The Dipole Flow and Reactive Tracer Test: Initial Field and Modeling results

M. Mohamed1, D. Nayagum2, D. McKnight2, C. Berryman2, N. Thomson3, S. Banwart2

1 Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain,
P.O. Box 17555, UAE, Email: m.mohamed@uaeu.ac.ae
2 Groundwater Protection and Restoration Group, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
3 Civil Engineering Department, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACT

A major concern in groundwater restoration is the effect of imposing lab-scale-determined or literaturebased parameters upon field-scale transport problems. This results in uncertain predictions of in-situ performance and therefore unnecessarily cautious risk assessment and costly remediation strategies. Hence, cost-effective site investigative tools that have the capability of producing high quality characterization data are required. New site investigation tool is under development. This tool uses the Dipole Flow and Reactive Tracer Test (DFRTT). One main element of this tool is the development of a numerical transport model that interprets breakthrough curves (BTCs) obtained from a DFRTT. The model consists of a steady-state ground water flow component and a transient aqueous phase reactive transport component. In this paper, this model is presented, tested, and used to interpret a BTC obtained from a field dipole flow tracer test.