COMSOL Multiphysics® Simulation of the Electrokinetic Effect in Gidrogeology

M. A. Narbut [1], K. V. Titov [1], P. K. Konosavsky [1],
[1] Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Published in 2015

The groundwater flow is accompanied by the electric field with potential called usually the streaming potential or the Self-Potential (SP) to be measured on the ground surface (e.g., Rizzo et al., 2004; Bolève et al., 2007; Jardani et al., 2009). We studied numerically the SP signals associated with pumping test experiments in layered aquifers using COMSOL Multiphysics® software and GWFGEM program developed by one of the authors (Titov et al., 2005). The numerical simulation helps to understand better the details of the electric source distribution in the aquifer. The study includes three steps: first we solve the diffusion equation for the hydraulic head in the vicinity of the pumping well. At the second step we find the electric source for the Self Potential caused by the electrokinetic coupling. And finally we obtain the streaming potential as the solution of the Poisson equation under the appropriate boundary conditions. The cases of conductive (metallic) tube in the pumping well and the insulating one were considered (Fig.1-4). The work is supported by Saint Petersburg University grants 6.37.171.2014 and 3.37.134.2014 .