Author(s)

A. Larabi & F. De Smedt

Abstract

Numerical finite element model for 3-d phreatic flow in porous media A. Larabi, F. De Smedt Laboratory of Hydrology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium ABSTRACT A numerical procedure is developed for solving steady state three dimensional phreatic groundwater flow with the finite element technique. The problem is solved with a fixed element mesh by iteratively adjusting the water table position and neglecting flow in the unsaturated zone. This is achieved without explicitely changing the coefficient matrix of the finite element equations, which makes the method computationally fast. Test problems demonstrate that the technique is accurate when compared with Polubarinova-Kochina's analytical solution, and efficient when compared with the moving finite element mesh technique. INTRODUCTION In many practical situations groundwater flow through porous media involves a 3-D free surface and seepage face. Analytical solutions can only be obt

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