UniversityofSydney

FacultyofEngineeringandIT
SchoolofCivilEngineering

CIVL5351
EnvironmentalGeotechnics
Semester1,2010

Quiz1

90minutes
closedbookexam
attemptallquestions

Page2of11

Question1(25%).
ThefigurebelowshowsalayerofsoilofdepthL,porositynandcrosssectionareaAnormal
totheydirection.AtotalhydraulicheadH0isappliedatthetopandaflowrateQy=Q0atthe
bottom. The two vertical boundaries are noflow boundaries. The steadystate flow
equationforthissystemis:
2H
K yy 2 0
y

whereKyyisthehydraulicconductivityintheydirection

a. DeriveanexpressionforH(y)intermsofsomeorallofthesystemparameters(L,n,
Kyy,H0,Q0,A).Taketheoriginoftheyaxisatthetopofthesoillayerasshowninthe
figure(20%).
b. WhatisHatthebottomofthelayer(2.5%)?
c. Whatistheseepagevelocityinthesystem(2.5%)?

Solution:

a. Thesimplestfunction,otherthanaconstant,satisfyingthedifferentialequationisa
linefunction:
H(y)=ay+b

(1)
2
H
Clearly,withthisfunction, K yy 2 0 ,foranyvalueofKyy.
y
Tobecomeavalidsolution,H(y)mustsatisfytheboundaryconditionsaswell:

(2)
H(0)=H0
Qy(L)=Q0

(3)

Substituting(2)in(1):

Page3of11

Then

b=H0
Q=vyA

and v y K yy

Hence
Q y AK yy

and

Q y (L) Q 0 AK yy a

Therefore

Q0

AK yy

and

H(y)

b. H(L)

Q0
y H0
AK yy

Q 0L
H0
AK yy

c.
v ay K yy
v ay

Q0
Q
H
K yy
0
y
AK yy
A

Q
0
vy
n
nA

Page4of11

Question2(25%).

a. Atwolayergroundwaterprotectionsystemconsistsofa1/2mcompactedclayliner
and a 2m attenuation layer, above the groundwater aquifer. Their respective
porosities are 0.42 and 0.35. The downward Darcy velocity in the system is 108
m.sec1. How long will polluted leachate on top of the liner take to reach the
groundwater(5%)?

NOTE:Questionsbebelowrequireaqualitativeansweronly;nocalculationsareneeded.

b. If the hydraulic conductivity of the compacted clay liner in a. is reduced by

compaction,whateffectwillthathaveonthedownwardDarcyvelocityareduction
oranincrease(5%)?
c. We are concerned about concentrations of benzene in that leachate. Does the
estimatecalculatedina.(ofthetimetakenfortheleachatetoreachgroundwater)
applytodissolvedbenzene?Isitconservativeornonconservativeandwhy?(5%)
d. Isthepresenceofsorptionlikelytohaveanimpactontherateofspreadofbenzene
inthatsoil?Ifso,inwhatdirection,aslowingdownoranacceleration?(5%)
e. in the case of an organic contaminant, is the presence of biodegradation likely to
haveanimpactontherateofspreadofbenzene?Ifso,inwhatdirection,aslowing
downoranacceleration?(5%)

Solution:

a. Theactualspeedofwateristheseepagevelocity.Becausethetwolayershave
differentporosities,theywillhavedifferentseepagevelocities.
Vy1=Vya/n1=108/0.42=2.38x108m.sec1
Vy2=Vya/n2=108/0.35=2.86x108m.sec1
Hence,theleachatewilltakettoreachgroundwaterwhere
t=d1/Vy1+d2/Vy2=0.5/2.38x108+2/2.86x108=91,000,000seconds=2.89yearsor2
years,10monthsand18days.
b. Compaction reduces the coefficient of hydraulic conductivity of the layer and
thereforereducesthedownwardDarcyvelocityandseepagevelocity.
c. No it does not. It can be seen as a high estimate because it does not include the
effects of diffusion and dispersion. The actual time will be smaller than the time
calculatedina.Hence,theestimateisnonconservative.
d. Sorptionremovesomeofthepollutantdissolvedinthewater.Hence,itslowsdown
contamination.ThisiswhythesorptionfactorRiscalledretardationfactor.
e. Biodegradation destroys some of the contaminant. Hence, it slows down
contamination.

Page5of11

Question3(20%).

a. Startingfromthefollowingformofthetimedependentreactivediffusionadvection
equationinonedimension:

c
c

c
n D yy nv y
nc (n dK d )

y
y
y
t

K
derivethedimensionlessformin1D,intermsoftheretardationfactor R 1 d d ,
n
Peclet number Py=vyL0/Dyy, Fourier number NFy=RL02/(Dyyt0) and 2nd Damkohler
number DaIIy=L02/Dyy, where L0 and t0 are given reference length and time,
respectively Briefly indicate the physical meaning of P, NFy and DaII. (Hint: perform
thefollowingsubstitutions:C=c/c0,Y=y/L0andT=t/t0)(10%).

b. Ineachofthetwofollowinggraphs,completethelegendonthegraphbywritingab
orcnexttoeachcurvesymbol.Themeaningsofa.b.andc.aregiveninthecaption
beloweachgraph.Allcasescorrespondtoasemiinfinitesoilcolumnsubjectedtoa
pollutantloadingattheinletwithnodecaypresent.(10%)

0.2

C/C0

0.4

0.6

0.8

Depth(m)

0
2
4
6
8

a.Py=8b.Py=40c.Py=100.

Depth(m)

0.2

C/C0

0.4

0.6

0.8

0
1
2
3
4

a.R=1,NFy=183;b.R=3.5,NFy=640;c.R=46,NFy=4754

Page6of11

Solution:

a.

c
c

c
nc (n dK d )
D yy nv y
y
y
y
t

DividingbynDyyeverywhere:

K c
2 c v y c
1

c
(1 d d )
2

y
D yy y D yy
D yy
n t

K
Since R 1 d d :
n

2 c v y c
R c

2
y
D yy y D yy
D yy t

Conductingthefollowingsubstitution:

C=c/C0

c
C
wefind c C C
C0 2
0
2

y
y
y
y

Hence

2 C v y C
R C

2
y
D yy y D yy
D yy t

Conductingthefollowingsubstitutions:
2

Y=y/L0andT=t/t0

C C Y 1 C

y Y y L 0 Y

1 2C
2 C 2 C Y Y

y 2 Y 2 y y L20 Y 2

C C T 1 C

t T t t 0 T
Hence

1 2 C 1 v y C
1 R C

C
2
2
L 0 Y
L 0 D yy Y D yy
t 0 D yy T

Page7of11

2
Multiplyingby L 0 throughout:

2
RL20 C
2 C v y L 0 C L 0
C

Y 2 D yy Y D yy
D yy t 0 T

2C
C
C
Py
D aIIy C NFy
2
Y
Y
T

Where

v yL 0
:Pecletnumberreflectsstrengthofadvectionrelativetodiffusion
Py
D yy

2
D aIIy
L0
:2ndDamkohlernumberreflectsstrengthofdecayrelativetodiffusion
D

yy

2
NFy RL 0 :Fouriernumberreflectsstrengthofsorptionrelativetodiffusion.
D yy t 0

0.2

C/C0

0.4

0.6

0.8

Depth(m)

0
2
4
6
8
a.Py=8b.Py=40c.Py=100.

a
b
c

Page8of11

Depth(m)

0.2

C/C0

0.4

0.6

0.8

0
1
2

c
b
a

3
4

a.R=1,NFy=183;b.R=3.5,NFy=640;c.R=46,NFy=4754

Question4(30%).

Acontaminationcase,withaconstantsurfacepollutionsource,canbesimulatedusingthe
OgataBanksequation:
vyy

D yy

Cy , t 0.5C0 erfca2 e erfca1

where a 1

Ry v y t
2 D yy tR

, a2

Ry v y t

2 D yy tR

R=1+Kd/n

Thesoilhasthefollowingproperties:
MoleculardiffusioncoefficientDyy=109m2/s;
Porosityn=0.4;
Drydensity=1780kg/m3;

Unless specified otherwise, sorption, decay and seepage velocities are assumed to be
negligible.Inansweringthequestions,refertotheerfctablegivenattheendofthisbooklet
andalwaysusethenearestapproximationtoerfc(ienoneedtointerpolate).

a. How long does it take the concentration 4 m below the ground to reach 1% of its
valueatthesurface?(10%)
b. After35yearsofpollution,atwhatdepthwilltheconcentrationhavereached1%of
itsvalueatthesurface?(5%)
c. What values of the retardation factor and sorption distribution coefficient would
yield a 90% reduction in concentration at 4 m depth after 35 years? (ie Cwith
sorption=0.1Cwithoutsorptionatthisgivenpointinspaceandtime).(15%)

Solution:

a. Takingintoaccountvy=0,theOgataBanksequationbecomes:
Ry

Cy , t C 0 erfc
2 D tR
yy

Page9of11

Inaddition,R=1becausenosorptionispresent.
WearetryingtofindthetimeatwhichC=0.01C04mbelowthesurface.
y

0.01C 0 C 0 erfc
2 D t
yy

or
y
0.01
erfc
2 D t
yy

Lookinguptheerfctablegivenattheendofthisbookletwefindtheclosestvalueofxfor
whicherfc(x)=0.01tobe1.82.
Hence
y
1.82
2 D yy t

and
y
D yy t
2x1.82

y2
t
2x1.822 D yy

However,beforereplacingDyywithitsvalueintheaboveequation,itisbettertoconvertitto

m2/year:

Dyy=109*3600*24*365=0.0315m/year
42
t
2x1.822 0.0315

t=38.29years.
b. The same equation applies except that, this time we know the time but not the
depth:
y
2 D yy t

1.82

y 2x1.82 D yy t
x35
y 2x1.82 0.0315

y=3.82m.

c. In order to answer the question, we must first determine the concentration at t=35
years,y=4mwhennosorptionispresentieR=1.
y

C4m,35years C 0 erfc
2 D yy t

C4m,35years C 0 erfc

2 0.0315x35

Page10of11

C4m,35years C 0 erfc

2 0.0315x35

C4m,35years C 0 erfc1.9

3
.
Lookinguptheerfctable:erfc(1.9)=7.21x10

Hence,whennosorptionispresentC(4m,35years)=0.00721C0.
Therefore,wearetryingtodetermineRsuchthat
Ry 1
0.00721C
C 0 erfc
0
2 D yy tR 10

Or
4R
1

C 0 erfc
0.00721C 0
2 0.0315x35xR 10

4R

erfc
0.000721
2 0.0315x35xR

Lookinguptheerfctable,wefind:
erfc(2.39)=0.000725
Hence
4R
2.39
2 0.0315x35xR

multiplyingbyRthenumeratoranddenominatorofthelefthandsideoftheequation:
4 R
2.39
2 0.0315x35

2.39x2 0.0315x35
R
4

R=1.574
NowwecandetermineKd:
R=1+Kd/n
Kd=n(R1)/
Kd=0.4(1.5741)/1780
Kd=1.29x104m3/kg.

Page11of11

ERFCTABLE(erfc(0)=1;assumethaterfc(x)=0forx>4.5)
x
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08
0.09
0.10
0.11
0.12
0.13
0.14
0.15
0.16
0.17
0.18
0.19
0.20
0.21
0.22
0.23
0.24
0.25
0.26
0.27
0.28
0.29
0.30
0.31
0.32
0.33
0.34
0.35
0.36
0.37
0.38
0.39
0.40
0.41
0.42
0.43
0.44
0.45
0.46
0.47
0.48
0.49
0.50
0.51
0.52
0.53
0.54
0.55
0.56
0.57
0.58
0.59
0.60
0.61
0.62
0.63
0.64
0.65
0.66
0.67
0.68
0.69
0.70
0.71
0.72
0.73
0.74
0.75

erfc x
9.89E-01
9.77E-01
9.66E-01
9.55E-01
9.44E-01
9.32E-01
9.21E-01
9.10E-01
8.99E-01
8.88E-01
8.76E-01
8.56E-01
8.54E-01
8.43E-01
8.32E-01
8.21E-01
8.10E-01
7.99E-01
7.88E-01
7.77E-01
7.66E-01
7.56E-01
7.45E-01
7.34E-01
7.24E-01
7.13E-01
7.03E-01
6.92E-01
6.82E-01
6.71E-01
6.61E-01
6.51E-01
6.41E-01
6.31E-01
6.21E-01
6.11E-01
6.01E-01
5.91E-01
5.81E-01
5.72E-01
5.62E-01
5.53E-01
5.43E-01
5.34E-01
5.25E-01
5.15E-01
5.06E-01
4.97E-01
4.88E-01
4.79E-01
4.71E-01
4.62E-01
4.54E-01
4.45E-01
4.37E-01
4.28E-01
4.20E-01
4.12E-01
4.04E-01
3.96E-01
3.88E-01
3.81E-01
3.73E-01
3.65E-01
3.58E-01
3.51E-01
3.43E-01
3.36E-01
3.29E-01
3.22E-01
3.15E-01
3.02E-01
3.01E-01
2.95E-01
2.89E-01
2.82E-01

x
0.77
0.78
0.79
0.80
0.81
0.82
0.83
0.84
0.85
0.86
0.87
0.88
0.89
0.90
0.91
0.92
0.93
0.94
0.95
0.96
0.97
0.98
0.99
1.00
1.01
1.02
1.03
1.04
1.05
1.06
1.07
1.08
1.09
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.13
1.14
1.15
1.16
1.17
1.18
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.29
1.30
1.31
1.32
1.33
1.34
1.35
1.36
1.37
1.38
1.39
1.40
1.41
1.42
1.43
1.44
1.45
1.46
1.47
1.48
1.49
1.50
1.51
1.52

erfc x
2.76E-01
2.70E-01
2.64E-01
2.58E-01
2.52E-01
2.46E-01
2.40E-01
2.35E-01
2.29E-01
2.24E-01
2.19E-01
2.13E-01
2.08E-01
2.03E-01
1.98E-01
1.93E-01
1.88E-01
1.84E-01
1.79E-01
1.75E-01
1.70E-01
1.66E-01
1.61E-01
1.57E-01
1.53E-01
1.49E-01
1.45E-01
1.41E-01
1.38E-01
1.34E-01
1.30E-01
1.27E-01
1.23E-01
1.20E-01
1.16E-01
1.13E-01
1.10E-01
1.07E-01
1.04E-01
1.01E-01
9.80E-02
9.50E-02
9.24E-02
8.97E-02
8.70E-02
8.45E-02
8.19E-02
7.95E-02
7.71E-02
7.48E-02
7.25E-02
7.03E-02
6.81E-02
6.60E-02
6.39E-02
6.19E-02
6.00E-02
5.81E-02
5.62E-02
5.44E-02
5.27E-02
5.10E-02
4.92E-02
4.77E-02
4.61E-02
4.46E-02
4.31E-02
4.17E-02
4.03E-02
3.89E-02
3.76E-02
3.63E-02
3.51E-02
3.39E-02
3.27E-02
3.16E-02

x
1.53
1.54
1.55
1.56
1.57
1.58
1.59
1.60
1.61
1.62
1.63
1.64
1.65
1.66
1.67
1.68
1.69
1.70
1.71
1.72
1.73
1.74
1.75
1.76
1.77
1.78
1.79
1.80
1.81
1.82
1.83
1.84
1.85
1.86
1.87
1.88
1.89
1.90
1.91
1.92
1.93
1.94
1.95
1.96
1.97
1.98
1.99
2.00
2.01
2.02
2.03
2.04
2.05
2.06
2.07
2.08
2.09
2.10
2.11
2.12
2.13
2.14
2.15
2.16
2.17
2.18
2.19
2.20
2.21
2.22
2.23
2.24
2.25
2.26
2.27
2.28

erfc x
3.05E-02
2.94E-02
2.84E-02
2.74E-02
2.64E-02
2.55E-02
2.45E-02
2.37E-02
2.28E-02
2.20E-02
2.12E-02
2.04E-02
1.96E-02
1.89E-02
1.82E-02
1.75E-02
1.68E-02
1.62E-02
1.56E-02
1.50E-02
1.44E-02
1.39E-02
1.33E-02
1.28E-02
1.23E-02
1.18E-02
1.14E-02
1.09E-02
1.05E-02
1.01E-02
9.65E-03
9.26E-03
8.89E-03
8.56E-03
8.18E-03
7.84E-03
7.52E-03
7.21E-03
6.91E-03
6.62E-03
6.34E-03
6.08E-03
5.82E-03
5.57E-03
5.34E-03
5.11E-03
4.89E-03
4.88E-03
4.48E-03
4.28E-03
4.09E-03
3.91E-03
3.74E-03
3.58E-03
3.42E-03
3.27E-03
3.12E-03
2.98E-03
2.85E-03
2.72E-03
2.59E-03
2.47E-03
2.36E-03
2.25E-03
2.15E-03
2.05E-03
1.95E-03
1.86E-03
1.78E-03
1.69E-03
1.61E-03
1.54E-03
1.46E-03
1.39E-03
1.33E-03
1.26E-03

x
2.29
2.30
2.31
2.32
2.33
2.34
2.35
2.36
2.37
2.38
2.39
2.40
2.41
2.42
2.43
2.44
2.45
2.46
2.47
2.48
2.49
2.50
2.51
2.52
2.53
2.54
2.55
2.56
2.57
2.58
2.59
2.60
2.61
2.62
2.63
2.64
2.65
2.66
2.67
2.68
2.69
2.70
2.71
2.72
2.73
2.74
2.75
2.76
2.77
2.78
2.79
2.80
2.81
2.82
2.83
2.84
2.85
2.86
2.87
2.88
2.89
2.90
2.91
2.92
2.93
2.94
2.95
2.96
2.97
2.98
2.99
3.00
3.01
3.02
3.03
3.04

erfc x
1.20E-03
1.14E-03
1.09E-03
1.03E-03
9.84E-04
9.36E-04
8.89E-04
8.45E-04
8.03E-04
7.63E-04
7.25E-04
6.89E-04
6.54E-04
6.21E-04
5.89E-04
5.59E-04
5.31E-04
5.03E-04
4.78E-04
4.53E-04
4.29E-04
4.07E-04
3.86E-04
3.66E-04
3.46E-04
3.28E-04
3.11E-04
2.94E-04
2.79E-04
2.64E-04
2.50E-04
2.36E-04
2.23E-04
2.11E-04
2.00E-04
1.89E-04
1.79E-04
1.69E-04
1.59E-04
1.51E-04
1.42E-04
1.34E-04
1.27E-04
1.20E-04
1.13E-04
1.07E-04
1.01E-04
9.50E-05
8.96E-05
8.44E-05
7.96E-05
7.50E-05
7.07E-05
6.66E-05
6.28E-05
5.91E-05
5.57E-05
5.24E-05
4.94E-05
4.64E-05
4.37E-05
4.11E-05
3.87E-05
3.64E-05
3.42E-05
3.22E-05
3.02E-05
2.84E-05
2.67E-05
2.51E-05
2.35E-05
2.21E-05
2.08E-05
1.95E-05
1.83E-05
1.72E-05

x
3.05
3.06
3.07
3.08
3.09
3.10
3.11
3.12
3.13
3.14
3.15
3.16
3.17
3.18
3.19
3.20
3.21
3.22
3.23
3.24
3.25
3.26
3.27
3.28
3.29
3.30
3.31
3.32
3.33
3.34
3.35
3.36
3.37
3.38
3.39
3.40
3.41
3.42
3.43
3.44
3.45
3.46
3.47
3.48
3.49
3.50
3.51
3.52
3.53
3.54
3.55
3.56
3.57
3.58
3.59
3.60
3.61
3.62
3.63
3.64
3.65
3.66
3.67
3.68
3.69
3.70
3.71
3.72
3.73
3.74
3.75
3.76
3.77
3.78
3.79
3.80

erfc x
1.61E-05
1.52E-05
1.42E-05
1.33E-05
1.24E-05
1.17E-05
1.09E-05
1.02E-05
9.59E-06
8.98E-06
8.41E-06
7.87E-06
7.36E-06
6.89E-06
6.45E-06
6.03E-06
5.64E-06
5.27E-06
4.93E-06
4.61E-06
4.31E-06
4.02E-06
3.76E-06
3.51E-06
3.28E-06
3.06E-06
2.86E-06
2.67E-06
2.49E-06
2.32E-06
2.17E-06
2.02E-06
1.88E-06
1.75E-06
1.64E-06
1.52E-06
1.42E-06
1.32E-06
1.23E-06
1.15E-06
1.07E-06
9.94E-07
9.25E-07
8.60E-07
8.00E-07
7.44E-07
6.92E-07
6.43E-07
5.98E-07
5.56E-07
5.16E-07
4.80E-07
4.45E-07
4.14E-07
3.84E-07
3.56E-07
3.31E-07
3.07E-07
2.85E-07
2.64E-07
2.45E-07
2.27E-07
2.11E-07
1.95E-07
1.81E-07
1.67E-07
1.55E-07
1.44E-07
1.22E-07
1.23E-07
1.14E-07
1.05E-07
9.76E-08
9.03E-08
8.35E-08
7.72E-08

x
3.81
3.82
3.83
3.84
3.85
3.86
3.87
3.88
3.89
3.90
3.91
3.92
3.93
3.94
3.95
3.96
3.97
3.98
3.99
4.00
4.01
4.02
4.03
4.04
4.05
4.06
4.07
4.08
4.09
4.10
4.11
4.12
4.13
4.14
4.15
4.16
4.17
4.18
4.19
4.20
4.21
4.22
4.23
4.24
4.25
4.26
4.27
4.28
4.29
4.30
4.31
4.32
4.33
4.34
4.35
4.36
4.37
4.38
4.39
4.40
4.41
4.42
4.43
4.44
4.45
4.46
4.47
4.48
4.49
4.50

erfc x
7.13E-08
6.59E-08
6.09E-08
5.63E-08
5.20E-08
4.80E-08
4.44E-08
4.09E-08
3.78E-08
3.49E-08
3.22E-08
2.97E-08
2.74E-08
2.52E-08
2.33E-08
2.15E-08
1.98E-08
1.82E-08
1.68E-08
1.55E-08
1.42E-08
1.31E-08
1.21E-08
1.11E-08
1.02E-08
9.40E-09
8.65E-09
7.95E-09
7.31E-09
6.72E-09
6.18E-09
5.68E-09
5.21E-09
4.79E-09
4.40E-09
4.04E-09
3.71E-09
3.40E-09
3.12E-09
2.87E-09
2.63E-09
2.41E-09
2.21E-09
2.03E-09
1.86E-09
1.70E-09
1.56E-09
1.43E-09
1.31E-09
1.20E-09
1.10E-09
1.00E-09
9.19E-10
8.41E-10
7.69E-10
7.03E-10
6.43E-10
5.88E-10
5.37E-10
4.91E-10
4.49E-10
4.10E-10
3.74E-10
3.43E-10
3.12E-10
2.85E-10
2.60E-10
2.37E-10
2.17E-10
1.98E-10