Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
12-31-1990
Degree Name
Master of Science in Civil Engineering - (M.S.)
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
First Advisor
Jay N. Meegoda
Second Advisor
Robert Dresnack
Abstract
Currently available computer programs that model groundwater flow are inherently limited in their capabilities, in one way or another. Additionally, many of these computer programs are relatively inaccessible to the general user because they operate off of mainframe computers and sophisticated plotters. As a result, a simple to use computer program called 2DFLOW has been modified so it can be run on a personal IBM compatible computer. It models steady-state fluid flow through saturated porous media. In addition, a postprocessor called 2DPLOT has been developed. The postprocessor generates the equipotential contours and the flux vectors that describe the physics of the flow, as well as the flow geometry. 2DPLOT can be used with most laser or dot matrix printers that support graphics.
In the computer program 2DFLOW, Laplace's equation is solved by using the finite element method. The domain of the problem is divided into elements, and the program calculates the total hydraulic head at the element nodes and the flow velocities at the center of each element.
The program is capable of generating flow nets for any saturated flow domain, regardless of its shape or geometry. It is also capable of modeling flow under any boundary condition, ie. constant hydraulic head or varying hydraulic head along any boundary. Other features of the program are mentioned in the user manual provided within the contents of this treatise. Also included, are several examples of flow nets generated by the program package 2DFLOW/2DPLOT.
Recommended Citation
Byra, Joseph, "A PC based computer model with a postprocessor for the movement of groundwater" (1990). Theses. 2534.
https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/theses/2534
