Modeling Preferential Flows in Porous Media

John Nieber, Professor
Aleksey Sheshukov, Research Associate
Andrey Egorov, Chief, Division of Mechanics, Kazan State University, Russia
Rafail Dautov, Professor, Kazan State University, Russia
Tammo Steenhuis, Professor, Cornell University
Yves Parlange, Professor, Cornell University
Coen Ritsema, SC-DLO, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Reinder Feddes, Department of Water Resources, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Ge van den Eertwegh, Hooheemraadschap van Rijnland, The Netherlands

Funding Source

Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station

Objective

To investigate new forms of equations governing the processes of preferential flows in porous media, including fingering, macropore flows, and heterogeneity-driven flows. We also wish to develop tools from this research that will enable practitioners to readily apply preferential flow predictions tools.

Need or Impact

The preferential flow of water in soils and other porous materials leads to the rapid movement of harmful chemicals and microbial organisms. This research is directed to provide an improved understanding about the behavior of preferential flow and transport processes and thereby help to reduce their detrimental effects.

Project Status

We have continued to work on the modeling of unstable flows (leading to fingered flow) in unsaturated soils. During the past year we have completed additional advances in the understanding of the conditions for instabilities. At present, and for the next year, we will be working on improving the parameterization of models for unstable flow.

On a new activity we have started to study the use of the analytic element method to modeling the flow of water in unsaturated soils containing complex arrangements (as found in nature) of soil inhomogeneities. The analytic element method provides a relatively easy analysis tool for someone to analyze quite complex flow situations. Our goal is to make it possible for an analyst to be able to use the model to evaluate the preferential flow caused by embedded inhomogeneities in unsaturated soils.