Theme 2-12-A characteristic study of dispersion parameters for solute transport in groundwater

Abstract

The present study is an attempt to evaluate the behaviour of constituents/pollutants moving with groundwater. Three examples using data of basic parameters from literature have been demonstrated. Dispersivity, adsorptivity and decay which are primary parameters affecting the transport phenomena have been considered. The dispersivity which is the main characterizing parameter in transport problems, have been considered for sensitivity analysis. It has also been attempted to quantify errors involved when a two/three-dimensional problem is simplified to a one-dimensional problem.

The result indicated that one-dimensional analytical and numerical solution of transport equation compare well –but- simplifying a two/three-dimensional transport problem to a one-dimensional problem leads to error due to transverse dispersion. Close to the source, advection dominates whereas away from it the dispersion phenomena dominates. It was also seen that transverse dispersivity becomes prominent as distance increases from the source.