A finite element model of submarine ground water discharge to tidal estuarine waters

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dc.contributor.authorRobinson, Michael A.en
dc.contributor.committeechairGallagher, Daniel L.en
dc.contributor.committeechairDietrich, Andrea M.en
dc.contributor.committeechairLoganathan, G. V.en
dc.contributor.committeechairDillaha, Theo A. IIIen
dc.contributor.committeechairSimmons, George M. Jr.en
dc.contributor.departmentCivil Engineeringen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:12:31Zen
dc.date.adate2008-06-06en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:12:31Zen
dc.date.issued1996en
dc.date.rdate2008-06-06en
dc.date.sdate2008-06-06en
dc.description.abstractIn the research presented here, a new ground water model, FEMCoast, was developed to simulate ground water discharge to the intertidal zone of estuarine systems. This research may be the first attempt to model the ground water discharge process in a tidal estaurine system. The development of FEM Coast was undertaken as no existing ground model was capable of directly simulating the dynamic boundary conditions along the sediment water interface of the intertidal zone. Reproducing the dynamic tidal boundary conditions along the sediment water interface was determined to be essential to replicating the complex salinity gradients observed in the ground water within the intertidal zone. Field data and model results confirmed the presence of a region of ground water where an inverted salinity gradient existed. In this region the concentration of salinity decreased with depth from the ground surface. FEMCoast was also able to reproduce field data on the movement of the near shore water table and ground water discharge rates and patterns. However, the model was not able to replicate the short-term fluctuation in the concentration of salinity within the aquifer due to changes in the concentration of salinity within Cherrystone Inlet. It is believed that the inability to account for the wave action of the tides within the intertidal zone is responsible for this difficulty. The use of FEMCoast integrated with field studies provided a new method to investigate ground water discharge to tidal estuarine systems.en
dc.description.degreePh. D.en
dc.format.extentxii, 189 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-06062008-154502en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-06062008-154502/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/38076en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V856_1996.R636.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 36113998en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectground water dischargeen
dc.subjectcoastal hydrologyen
dc.subjectfinite element modelen
dc.subjectestuaryen
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V856 1996.R636en
dc.titleA finite element model of submarine ground water discharge to tidal estuarine watersen
dc.typeDissertationen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplineCivil Engineeringen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.leveldoctoralen
thesis.degree.namePh. D.en

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