Z. Fred Zhang

A parameter scaling concept for estimating field-scale hydraulic functions of layered soils

Predicting flow and transport in unsaturated porous media is often hampered by limited data and the uncertainties in constitutive property information at the appropriate spatial scales. Some studies have used inverse flow modeling for parameter estimation to overcome these limitations. However, determination of the soil hydraulic parameters of layered soils remains a challenge since inverting for too many parameters can lead to the nonuniqueness of parameter values. Here we propose a parameter scaling method that reduces the number of parameters to be estimated. First, parameter scaling factors are determined using local-scale parameter values. After assigning scaling factors to the corresponding soil textures in the field, the reference hydraulic parameter values at the field scale can be estimated through inverse modeling of well-designed field experiments. Finally, parameters for individual textures are obtained through inverse scaling of the reference values. The number of unknown variables is reduced by a factor equal to the number of textures (M) and the simulation time is reduced by the square of the number of textures (M 2). The proposed method was tested using two infiltration-drainage experiments in layered soils. The STOMP numerical simulator was combined with the inverse modeling program, UCODE, to estimate the hydraulic parameters. Simulation errors were significantly reduced after applying parameter scaling and inverse modeling. When compared to the use of local-scale parameters, parameter scaling reduced the sum of squared weighted residual by 93-96%.

Transport of Europium Colloids in Vadose Zone Lysimeters at the Semiarid Hanford Site

The objective of this study was to quantify transport of Eu colloids in the vadose zone at the semiarid Hanford site. Eu-hydroxy-carbonate colloids, Eu(OH)(CO3), were applied to the surface of field lysimeters, and migration of the colloids through the sediments was monitored using wick samplers. The lysimeters were exposed to natural precipitation (145-231 mm/year) or artificial irrigation (124-348 mm/year). Wick outflow was analyzed for Eu concentrations, supplemented by electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Small amounts of Eu colloids (<1%) were detected in the deepest wick sampler (2.14 m depth) 2.5 months after application and cumulative precipitation of only 20 mm. We observed rapid transport of Eu colloids under both natural precipitation and artificial irrigation; that is, the leading edge of the Eu colloids moved at a velocity of 3 cm/day within the first 2 months after application. Episodic infiltration (e.g., Chinook snowmelt events) caused peaks of Eu in the wick outflow. While a fraction of Eu moved consistent with long-term recharge estimates at the site, the main mass of Eu remained in the top 30 cm of the sediments. This study illustrates that, under field conditions, near-surface colloid mobilization and transport occurred in Hanford sediments.