15.1 Unsaturated Zone Transport (Continued)

Course Website

Link to Course Website

Readings

1. Brooks, R.H. and Corey, A.T. (1964) Hydraulic Properties of Porous Media. Hydrology Paper, Vol. 3, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. (DOE link)

2. van Genuchten, M.T. (1980), A Closed-form Equation for Predicting the Hydraulic Conductivity of Unsaturated Soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 44: 892-898.

3. Mori, H., Trevisan, L., Illangasekare, T H. (2015) Evaluation of relative permeability functions as inputs to multiphase flow models simulating supercritical CO2 behavior in deep geologic formations, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, Volume 41, Pages 328-335

4. GREEN-AMPT INFILTRATION PARAMETERS FROM SOILS DATA J. Hydraul. Eng., 1983, 109(1): 62-70

Videos

Unsaturated Zone Flow and Transport refers to the movement and transport of water and contaminants in the portion of the subsurface that lies above the groundwater table and contains both air and water within the pore spaces of the soil or rock. In this zone, the pore spaces are not completely saturated with water; rather, they contain a mixture of air and water, with the degree of saturation varying depending on factors such as rainfall, evaporation, and soil properties.

The unsaturated zone, also known as the vadose zone, is a critical component of the hydrological cycle. Water moves through this zone due to gravity, capillary forces, and pressure gradients. It plays a crucial role in processes like soil moisture replenishment, plant root uptake, and filtration of contaminants. Understanding unsaturated zone flow and transport is essential for managing water resources, assessing the risk of groundwater contamination, and optimizing land use practices to protect both water quality and quantity.

Volatile Emission from Soils

pp. 305-308 of textbook discusses

Vapor Transport

pp.308-315 discusses vapor transport concepts

Vadose Zone Flow and Transport Models

pg 315-330 of textbook discusses models