Influence of Boundary Conditions on Modeling Seawater Intrusion into Coastal Aquifer

Abstract

Numerical simulation is an essential tool for investigation of seawater intrusion in coastal aquifer. For most groundwater modeling software, boundary condition along the beach is required. But it was normally assumed due to the uncertainty in the seawater – freshwater interface. Using FEFLOW, a groundwater simulation software based on finite element method, we investigated the intrusion scope and the exiting point of groundwater outflow under various boundary conditions. Seven cases were designed, among which three cases with boundary conditions of a freshwater layer over seawater, three cases with a triangle freshwater zone between seawater and the beach, and the last one without freshwater at the seawater boundary. Results showed that the last case has the longest intrusion scope. The scope of seawater intrusion is determined by both the horizontal water head gradient along the bottom of the aquifer and the vertical water head gradient along the beach. Both higher horizontal gradient and lower vertical gradient result in larger intrusion scope. In some circumstances, the vertical gradient has greater impact on seawater intrusion than the horizontal gradient, and act as the main power inhibiting seawater intrusion.