Large-Scale Physical Modeling of Salt-Water Intrusion

Salt-water intrusion (SWI) is a worldwide problem increasingly affecting coastal aquifers, exacerbated by climate changes and growing demand of fresh-water. Therefore, research on this topic using both physical numerical modeling has been intensified, aiming to achieve better predictions the salt-water wedge evolution design suitable countermeasures its negative effects. This work presents laboratory facility designed conduct SWI experiments that can be used as benchmarks for models. To end, limit errors provide redundant measurements hydraulic heads discharged flow rates. Moreover, size allows us monitor specifically electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) monitoring system. demonstrate capabilities facility, we carried out simple 36-h long experiment in homogeneous porous medium: during initial 24 h evolved without any external forcing, while last 12 h, fresh-water was pumped simulate aquifer exploitation. The monitored through ERT photos collected at regular time intervals. SUTRA code reproduce experimental results, calibrating only dispersivities. results show good correlation with simulated concentrations between borehole electrodes, most sensitive zone area, demonstrating evaluations evolution. Overall, agreement observed data, simulations, demonstrates proposed valuable future studies SWI, even more complex settings.