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INFLUENCE OF THE UNSATURATED ZONE
ON THE SALT-WATER FRONT IN UNCONFINED AQUIFERS.
Civil
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Abstract
The flux
due to artificial or natural recharge, or due to discharge resulting from
excessive evaporation originating at the natural groundwater table, must
traverse the unsaturated zone above unconfined aquifers. This process affects
the existing hydraulic heads in the saturated zone, thereby effecting
the overall dynamic behavior of the sea water/fresh water interface. A
numerical model was developed to account for the influence of capillary storage
and capillary flow in the partially saturated region on the development of the
shape of that interface. The model demonstrated that the contribution of the
capillary flow is significant when the effective permeable height is the same
order of magnitude as the saturated thickness.