Optimal Unknown Pollution Source Characterization in a Contaminated Groundwater Aquifer—Evaluation of a Developed Dedicated Software Tool

Abstract

Precise identification of the pollutant source characteristics is the first step for designing an effective groundwater contamination remediation strategy. In this study a linked simulation-optimization based methodology is utilized for identification of unknown groundwater pollution sources in a real life contaminated aquifer in New South Wales, Australia where the source locations and source flux release history are the explicit unknown variables. The methodology is applied utilizing an in house software package GWSID developed at James Cook University for optimal determination of the unknown source characteristics. The methodology incorporates linked simulation optimization approach and utilizes simulated Algorithm as an evolutionary optimization algorithm. The performance evaluation results show practical utility of the methodology and of the associated developed computers software in identifying the unknown source characteristics.

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Datta, B. , Prakash, O. , Cassou, P. and Valetaud, M. (2014) Optimal Unknown Pollution Source Characterization in a Contaminated Groundwater Aquifer—Evaluation of a Developed Dedicated Software Tool. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 2, 41-51. doi: 10.4236/gep.2014.25007.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

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