Numerical Modeling of Saltwater Interface Upconing in Coastal aquifers

Saltwater upconing that occurs in coastal aquifers due to groundwater pumping is described by a numerical model, based on a sharp interface assumption between freshwater and saltwater. For this, a numerical approach is developed for solving the free surface and the saltwater interface positions with the Galerkin finite element technique. Tow benchmark examples, involving saltwater interface upconing in coastal aquifers and introduced by authors such as Strack, Huyakorn and Motz, have been studied. The numerical and analytical results are compared and show good agreement. The critical rise in the interface due to pumping, above which an unstable saltwater dome can exist, is also analyzed and the critical pumping rate is calculated