A geological approach to characterizing aquifer heterogeneity. Completion report, 1990--1994
Spatial variations of hydraulic conductivity have generally been recognized as the dominant medium-independent control on the transport and dispersion of contaminants in groundwater. Mathematical models that use statistical descriptions of the hydraulic conductivity spatial distribution are available to predict contaminant transport. Such models are expected to be major tools in dealing with contamination problems at DOE sites. Unfortunately, the statistical parameters needed for such models can usually only be obtained through geostatistical analysis of very large numbers of hydraulic conductivity measurements, with associated large costs and often-significant human risk at highly contaminated sites. More accurate and realistic conceptual models for the actual distribution of hydraulic conductivity, requiring fewer field data, would increase the reliability of contaminant transport predictions while decreasing their cost. The objectives of the project can therefore be summarized in the following question: How can the data requirements for geostatistical analysis of hydraulic parameters be reduced by incorporation of geological expertise and macroscopic proxy information into new mathematical models. Specifically, the authors proposed to combine intensive geological field observations with permeability measurements to discover relationships between sediment depositional processes, geological structures, and the geostatistics of the permeability distributions that result.
- Research Organization:
- New Mexico Inst. of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG03-92ER61488
- OSTI ID:
- 656638
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/61488--T1-Pt.1; ON: DE98007465; BR: KP0203000
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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