Emergence of non-Fickian transport in truncated pluri-Gaussian permeability fields

Abstract We present a numerical simulation study of advective–diffusive scalar transport in three-dimensional high-contrast discontinuous permeability fields, generated with truncated pluri-Gaussian geostatistical approach. The experiments are run an Eulerian approach using novel unified framework based on the finite-volume library OpenFOAM ® (Weller et al. Comput Phys 12(6):620–631, 1998), for (1) generating random porous media, (2) solving steady state Darcy-scale flow, (3) advection diffusion equation, (4) computing post-processing quantities such as first order statistics, spatial probability density functions and breakthrough curves. A range contrasts, correlation lengths, Péclet numbers tested to assess their relative weight control time, deviation calibrated macrodispersive model from Fickian is quantified. identify hierarchy non-Fickian triggering factors. From scenarios, contrast main controlling parameter anomalous behaviour it enhances generation preferential flow paths which characterised by high advective velocities. number characteristic length at facies transitions observed secondary