EARTHSC 3W03 Midterm: Hydrogeology Midterm 2 Review
29 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Representative elementary volume (rev) volume at which a statistical averaging smooths out microscopic variations with the sample size at a scale of interest; primarily used in large-scale or regional gw flow. Darcy"s law is a macroscopic property, not valid in a single pore. Valid down to a volume about the size of a sugar cubve. In fractured systems, you could fit tons of sugar cubes in a fracture rev must be bigger! Must be large enough to treat fractured system as if it were a porous medium. If a risk of contamination exists, averaging fractured systems can be dangerous (filtration is much less). Equivalent porous media approach assume no fractures, develop k value that approximates water movement in fractured system as a porous medium system. Filtration and rate of degradation of contaminants is underestimated. Water moves through fractures must quickly than through pores. Transportation time greatly overestimated ex. cow manure in walkerton.
