Introduction and background

Introduction and background

The understanding of the fate and transport of contaminant plumes from contaminated sites in limestone aquifers is important because they are a major drinking water resource. This is challenging because they are often heavily fractured and contain chert layers and nodules, resulting in a complex flow and transport behavior. Modeling can be a useful tool for the interpretation of measurements and the prediction of the contaminant behavior in the aquifer. It can be used as a tool to advance the conceptual understanding and for decision support for risk assessment and the planning of remedial actions.

Several fracture flow and transport models are available for the modeling of contaminant transport in fractured media. This wiki aims at giving an overview of modeling tools that can be used for the interpretation and prediction of flow and transport processes in fractured limestone aquifers. The different concepts are presented in the chapter Model concepts. They will be compared for their suitability to simulate field data and to represent typical features of fracture flow and transport using a field example (Example Akacievej).

Properties of limestone

Low conductive matrix - can be heavily fractured - chert layers and nodules - sorption behavior for chlorinated solvents

Physical processes

Advection, diffusion and dispersion, fracture flow, sorption and retardation

Flow and contaminant transport

Flow equation

Transport equation

Return to Overview