Processes, mechanisms, parameters, and modeling approaches for partially saturated flow in soil and rock media; Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project
- Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)
This report discusses conceptual models and mathematical equations, analyzes distributions and correlations among hydrological parameters of soils and tuff, introduces new path integration approaches, and outlines scaling procedures to model potential-driven fluid flow in heterogeneous media. To properly model the transition from fracture-dominated flow under saturated conditions to matrix-dominated flow under partially saturated conditions, characteristic curves and permeability functions for fractures and matrix need to be improved and validated. Couplings from two-phase flow, heat transfer, solute transport, and rock deformation to liquid flow are also important. For stochastic modeling of alternating units of welded and nonwelded tuff or formations bounded by fault zones, correlations and constraints on average values of saturated permeability and air entry scaling factor between different units need to be imposed to avoid unlikely combinations of parameters and predictions. Large-scale simulations require efficient and verifiable numerical algorithms. New path integration approaches based on postulates of minimum work and mass conservation to solve flow geometry and potential distribution simultaneously are introduced. This verifiable integral approach, together with fractal scaling procedures to generate statistical realizations with parameter distribution, correlation, and scaling taken into account, can be used to quantify uncertainties and generate the cumulative distribution function for groundwater travel times.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 139248
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-88-7054; LBL-26224; ON: DE93018768; TRN: 93:019021
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jun 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
TUFF
FLUID FLOW
GROUND WATER
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
PERFORMANCE
YUCCA MOUNTAIN
SOILS
ROCKS
EQUATIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
CORRELATIONS
TWO-PHASE FLOW
HYDROLOGY
SATURATION
PERMEABILITY
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
Yucca Mountain Project