Comparison of Fickian and temporally non-local transport theories using high resolution hydraulic conductivity from the Macrodispersion Experiment (MADE) Site

Abstract

Subsurface solute transport models can be cost effective tools for predicting the transport of contaminants in groundwater. High resolution hydraulic conductivity (HRK) data obtained from the Macrodispersion Experiment (MADE) Site is used to investigate the Advection-Dispersion (ADE) transport model, and the late-time predictions of the ADE model are compared with the late-time predictions of the non-Fickian time Fractional Advection-Dispersion (t-fADE) transport model. The field measured data show heavier tails in the late-time concentrations than the ADE transport model despite using HRK. On the other hand the t-fADE model performs better than the ADE model at predicting late-time concentrations, even when K is made coarser. Moreover, there is an increasing trend in the longitudinal dispersivity of the ADE model as K is made coarser.