Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Modeling Approach for the Study of Contamination in a Fractured Aquifer

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The study of contaminants propagation in fractured and karstic aquifers shows uncertainties caused by the conditions of anisotropy of the medium and by the presence of cavities and residual products that could make fluid flow and solute transport unforeseeable. Therefore, in aquifers characterized by fissured and fractured solid matrix, in order to set up remediation strategies, it is necessary to represent the conditions of groundwater flow and contaminant propagation in such a way as to take into consideration the high heterogeneity connected to the presence of fractures and channels that act as preferential flow ways. The study carried out in a specified site, located in the city of Bari, heavily contaminated by petroliferous substances allows to build a model able to simulate subterranean draining conditions that prove to be as near as possible to the real ones. This simulation could be helpful for the prevision of the dynamic behavior of the aquifer during the period of the treatment in order to allow optimizations on the technical and economical point of view and in order to check the effective functionality of the system in the presence of anthropic constraints.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Barenblatt GE, Zheltov IP, Kochina IN (1960) Basic concepts in the theory of seepage of homogeneous liquids in fissured rocks. J Appl Math (USSR) 24(5):1286–1303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cassan M (1980) Les essais d’eau dans la reconnaissance des sols. Eyrolles, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Cherubini C, Giasi CI, Castore M, De Palma D, Errede V, Guastamacchia M (2004a) Analysis and visualization of data and construction of the hydrogeologic model to study the remediation of the ‘ex Gasometer’ area in the city centre of Bari (Italy). UDMS 2004, 24th Urban Data Management Symposium, October 27–29, 2004, Chioggia–Venice, Italy

  • Cherubini C, Giasi CI, Masciopinto C (2004b) Stochastic fracture flow modelling and influence of the computational procedures on the pollutants migration in a case study FEM MODFLOW international conference on finite element. KarlovyVary, Czech Republic 2004

  • Cherubini C, Giasi CI, Masciopinto C (2006) Flusso di contaminanti in sottosuoli fratturati: diversi approcci modellistici a confronto in un sito industriale dismesso. In printing on “Acque sotterranee”—Fascicolo 103-Ottobre 2006, pp 9–16, A.N.I.P.a. Milano

  • Diersch HJG (2002) FEFLOW finite element subsurface flow and transport simulation system––User’s manual/Reference manual/White papers. Release 5.1. WASY Ltd, Berlin, 2002

  • Di Fazio A, Masciopinto C, Troisi S (1998) Prova si Tracciamento con NaCl: misura dei parametri idrogeologici e influenza della diffusione molecolare. IGEA-Groundwater Geoeng 10:19–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Indraratna B, Ranjith P (2001) Hydromechanical aspects and unsaturated flow in jointed rock. A.A Balkema publishers

  • Iwai K (1976) Fundamental studies of the fluid flow through a single fracture, Ph.D. dissertation, University of California, Berkeley, California

  • Francani V (1995) Idrogeologia generale e applicata. CLUP, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  • Gattinoni P, Papini M, Scesi L (2003) Geologia applicata: applicazione ai progetti di ingegneria civile. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano

    Google Scholar 

  • Giasi CI (1982) Sulle problematiche connesse alla prevenzione della influenza marina sulle falde acquifere in aree carsiche. Geologia Appl e Idrogeol 17

  • Kiraly L (1969) Anisotropie et hétérogéneité de la perméabilité dans les calcaires fissurés. Eclogae Geologica Helvetiae 62(2):613–619

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiraly L (1998) Modeling karst aquifers by the combined discrete channel and continuum approach. Bulletin du Centre d’Hydrogeologie, Neuchatel 16:77–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiraly L, Morel G (1976) Etude de regularisation de l’Areuse par modele mathematique. Bulletin du Centre d’Hydrogeologie, Neuchatel 1:19–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Kovács A (2003) Geometry and hydraulic parameters of karst aquifers: a hydrodynamic modeling approach. Ph.D. thesis, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, 131 p

  • Long JCS, Remer JS, Wilson CR, Witherspoon PA (1982) Porous media equivalents for networks of discontinuous fractures. Water Resour Res 18(3):645–658

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masciopinto C (1999) Particles transport in a single fracture under variable flow regimes. Adv Eng Softw 35(5):327–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neretnieks I (1983) A note on fracture flow dispersion mechanisms in the ground. Water Resour Res 19(2):364–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Priest SD, Hudson JA (1976) Discontinuity spacings in rock. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 13:135–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruskauff GJ (1998) Stochastic MODFLOW for [13]Monte Carlo simulation. Guide to using in groundwater Vistas v. 4. ESI Team: Rumbaugh JO, Rumbaugh DB, Copyright 2000–2004, Environmental Simulations. Inc.

  • Snow DT (1969) Anisotropic permeability of fractured media. Water Resour Res 5(6):1273–1289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teutsch G, Sauter M (1991) Groundwater modeling in karst terranes: scale effects, data acquisition and field validation. 3rd Conference on hydrology, ecology, monitoring and management of ground water in karst terranes, Nashville, USA

  • Teutsch G, Sauter M (1998) Distributed parameter modeling approaches in karst-hydrological investigations. Bulletin du Centre d’Hydrogeologie, Neuchatel 16:99–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Witherspoon PA, Wang JSY, Iwai K, Gale JE (1980) Validity of cubic law for fluid flow in a deformable rock fracture. Water Resour Res 16:1016–1024

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125, Bari, Italy

    Claudia Cherubini

Authors
  1. Claudia Cherubini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Claudia Cherubini.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cherubini, C. A Modeling Approach for the Study of Contamination in a Fractured Aquifer. Geotech Geol Eng 26, 519–533 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-008-9186-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-008-9186-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation