Deterministic finite element solution of unsteady flow and transport through porous media: Model verification

Aguirre, C.G., Madani, A., Mohtar, R. and Haghighi, K. 2007. Deterministic finite element solution of unsteady flow and transport through porous media: Model verification. Canadian Biosystems Engineering/Le génie des biosystèmes au Canada 49: 1.1 1.9. A deterministic finite element solution to predict water flow and nutrient movement through porous media was developed and implemented using Visual C++. Finite element results were compared to analytical solutions in order to verify the accuracy of the finite element code. The numerical results were in agreement with analytical solutions and confirm the validity of the finite element solution. The finite element methodology was used to simulate transient flow and nutrient transport through the soil located in a research site at Atlantic Agri-Tech Park in Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada. The site was established in 1993. It is a 2.9 ha field with eight subsurface drainage plots (48 x 24 m). Drains are 100 mm in diameter and are located at 800-mm depth with 12-m spacing. The plots are hydrologically isolated by buffer drains. Meteorological data as well as drainage flow and nitrate concentration for each plot were collected for the site during 1999 and 2000 and can be used to calibrate other models. The predicted values were compared to the experimental data and they are found to be in good agreement.