Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water: Prevention, Detection, and Remediation® Conference

Monday, November 3, 2008 : 1:55 p.m.

Finite Element Modeling of LNAPL Transport in Deformable Unsaturated Porous Media

Amir H. Hosseini, University of Alberta

Contamination by light-non-aqueous-phase-liquids (LNAPLs) has been frequently observed at the contaminated sites associated with the leaking underground storage tanks and petroleum production activities. After occurrence of a spill, LNAPL plume moves vertically due to gravity and expands laterally due to capillary forces. Transport of LNAPL plume in unsaturated soil and its concentration profile is directly affected by the degree of saturation of water. It also results in insignificant mechanical responses. In order to quantify these effects, a numerical experimentation is performed. A Finite Element Model is developed to simulate the flow of LNAPL in deformable unsaturated porous medium. The numerical experiments are implemented for two different unsaturated profiles and LNAPL saturation and mechanical responses are observed. The results show that size, shape and concentration profile of the LNAPL plume is considerably affected by small changes in the unsaturated profile. Insignificant mechanical responses are also observed as a result of LNAPL flow in porous medium.

Amir H. Hosseini, University of Alberta Amir H Hosseini is a PhD Candidate in Geoenvironmental Engineering at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He earned an M.Sc. degree in Geoenvironmental Engineering from Cardiff University, UK and B.Sc. degree in Civil Engineering from Sharif University of Technology, Iran. His main research interests are in areas of numerical modeling of groundwater flow and contaminant transport, geostatistical modeling and environmental risk assessment.


Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water: Prevention, Detection, and Remediation® Conference