Investigation of numerical and analytical solutions of 1D steady and transient flow in unsaturated layered soils
Investigation of numerical and analytical solut
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1344/GeologicaActa2024.22.8Keywords:
Numerical, Analytical, Steady, Transient, Unsaturated, Layered soilAbstract
This study presents a comprehensive numerical simulation and analytical modeling of steady and transient flow in heterogeneously saturated soils. Solving the Richards equation involves challenges due to the nonlinearity between the pressure and the water content. Two constitutive models are used to describe the complex relationships between moisture content, hydraulic head, and hydraulic conductivity namely, Gardner model and Van Genuchten-Mualem model. Through detailed simulations, four configurations are investigated, including the capillary barrier effect, bi-layered soil dynamics in paddy fields, and infiltration in multi-layered soil in both saturated and unsaturated steady-state regimes. The comparison between numerical results and the established analytical model shows a good agreement. It underscores the usefulness of the model to reproduce saturated and unsaturated seepage flow in bi-layered and multi-layered soils. Moreover, it captures the dynamic interactions between infiltration and evaporation during the transient phase. These findings offer insights for water resource management, land subsidence mitigation, and environmental sustainability.
Resum
Aquest estudi presenta una simulació numèrica exhaustiva i una modelització analítica del flux en estat estacionari i transitori en sòls amb saturació heterogènia. La resolució de l’equació de Richards representa un repte a causa de la relació no lineal entre la pressió i el contingut d’aigua. S’han utilitzat dos models constitutius —el model de Gardner i el model de Van Genuchten-Mualem— per descriure les interaccions complexes entre el contingut d’humitat, la càrrega hidràulica i la conductivitat hidràulica. Mitjançant simulacions detallades, s’analitzen quatre configuracions, incloent-hi l’efecte de barrera capil·lar, la dinàmica del sòl biestratificat en arrossars i la infiltració en sòls multiestratificats, tant en condicions estacionàries saturades com no saturades. La comparació entre els resultats numèrics i el model analític mostra una bona concordança, subratllant l’eficàcia del model en la reproducció del flux de filtració en sòls biestratificats i multiestratificats, tant en règims saturats com no saturats. A més, reprodueix amb precisió les interaccions dinàmiques entre infiltració i evaporació durant les fases transitòries. Aquests resultats aporten coneixements valuosos per a la gestió dels recursos hídrics, la mitigació de la subsidència del terreny i la sostenibilitat ambiental.
Paraules clau: Numèric. Analític. Estat estacionari. Estat transitori. No saturat. Sòl estratificat.
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