Tesis doctoral de Elena Abarca Cameo
Modelling seawater intrusion (swi) has evolved from a tool for understanding to a water management need. Yet, it remains a challenge. Difficulties arise from the assessment of dispersion coefficients and the complexity of natural systems that results in complicated aquifer geometries and heterogeneity in the hydraulic parameters. Addressing such difficulties is the objective of this thesis. Specifically, factors that may affect the flow and transport in coastal aquifers and produce heterogeneous salinity distributions are studied. first, a new paradigm for seawater intrusion is proposed since the current paradigm (the henry problem) fails to properly reproduce observed swi wedges. mixing is represented by means of a velocity dependent dispersion tensor in the new proposed problem. Thereby, we denote it as «dispersive henry problem». Swi is characterized in terms of the wedge penetration, width of the mixing zone and influx of seawater. We find that the width of the mixing zone depends basically on dispersion, with longitudinal and transverse dispersion controlling different parts of the mixing zone but displaying similar overall effects. The wedge penetration is mainly controlled by the horizontal permeability and by the geometric mean of the dispersivities. transverse dispersivity and the geometric mean of the hydraulic conductivity are the leading parameters controlling the amount of salt that enters the aquifer. second, the effect of heterogeneity was studied by incorporating heterogeneity in the hydraulic permeability into the modified henry problem. Results show that heterogeneity causes the toe to recede while increases both the width and slope of the mixing zone. The shape of the interface and the saltwater flux depends on the distribution of the permeability in each realization. However, the toe penetration and the width of the mixing zone do not show large fluctuations. Both variables are satisfactorily reproduced, in cases o
Datos académicos de la tesis doctoral «Seawater intrusion in complex geological environments«
- Título de la tesis: Seawater intrusion in complex geological environments
- Autor: Elena Abarca Cameo
- Universidad: Politécnica de catalunya
- Fecha de lectura de la tesis: 05/05/2006
Dirección y tribunal
- Director de la tesis
- Xavier Sánchez Vila
- Tribunal
- Presidente del tribunal: brian Berkowitz
- enric Vazquez suñe (vocal)
- philippe Renard (vocal)
- Alberto Guadagnini (vocal)