Analyzing unsaturated flow patterns in fractured rock using an integrated modeling approach

Characterizing percolation patterns in unsaturated fractured rock has posed a greater challenge to modeling investigations than comparable saturated zone studies due to the heterogeneous nature of unsaturated media and the great number of variables impacting unsaturated flow. An integrated modeling methodology has been developed for quantitatively characterizing percolation patterns in the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain, Nevada (USA), a proposed underground repository site for storing high-level radioactive waste. The approach integrates moisture, pneumatic, thermal, and isotopic geochemical field data into a comprehensive three-dimensional numerical model for analyses. It takes into account the coupled processes of fluid and heat flow and chemical isotopic transport in Yucca Mountain’s highly heterogeneous, unsaturated fractured tuffs. Modeling results are examined against different types of field-measured data and then used to evaluate different hydrogeological conceptualizations through analyzing flow patterns in the unsaturated zone. In particular, this model provides clearer understanding of percolation patterns and flow behavior through the unsaturated zone, both crucial issues in assessing repository performance. The integrated approach for quantifying Yucca Mountain’s flow system is demonstrated to provide a practical modeling tool for characterizing flow and transport processes in complex subsurface systems.