| Abstract: | A stream tube integration method is introduced to solve transient subsurface fluid flow problems. The method combines a geometry-embedded form of Darcy's Law and the notion of location of average. Two types of problems, transient radial flow to a well of finite radius in an areally infinite aquifer and in a double porosity system, are solved by the stream tube integration method and the integral finite difference method. Results of the solutions show that the stream tube integration method, with fixed coarse mesh, are more accurate and better behaved than the integral finite difference method, with fine mesh. The fixed mesh stream tube integration method is readily extended to the moving mesh method. With much coarse mesh, the moving mesh technique can obtain the same accurate results as the fixed mesh stream tube integration method. It is suggested that the stream tube integration method is a viable way to state, solve, interpret and verify numerical solutions. The method provides efficient computation and improved accuracy for analysing subsurface fluid flow. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
