Time-lapse electrical resistivity anomalies due to contaminant transport around landfills
Main Article Content
Abstract
The extent of landfill leachate can be delineated by geo-electrical imaging as a response to the varying electrical
resistivity in the contaminated area. This research was based on a combination of hydrogeological numerical
simulation followed by geophysical forward and inversion modeling performed to evaluate the migration of
a contaminant plume from a landfill. As a first step, groundwater flow and contaminant transport was simulated
using the finite elements numerical modeling software FEFLOW. The extent of the contaminant plume was acquired
through a hydrogeological model depicting the distributions of leachate concentration in the system.
Next, based on the empirical relationship between the concentration and electrical conductivity of the leachate
in the porous media, the corresponding geo-electrical structure was derived from the hydrogeological model. Finally,
forward and inversion computations of geo-electrical anomalies were performed using the finite difference
numerical modeling software DCIP2D/DCIP3D. The image obtained by geophysical inversion of the electric data
was expected to be consistent with the initial hydrogeological model, as described by the distribution of
leachate concentration. Numerical case studies were conducted for various geological conditions, hydraulic parameters
and electrode arrays, from which conclusions were drawn regarding the suitability of the methodology
to assess simple to more complex geo-electrical models. Thus, optimal mapping and monitoring configurations
were determined.
resistivity in the contaminated area. This research was based on a combination of hydrogeological numerical
simulation followed by geophysical forward and inversion modeling performed to evaluate the migration of
a contaminant plume from a landfill. As a first step, groundwater flow and contaminant transport was simulated
using the finite elements numerical modeling software FEFLOW. The extent of the contaminant plume was acquired
through a hydrogeological model depicting the distributions of leachate concentration in the system.
Next, based on the empirical relationship between the concentration and electrical conductivity of the leachate
in the porous media, the corresponding geo-electrical structure was derived from the hydrogeological model. Finally,
forward and inversion computations of geo-electrical anomalies were performed using the finite difference
numerical modeling software DCIP2D/DCIP3D. The image obtained by geophysical inversion of the electric data
was expected to be consistent with the initial hydrogeological model, as described by the distribution of
leachate concentration. Numerical case studies were conducted for various geological conditions, hydraulic parameters
and electrode arrays, from which conclusions were drawn regarding the suitability of the methodology
to assess simple to more complex geo-electrical models. Thus, optimal mapping and monitoring configurations
were determined.
Article Details
How to Cite
Radulescu, M., Valerian, C. and Yang, J. (2007) “Time-lapse electrical resistivity anomalies due to contaminant transport around landfills”, Annals of Geophysics, 50(3). doi: 10.4401/ag-3075.
Issue
Section
OLD
Open-Access License
No Permission Required
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia applies the Creative Commons Attribution License (CCAL) to all works we publish.
Under the CCAL, authors retain ownership of the copyright for their article, but authors allow anyone to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute, so long as the original authors and source are cited. No permission is required from the authors or the publishers.
In most cases, appropriate attribution can be provided by simply citing the original article.
If the item you plan to reuse is not part of a published article (e.g., a featured issue image), then please indicate the originator of the work, and the volume, issue, and date of the journal in which the item appeared. For any reuse or redistribution of a work, you must also make clear the license terms under which the work was published.
This broad license was developed to facilitate open access to, and free use of, original works of all types. Applying this standard license to your own work will ensure your right to make your work freely and openly available. For queries about the license, please contact ann.geophys@ingv.it.