Application of the pseudo-transient technique to a real-world unsaturated flow groundwater problem

Abstract

Modeling unsaturated flow using numerical techniques such as the finite element method can be especially difficult because of the highly nonlinear nature of the governing equations. This problem is even more challenging when a steady-state solution is needed. This paper describes the implementation of a pseudo-transient technique to drive the solution to steady-state and gives results for a real-world problem. The application discussed in this paper does not converge using a traditional Picard nonlinear iteration type finite element solution. Therefore, an alternate technique needed to be developed and tested. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.