Model of Water-Air Two-Phase Flow in Saturated-Unsaturated Soil

Abstract:

For seepage in unsaturated soil, there are both air flow and water flow, which can be called the water-air two-phase flow. In order to simulate the water-air two-phase flow in soil when there is groundwater, a numerical model of water-air two-phase flow in saturated-unsaturated soil is established in this paper. By the model, the air-flow and water-flow in unsaturated soil are both considered in seepage calculation. And the mass transfer between air-phase and water-phase, change of phase states are considered in calculation. Capillary pressure is the most important factor for the water-air two-phase flow in unsaturated soil, and the calculation method of capillary pressure is also given in the paper. At last examples are given to verify the correctness of the numerical model and the calculation method.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 308-310)
• Pages: 553-558
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.308-310.553
• Online since: August 2011
• Authors: Chun Hui Fang, Xiao Yue Zhang
• Keywords: Capillary Pressure, Finite Difference Method (FDM), Seepage, Unsaturated Soil, Water-Air Two-Phase Flow

References

[1] L.Z. Wu, R.Q. Huang and X.J. Dong: Methods for measuring degree of saturation in unsaturated soil. Journal of Engineering Geology Vol. 788-791(2006), p.14

[2] D.G. Fredlund and H. Rahardio: Soil mechanics for unsaturated soils(John & Sons, New York 1993).

[3] M.F. Ba, C.X. Qian and G.B. Gao: Influence of Absolute Basicity and Capillary Porosity on Carbonation of Concrete. Journal of Wuhan University of Technology Vol. 889-892(2010), p.25

DOI: 10.1007/s11595-010-0114-z

[4] D.M. Sun, Y.M. Zhu and M.J. Zhang: Water-air two-phase flow model for numerical analysis of rainfall infiltration. Journal of Hydraulic Engineering Vol. 150-156(2007), p.28

[5] H.Q. Chen and X.M. Peng: Microcomputer program and graphic processing of finite element method(Hohai University Press, Nanjing 1992).

[6] Q. Li, J.H. Feng, T.M. Cai and C.B. Hu: Difference Scheme for Two-phase Flow. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics Vol. 488-496(2004), p.25

[7] C. Bergins, S. Crone and K. Strauss: Multiphase flow in porous media with phase change, Transport in porous media Vol. 275-300(2005), p.60

DOI: 10.1007/s11242-004-5740-5

[8] H. Class, R. Helming and P. Bastian: Numerical simulation of non-isothermal multiphase multicomponent processes in porous media. Advances in Water Resources Vol. 533-550(2002), p.25

DOI: 10.1016/s0309-1708(02)00014-3

[9] O. Kolditz and J. Jonge: Non-isothermal two-phase flow in low-permeable porous media. Computational Mechanics Vol. 345-364(2004), p.33

DOI: 10.1007/s00466-003-0537-x

[10] R. Stelzer and G. Hofstetter: Adaptive finite element analysis of multi-phase problems in geotechnics. Computers and Geotechnics Vol. 458-481(2005), p, 32

DOI: 10.1016/j.compgeo.2005.06.003

[11] M. Dijke, Z. Seatm, and C.J. Duijn: Multi-phase Flow Modeling of Air Sparging. Advances in Water Resources Vol. 319-333(1995), p.18

DOI: 10.1016/0309-1708(95)00028-h

[12] L.T. Shao, Z.P. Wang, and L.J. Guan: Numerical simulation of the process of pore water infiltration and pore gas flow in unsaturated soil. Advances in Water Science Vol. 8-13(2000), p.11

[13] G.Q. Tang and A.R. Kovscek: Trapped gas fraction during steady-state foam flow. Transport in Porous Media Vol. 287-307(2006), p.65

DOI: 10.1007/s11242-005-6093-4

[14] Y.M. Zhu, J.Y. Chen and D.Y. Gong: Refined solution to seepage in arch dam foundation with FEM. Chinese Journal of Geotechnical EngineeringVol. 326-330(2003), p.25

[15] C. Laroche and O. Vizika: Two-phase flow properties prediction from small-scale date using pore-network modeling. Transport in Porous Media Vol. 77-91(2005), p.61

DOI: 10.1007/s11242-004-6797-x