Numerical simulation of subsurface characterization methods: application to a natural aquifer analogue

Information from an outcrop is used as an analogue of a natural heterogeneo us aquifer in order to provide an exhaustive data set of hydraulic properti es. Based on this data, two commonly used borehole based investigation meth ods are simulated numerically. For a scenario of sparse sampling of the aqu ifer, the process of regionalization of the borehole hydraulic conductivity values is simulated by application of a deterministic interpolation approa ch and conditioned stochastic simulations. Comparison of the cumulative dis tributions of particle arrival times illustrates the effects of the sparse sampling, the properties of the individual investigation methods and the re gionalization methods on the ability to predict flow and transport behaviou r in the real system (i.e. the exhaustive data set). (C) 1999 Elsevier Scie nce Ltd. All rights reserved.