Data and models in problems of contaminant transport in groundwater

Some conceptual models useful to solve flow and pollutant transport in fractured and porous media are presented.A Lagrangian technique has been implemented in the computional code to study tracer transport inside fractures.To study unsaturated flow in fractures with small apertures,Richard's equation can be applied too,while tracer transport can be studied by applying the two-dimensional advection-dispersion equation under unsaturated conditions.Some results of field tests carried out to calibrate the computational codes are also reported.The studied fractured aquifer is located in South Italy(Apulia region).Rodhamine-wt,Chlorophyll and Chloride were used as tracers.The results of tests allow the hydrodynamic parameters to be estimated, also for high velocity in the fractures(i.e.,high Reynold's numbers).The cell method has been proposed to study flow and transport in granular porous formations.Physical laws are stated naturally in discrete form starting directly from experimental facts. This discrete form leads to a new numerical method that is particularly suited to use all hydrogeologic information available,and to solve complex geometry problems.