Upscaling of flow and transport models

Hydraulic and physico-chemical properties of aquifer material are commonly determined on small samples, yet a process description in practical applications is required for large areas. We are therefore examining experimentally the adequacy of current parameterized models of unsaturated flow, and whether these parameters are a function of scale. We are also developing a model for rate-limited transport under microscale variability of kinetic properties. We have conducted experiments to determine whether the microscale heterogeneity also predominantly influences the large-scale processes.