical model for the sand/gravel layer of the riverside alluvial system.     

Stochastic groundwater flow analysis in the presence of trends in heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity fields

Due to changes in lithostatic pressure, differential fracturing across bedding planes and irregularities in depositional environments, hydraulic conductivity exhibits heterogeneities and trends at various spatial scales. Using spectral theory, we have examined the effect of trends in hydraulic conductivity on (1) the solution of the mean equation for hydraulic head, (2) the covariance of hydraulic head, (3) the cross-covariances of hydraulic head and log-hydraulic conductivity perturbations and their gradients, and (4) the effective hydraulic conductivity. It is shown that the field of hydraulic head is sensitive to the presence of trends in ways that cannot be predicted by the classical analysis based on stationary hydraulic conductivity fields. The controlling variables for the second moments of hydraulic head are the mean hydraulic gradient, the correlation scale of log-hydraulic conductivity and its variance, and the slope of the trend in log-hydraulic conductivity. The mean hydraulic gradient introduces complications in the analysis since it is, in general, spatially variable. In this respect, our results are approximate, yet indicative of the true role of spatially variable patterns of log-hydraulic conductivity on groundwater flow systems.     

分形渗透模型在饱和冻土中的应用

冻土中的渗透系数对于评估冻土工程中的水,热和溶质迁移至关重要。以往研究表明,渗透系数主要依赖孔隙结构,经常被描述为孔径大小和孔隙率,但是这两个参数并不能充分地表征孔隙结构。为加强对孔隙结构的描述,引用分形理论研究了冻土中的渗透系数。基于非均匀毛细管束模型和分形理论,提出了饱和冻土中渗透系数的分形模型,并提出通过土体冻结特征曲线获取冻土中孔径分布的理论方法。为了验证分形模型的有效性,对已有实验数据进行分析。分析表明,分形渗透系数模型是毛细管分维、最大孔径、黏度和迂曲度的函数,孔径分布变化是导致冻土渗透系数变化的根本原因。通过对比,计算值与实测值吻合较好。结果表明分形模型可以较好的预测冻土中的渗透系数,研究结果可为冻土渗透机理研究提供参考。     

Inverse modelling of groundwater flow around a large-scale underground cavern system considering the excavation-induced hydraulic conductivity variation

This study proposed an inverse modelling procedure for evaluating the anisotropic hydraulic conductivity and its variation induced by excavation in fractured rocks by integrating a strain-dependent hydraulic conductivity model. The time-series measurements of both hydraulic head and discharge were used to construct the objective function for improving the reliability, which was solved with a combined method of orthogonal design, transient groundwater flow modelling, artificial neural network and genetic algorithm-based optimization for reducing the computational cost. The proposed methodology proves its effectiveness by successful inverse modelling of the groundwater flow around the underground caverns at the Jinping-I Hydropower Station.