Duration
30h Th, 30h Labo., 30h Proj.
Number of credits
| Master of Science (MSc) in Geological and Mining Engineering | 5 crédits | |||
| Master of Science (MSc) in Geological and Mining Engineering (Co-diplomation avec l'Université polytechnique de Madrid) | 5 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
English language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The main principles and methods applied for groundwater flow and solute transport modelling are described. The following topics are addressed : - building a conceptual model and choosing the adequet assumptions and boundary conditions - short reminder about general equation of the groundwater flow in porous media in steady state and transient conditions; - short reminder about solute transport equation involving advection, diffusion, dispersion, adsorption/desorption, degradation, immobile water effect, physicochemical reactions; - groundwater flow and solute transport in variably saturated geological media; - methodology in groundwater modelling; - representation, idealization, and discretization of the porous and fissured media; - use of the various numerical techniques: advantages/disadvantages for the user, adequacy of the technique, resolution of the transport equations by various digital Eulerian and Eulerian-Lagrangian techniques, problems of numerical instabilities and dispersion; - development of a conceptual model and discussion of the boundary conditions; - calibration procedures, invers modelling and sensitivity analysis for local and regional models; - influence of interactions between parameters, non linearities and coupling Study cases. Applications to actual situations by using various methods of resolution.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
At the end of the course, the student will have a strong basic skill in groundwater modelling. He will be able to:
- make adequate conceptual choices in function of the problem to be simulated;
- collect and organise the needed data for a groundwater model;
- choose the best boundary conditions not biasing model results;
- use the GMS code with MODFLOW, MODPATH and MT3D embedded, for modelling an actual case study;
- calibrate a groundwater flow model in steady-state and transient conditions, on historical data;
- calibrate a solute contaminant transport model, on measured breakthrough curves;
- simulate predictive scenarios on actual case-studies of groundwater flow and contaminant transport;
- interprete model results with regards to uncertainties in the data and in the conceptual choices.
Exercices sessions will be entirely devoted on one real study case on which all the modelling steps will be performed by each student. These sessions are lead by an assistant. He will help each student to develop his self-sufficient capacities on this practical and real case-study.
The not compulsory reading of reference books (in english) will allow additional documentation and understanding of scientific texts in this topic.
This knowledge, indeed, is extremely appreciated by decision makers, administrations, Ministries, water-companies, semi-public and engineering departments related to environment. Predictive calculations related to groundwater are of great importance in quantitative and qualitative management of the local and regional groundwater resources, in engineering geology problems, for waste disposal impact studies, contaminated sites cleaning, etc.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
A strong course on Hydrogeology (like Geol0013-5) should be attended the same semester (if not previously).
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The course is composed of "ex-cathedra" lectures and directed parctical sessions. The exercises sessions are entirely devoted to a real groundwater contamination case on which all the modelling steps will be performed by each student. At the last session, after writing of a individual report, the students will compare their respective conceptual choices, methods and results. The discussion will be lead by the lecturer and the assistant. This will allow each student for a clear debriefing of his work and analysing results in function of the uncertainties from the conceptual choices, calibration and incomplete data sets.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face
Organisational adjustments related to the current health context
All classes (about theory) will be available as video recordings (mp4) on the eCampus platform. Either it will be ppt commented with 'off voice' over and the visible pointer, or it will be recorded classes (podcasts). If, and only if, the health context requires it, the modifications below may be applied. A remote oral exam would be scheduled using lifesize.
Recommended or required readings
A pdf copy of all transparents is made available in FR and in EN on eCampus.This is only a summary of what was said and shown during the lectures.
It is useful and highly adviced to consult the following reference book:
- Dassargues, A. 2018. Hydrogeology: groundwater science and engineering. Taylor & Francis CRC Press, 472p.
Assessment methods and criteria
Below you will find information on the evaluation methods planned for in-person and remote exams as well as those planned for hybrid sessions. Depending on how the health crisis evolves, the chosen method will be communicated to you no later than one month before the start of the exam session.
The evaluation of the report provides 50% of the global mark. Oral exam consists in a discussion about the report results. All theoretical an practical aspects can be discussed. It is a fully profesionnal situation where a groundwater modeller must present his results to a specialised audience. A good knowledge and a perfect command of the fundamentals from all concerned courses are needed for preparing accurate and adequate answers.
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
The course will be given during the 1st semester: Wednesday am. The schedule and the place of the course should be checked on CELCAT.
Attention: the classrooms have been chosen in such a way that all registered students can attend physically the course.
Classrooms 2020-2021
TP36 B52
Contacts
Professor: Alain Dassargues 04/3662376 Alain.Dassargues@uliege.be Assistant: Philippe Orban : 043662359 p.orban@uliege.be