Solution Exercise 10
Flow in the conduits is probably turbulent at times and Darcy’s Law may not apply in karstic conduits and fractures. Flow in a karstic conduit is often diffusively represented by an equivalent porous media model. However, it is beneficial to include discrete features in the simulation that can account for pipe or open channel flow within the conduits under laminar and turbulent conditions. Inclusion of discrete features requires a lot of computer processing that is likely to exceed available computing resources and be prohibitively expensive.
Conduit variables include conduit location, effective diameter, roughness, and connectivity with other conduits.
Flow in the matrix is probably laminar with the key variables being permeability, storativity, and strata thickness.
Fracture variables include hydraulic aperture and fracture spacing, orientation and connectivity.