Development and Validation of Numerical Simulation and Experiment of Radionuclide Transport on Fractured Formation Parameters Estimation

The most important process in radionuclide transport is performed to obtain hydrogeological parameters of multiple barrier systems, including hydraulic conductivity/transmissivity, dispersivity, diffusion coefficient, and distribution coefficient at a site. The main topic of the study is to develop groundwater flow and radionuclide transport numerical models. The models can handle complex flow fields under unsteady, heterogeneous, and anisotropic conditions of the geological environment. In this research, the numerical models are used to combine with column test to implement radionuclide advection-dispersion-diffusion equation transport test. Additionally, the observation data is applied to validate the developed inverse model and compare with the traditional experimental method to estimate the results. This 2-year research work aims to: (1) develop and validate radionuclide transport along with inverse numerical model, (2) compare with the traditional experimental method to evaluate the results, (3) improve the experimental operation process as well as achieve the effective observation data, and (4) enhance the inverse model effectiveness. In the future, the models can provide not only the verification of the existing radionuclide transport parameters but also the important reference for the design of other radionuclide transport experiments.