ONE-DIMENSIONAL FINITE-ELEMENT MODEL FOR HIGH-FLOW VELOCITIES IN POROUS-MEDIA

This paper presents a one-dimensional (1D) finite-element model for th e estimation of groundwater flow through valley fill. The model determ ines the piezometric head profile as well as velocities through a wast e rock impound. There are serious environmental concerns for a receivi ng water course due to the effects from acid and sediment generation b y these facilities. Understanding ground-water characteristics as it f lows through these facilities is the first step in designing safe tail ings impound facilities. Flow through a valley fill is nonDarcian due to the large grain sizes and high velocities and requires an alternate energy-loss equation. The Forchheimer equation was used as the basis of the finite-element model. The finite-element model used 1D linear b ar elements and required an interative solution due to the nonlinear n ature of the problem. Accuracy of the model has been verified by an an alytical solution to a more specific problem. A sensitivity analysis s howed that the results were most sensitive to the porosity and d(10) m edia characteristic.