Modeling flow and transport in heterogeneous, dual-porosity drained soils

Abstract

A finite element solution of the equations for coupled flow of water and transport of chemicals in slowly permeable soils containing macropores is presented. Two example solutions are presented for the condition of a horizontal soil profile with a drainage ditch. The first is for steady state saturated flow while the second is for transient water flow produced by time varying rainfall. Through these examples it is found that the characteristic leaching time of a chemical from the soil matrix is determined by the rate of transfer of chemical mass between the pore domains. When the rate of transfer is zero, the rate of leaching is greatly retarded compared to the case where the rate of transfer is nonzero. The chemical outflow from the macropore domain is very rapid when the rate of transfer is zero, while the chemical outflow is greatly delayed, but increased in magnitude when the rate of chemical transfer is nonzero.