Development of one, two and three‐dimensional finite element groundwater models within a generalized object‐oriented framework

Desitter, A.; Bates, Paul; Anderson, M. G.; Hervouet, Jean‐Michel

doi:10.1002/1099-1085(200009)14:13<2245::aid-hyp26>3.3.co;2-h

Cited by 4 publications

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“…The ground water flow component of ESTEL-2D is fully described in Desitter et al (2000) and Bates et al (2000); only a brief summary of its major attributes is pro-vided here. After Celia et al (1990), the model solves the so-called mixed form of the Richards equation:…”

Section: Model Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mixing of Hillslope, River, and Alluvial Ground Waters in Lowland Floodplains

2003

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In this paper, we develop and apply a two‐dimensional flow and transport model to simulate the mixing of variously sourced water within a fluvial floodplain during one in‐bank and one out‐of‐bank flood event. The model is applied to two 120 m long transects through the floodplain of the River Severn, Shropshire, United Kingdom, which run to the river from the hillslope bordering the floodplain. For this site, hourly piezometric, river stage, and rainfall data are used to parameterize and validate the flow component of the model. Simulation of the movement of hypothetical conservative tracers driven by these hydrodynamic conditions is then undertaken to confirm and refine an evolving conceptual model of floodplain hydrology. This is based on the bank storage concept, and extended to include the impact of hillslope contributions to the floodplain/riparian zone and the impact of out‐of‐bank inundation on subsurface flow processes. The paper demonstrates that the role of the unsaturated zone has been underestimated in our previous investigations at this site and, in addition, that there is a potentially high residence time for solutes which remain in the unsaturated zone at the end of the flood event. In general, flood events in lowland plain systems are shown to be times of great hydrological and chemical activity. Lastly, the results confirm the complexity of interactions between surface and ground water flows in lowland plain settings and highlight the need for correct treatment of both dynamic boundary conditions and unsaturated zone processes.

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Section: Model Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mixing of Hillslope, River, and Alluvial Ground Waters in Lowland Floodplains

2003

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“…The model was programmed using an object-oriented numerical library previously developed to solve the shallow water equations. For a complete description of the model and its development the reader is referred to Desitter et al [1998Desitter et al [ , 2000, and here we provide only a brief summary of its major attributes.…”

Section: Numerical Model Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical simulation of floodplain hydrology

Bates¹,

Stewart²,

Desitter³

et al. 2000

Water Resources Research

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Abstract. Despite the extensive research into hillslope and channel interactions in headwater catchments, surprisingly little attention has been paid to such processes in lowland rivers. In particular, previous studies have not addressed the influence of hillslope contributions and have concentrated solely on in-bank floods rather than more complex out-of-bank cases. Accordingly, we combine field monitoring and numerical modeling to study hillslope, floodplain, and channel interactions for a lowland river. Piezometric, precipitation, and river stage data were used to parameterize and test a new twodimensional finite element model of saturated-unsaturated flow applied to two vertically aligned cross sections through a lowland floodplain. Data for two major out-of-bank flood events were simulated which appeared to show the presence of a significant unsaturated zone extending up to 5 rn below the surface. The model simulated reasonably well the pressure head field that was recorded at a number of piezometers located internal to the computational domain on each transect, and we conclude that floodplain hydrology is predominately a two-dimensional (lateral) process. Three-dimensional (down reach) flow effects would seem to become more significant at the beginning and end of each event.The simulations also showed that the unsaturated zone remained close to saturation at all times and that it was not significant in terms of the floodplain hydrology. Examination of velocity vector patterns showed the formation of a strong groundwater ridge within the floodplain. This led to the development of strong velocities directed toward hillslope areas as the inundation front approached the hillslope/floodplain junction. This suggests that surface water may move into hillslope areas adjoining the floodplain during major floods. Thus the extent of the hyporheic zone may be larger than previously thought. Numerical Model DevelopmentA finite element model, ESTEL, was developed to simulate hillslope and channel fluxes to the floodplain alluvium during overbank flood events. Like WaTab2D [Whiting and Pomeranets, 1997] this model is also based on an exact formulation for time-dependent unconfined groundwater flow and hence provides an advance on models such as MODFLOW, which are based on the Dupuit-Forcheimer assumption. However, unlike WaTab2D, ESTEL applies to both saturated and unsaturated flow conditions, as this may be important in particular floodplain situations. The model was programmed using an object-oriented numerical library previously developed to solve the shallow water equations. For a complete description of the model and its development the reader is referred to Desitter et al. [1998, 2000], and here we provide only a brief summary of its major attributes.We solve the so-called "mixed" where t is the time (dimension T), 0 is the volumetric moisture content (L 3 L-3), h is the pressure head (L), K is the hy-

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“…Bates et al [10] developed a numerical model to determine the effects of water fluxes to and from hillslopes on the response of the floodplain and examined hydrological processes occurring during large out-of-bank flood events. The two-dimensional finite element model, ESTEL [85], can represent saturated and unsaturated flow in vertically cross sections through the hillslope/floodplain/channel continuum within a small section of the River Severn floodplain in the United Kingdom. Like WaTab2D [14], ESTEL model is also based on an exact formulation for time-dependent unconfined groundwater flow, but unlike the WaTab2D model, the ESTEL model applies to both saturated and unsaturated flow conditions.…”

Section: Modelling Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface Water–Groundwater Interactions and Bank Storage during Flooding: A Review

Ferraz

Krámer

2021

Period. Polytech. Civil Eng.

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The interaction between river floods and groundwater not only replenishes groundwater resources, but also contributes to the attenuation of flood waves and is therefore a hydrologic factor in flood risk management. The magnitude of this interaction is expressed as bank storage, that is, the volume of the surface water that is temporarily stored in the riverbanks and slowly released back into the river after the peak of the flood wave. The amount of bank storage depends not only on the hydrograph of the river, but also on the morphology and hydrogeology of the river valley. This article offers a review of the current understanding and description of water exchange between the river and aquifer, with a focus on exchange due to flood events. The main field measurement methods of river-aquifer interactions, made to determine the properties of the aquifer, are summarized. The foundations of mathematical models are also reviewed, centered on how the surface and groundwater flow models are coupled, as well as on dimensional and process-related simplifications.

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Development of one, two and three‐dimensional finite element groundwater models within a generalized object‐oriented framework

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Mixing of Hillslope, River, and Alluvial Ground Waters in Lowland Floodplains

Mixing of Hillslope, River, and Alluvial Ground Waters in Lowland Floodplains

Numerical simulation of floodplain hydrology

Surface Water–Groundwater Interactions and Bank Storage during Flooding: A Review

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