Accession Number:

ADA478640

Title:

Locally Conservative, Stabilized Finite Element Methods for Variably Saturated Flow

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

ENGINEER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER VICKSBURG MS COASTAL AND HYDRAULICS LAB

Personal Author(s):

• Kees, C. E.
• Farthing, M. W.
• Dawson, C. N.

Report Date:

2007-11-06

Pagination or Media Count:

45.0

Abstract:

Standard Galerkin finite element methods for variably saturated groundwater flow have several deficiencies. For instance, local oscillations can appear around sharp infiltration fronts without the use of mass-lumping, and velocity fields obtained from differentiation of pressure fields are discontinuous at element boundaries. Here, we consider conforming finite element discretizations based on a multiscale formulation along with recently developed, local postprocessing schemes. The resulting approach maintains the basic flexibility and appeal of traditional finite element methods, while controlling nonphysical oscillations and producing element-wise mass-conservative velocity fields. Accuracy and efficiency of the proposed schemes are evaluated through a series of steady-state and transient variably saturated ground-water flow problems in homogeneous as well as heterogeneous domains.

Descriptors:

• *FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS
• STABILIZATION
• VELOCITY
• STEADY STATE
• SATURATION
• PRESSURE
• OSCILLATION
• FLOW
• GROUND WATER
• ACCURACY
• WATER FLOW
• PROCESSING

Subject Categories:

• Theoretical Mathematics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE