Microcomputer Applications of 1‐D Saltwater Intrusion Program

Abstract

A one‐dimensional finite element program has been developed for use on the microcomputer as a study aid for students of groundwater hydrology. The program uses linear elements and the Galerkin weighted‐residual method to form the element matrix. A variety of boundary conditions can be applied. Unsteady problems can be studied, including sea‐level fluctuations and variations in recharge rates and pumping schedules. The aquifer can be confined or unconfined; the Ghyben‐Herzberg approximation can be specified or disregarded. The program can track as a function of time the location of freshwater and saltwater toes. Groundwater flow problems without any saltwater can also be studied. Students can use the program to learn several important concepts to groundwater flow and numerical analysis. These concepts include the effects of spatial discretization and time step on the stability and convergence of the program, parameter identification techniques, and sensitivity analyses.