Tutorial 4

Linear and Uniform Boundary Conditions

Table of Contents

Objective …………………………………………………………………………………. 1

Step-by-Step Procedure ……………………………………………………………….... 2

Section 1 – Specification of Linear Boundary Conditions ……………………………….. 2

Step 1: Open Adaptive Groundwater Input (.agw) File …………………………………. 2

Step 2: Add Drain using Linear Hydraulic Head B.C. Option ………………………….. 3
Step 3: Add Drain using Linear Hydraulic Head B.C. Option (cont.) ………………….. 3
Step 4: Add Drain using Linear Hydraulic Head B.C. Option (cont.) ………………….. 4
Step 5: Define Drain B.C. Hydraulic Heads ……………………………………………. 6
Step 6: Save Drain B.C. Data …………………………………………………………… 7

Section 2 – Specification of Uniform Boundary Conditions ……………………………... 7

Step 1: Add Infiltration Basin using Uniform Hydraulic Head B.C. Option ……………. 7
Step 2: Add Infiltration Basin using Uniform Hydraulic Head B.C. Option (cont.) ……. 8
Step 3: Add Infiltration Basin using Uniform Hydraulic Head B.C. Option (cont.) ……. 9
Step 4: Define Infiltration Basin B.C. Hydraulic Head …………………………………. 10
Step 5: Save Infiltration Basin B.C. Data ……………………………………………….. 11
Step 6: Define Infiltration Basin Water Quality with Uniform Conc. B.C. …………….. 11
Step 7: Define Infiltration Basin Water Quality with Uniform Conc. B.C. (cont.) …….. 12
Step 8: Define Infiltration Basin Water Quality with Uniform Conc. B.C. (cont.) …….. 12
Step 9: Define Infiltration Basin Water Quality with Uniform Conc. B.C. (cont.) …….. 13
Step 10: Save Uniform Concentration B.C. Data ………………………………………… 14
Step 11: Review Model Input Data and B.C.’s …………………………………………… 14

Section 3 – Simulation Results Visualization …………………………………………….. 16

Step 1: View 2D Plan-View Hydraulic Head Line Contour Map ………………………... 16

Step 2: View 2D Plan-View Hydraulic Head Line Contour Map (cont.) ………………… 17
Step 3: View 2D Plan-View Hydraulic Head Line Contour Map with Pore Velocities …. 19
Step 4: Add Contour Map Overlays ……………………………………………………… 20
Step 5: View Cross-Section Map of Hydraulic Head Contours …………………………. 21
Step 6: View 2D x-y Flood Contour Map of Solute Concentrations in Source Area …… 22
Step 7: View 2D x-z Flood Contour Map of Solute Concentrations in Source Area …… 22

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Objective

Illustrate the specification of hydraulic head and solute concentration boundary conditions using
the “linear” and “uniform” B.C. options. The completed Adaptive Groundwater input files for
this tutorial are included in the Tutorial_4 subdirectory of the tutorials directory under the
Adaptive_Groundwater program folder:

C:\Adaptive_Groundwater\Tutorials\Tutorial_4\Tutorial_4_Completed.agw

Because Tutorial 4 builds upon the input data and boundary conditions for Tutorial 1, you can
refer to this first tutorial for illustrations of basic input data preparation (e.g., grid design, basic
boundary condition specification, time step control, etc.). The completed Tutorial 4 project files
are provided to you as a reference (you can check the completed input data if you have questions
while working through the tutorial). Many output times are also provided so that you can view
the variations of hydraulic heads and solute concentrations over a long time period. As discussed
below, you will work with a separate set of project files.

This tutorial is divided into three sections. The first part covers linear hydraulic head boundary
condition specification (Section 1). Section 2 shows how to define uniform hydraulic head and
solute concentration boundary conditions. Section 3 illustrates the generation of various
visualizations of the simulation results for this tutorial.

Step-by-Step Procedure

Section 1 – Specification of Linear Boundary Conditions

Step 1 - Open Adaptive Groundwater Input (.agw) File

Go to File > Open in the main menu to open the file Tutorial_4_Start.agw that is stored in the
following subdirectory:

C:\Adaptive_Groundwater\Tutorials\Tutorial_4

The Base Grid is initially displayed on the screen (Figure 1).

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 Figure 1

Step 2 – Add Drain using Linear Hydraulic Head B.C. Option

Start by adding a linear drain to the middle of the aquifer (Base Grid layer 5) using the linear
hydraulic head B.C. option (Figure 1). In the main menu select Boundary Conditions >
Hydraulic Head > Linear > Assign. The Assign Linear Hydraulic Head B.C.’s dialog box pops
up (Figures 2 and 3). If you want to review a full discussion of the parameter values for this
dialog select the “Help” button.

Step 3 – Add Drain using Linear Hydraulic Head B.C. Option (cont.)

Change the “Current Layer” to Base Grid layer 5 (Figure 2).

Note: Boundary conditions are assigned vertically to cells that lie within a specified “elevation
range”. B.C.’s are assigned on a layer-by-layer basis and to any elevation within a layer. As

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discussed in the “Help” section, the final B.C. assignment to cells is performed during the
simulation once the degree of mesh refinement has been finalized for a given time step.

For example, consider a grid where a 8-m Base Grid layer [elevation (z) = 20-28 m] is divided
into 8 one-meter sublayers based on the final AMR mesh (e.g., 4 levels of refinement and a
refinement factor of 2). In that case, you could refine the “Specified Head Zone Elevation
Range” for your B.C. to cells that lie only within one of the 1-m sublayers (e.g., elevation range
= 20-21, 21-22, ….., 27-28 m, etc.). For this same case, if you would specify a B.C. range of 24-
26 m, then 2 layers of cells would be assigned the fixed head value for any cell that lies within
the plan (x-y) view limits of the B.C. zone.

Figure 2

Step 4 – Add Drain using Linear Hydraulic Head B.C. Option (cont.)

Use your left mouse button to sketch out a drain centerline in plan view that looks similar to the
one in Figure 3. (Enter parameter values for the B.C. after drawing the centerline.) Use the
“Esc” key at any time to abort the drawing of the centerline.

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 Figure 3

When finished, push the right mouse button to complete the drain centerline. The “Define
Boundary Condition Characteristics” dialog appears to remind you to enter your site-specific
parameter values (Figure 3). Click on the “OK” button and the drain configuration is drawn
(Figure 4).

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 Figure 4

Note: As part of the input data display, the boundaries of Base Grid cells that are intersected by
the B.C. are also highlighted in color when the boundary condition is drawn. However, during a
simulation B.C.’s are assigned based on the finer cell sizes on higher levels of AMR refinement
(refer to “Help” and above discussion).

Step 5 – Define Drain B.C. Hydraulic Heads

Now, enter the hydraulic head boundary condition values listed in the completed dialog box
shown in Figure 2. Note: as shown below, you need to toggle through each boundary condition
centerline point (“B.C. Centerline Coordinate No.” in Figure 2) to define the boundary condition
width (“B.C. Width”) and the hydraulic head values at each centerline point.

Enter a vertical boundary condition range of 24.0 to 25.0 m (see above discussion regarding
B.C.’s and multi-level grid refinement).

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“Hydraulic Head” is the specified head that varies linearly between the four centerline points.
This example uses hydraulic heads of 100.0, 99.0, 98.0, and 97.0 m for centerline coordinates 1-
4 to mimic a drain that slopes in the positive y direction.

“B.C Width” is the plan-view width of the linear boundary condition zone (measured normal to
the centerline). This example uses a uniform B.C. width of 1.0 m at all four centerline points.

Step 6 – Save Drain B.C. Data

Make to sure to save your selections (“Save Head B.C.’s”) before exiting this B.C. option.
“Cancel” to abort the B.C. definition without saving your input.

Section 2 – Specification of Uniform Boundary Conditions

For the second component of this example we add a fixed-head and concentration infiltration
basin at the top of the aquifer using the uniform hydraulic head and solute concentration B.C.
options.

Step 1 – Add Infiltration Basin using Uniform Hydraulic Head B.C. Option

Start by adding a uniform head B.C. zone at the top of the aquifer (Base Grid layer 10) using the
uniform hydraulic head B.C. option (Figure 5). In the main menu select Boundary Conditions >
Hydraulic Head > Uniform > Assign (Polygon). The Assign Uniform Hydraulic Head B.C.’s
dialog box pops up (Figures 6 and 7). If you want to review a full discussion of the parameter
values for this dialog select the “Help” button.

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 Figure 5

Step 2 – Add Infiltration Basin using Uniform Hydraulic Head B.C. Option (cont.)

Change the “Current Layer” to Base Grid layer 10 (Figure 6). (Please refer to note regarding cell
B.C. assignment under Linear B.C. Step 3 above).

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 Figure 6

Step 3 – Add Infiltration Basin using Uniform Hydraulic Head B.C. Option (cont.)

Use your left mouse button to sketch out a rectangular uniform head B.C. zone in plan view that
looks similar to the one in Figure 7 (two Base Grid cells). (Enter parameter values for the B.C.
after drawing the zone boundary geometry.) Use the “Esc” key at any time to abort the drawing
of the geometry.

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 Figure 7

When finished, push the right mouse button to complete the B.C. geometry. The “Enter
Boundary Condition data” dialog appears to remind you to enter your site-specific parameter
values. Click on the “OK” button and the infiltration basin is drawn (Figure 7).

Step 4 – Define Infiltration Basin B.C. Hydraulic Head

Now, enter the hydraulic head boundary condition values listed in the completed dialog box
shown in Figure 6.

Enter a specified head elevation range of 49.5 to 50.0 m (assumes infiltration basin located at top
of aquifer; see above discussion regarding B.C.’s and multi-level grid refinement).

Select the “Constant” B.C. type radio button and enter 102.0 m for the fixed head.

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Step 5 – Save Infiltration Basin B.C. Data

Make to sure to save your selections (“Save Head B.C.’s”) before exiting this B.C. option.
“Cancel” to abort the B.C. definition without saving your input.

Step 6 – Define Infiltration Basin Water Quality with Uniform Concentration B.C.

Next, characterize the infiltration basin effluent concentration by adding a uniform concentration
B.C. zone at the top of the aquifer (Base Grid layer 10; same region as fixed head B.C. zone)
using the uniform concentration B.C. option (Figure 8). In the main menu select Boundary
Conditions > Concentration > Uniform > Assign. The Assign Uniform Concentration B.C.’s
dialog box pops up (Figures 9 and 10). If you want to review a full discussion of the parameter
values for this dialog select the “Help” button.

Figure 8

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Step 7 – Define Infiltration Basin Water Quality with Uniform Concentration B.C. (cont.)

Change the “Current Layer” to Base Grid layer 10 (Figure 9).

Figure 9

Step 8 – Define Infiltration Basin Water Quality with Uniform Concentration B.C. (cont.)

Use your left mouse button to sketch out a rectangular uniform concentration B.C. zone in plan
view that looks similar to the one in Figure 10 (two Base Grid cells; same geometry as fixed
head zone). (Enter parameter values for the B.C. after drawing the zone boundary geometry.)
Use the “Esc” key at any time to abort the drawing of the geometry.

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 Figure 10

When finished, push the right mouse button to complete the B.C. geometry. The “Enter
Boundary Condition data” dialog appears to remind you to enter your site-specific parameter
values. Click on the “OK” button and the infiltration basin is drawn (Figure 10).

Step 9 – Define Infiltration Basin Water Quality with Uniform Concentration B.C. (cont.)

Now, enter the concentration boundary condition values listed in the completed dialog box
shown in Figure 9.

Enter a specified head elevation range of 49.5 to 50.0 m (assumes infiltration basin located at top
of aquifer; same B.C. region as hydraulic head).

Select the “Constant” B.C. type radio button and enter 1.0 mg/L for the fixed solute
concentration.

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Step 10 – Save Uniform Concentration B.C. Data

Make to sure to save your selections (“Save Concentration B.C.’s”) before exiting this B.C.
option. “Cancel” to abort the B.C. definition without saving your input.

Step 11 – Review Model Input Data and B.C.’s

You can review the model input data and boundary conditions at any time by selecting Review
Input on the main menu, which pops up the dialog box in Figure 11. Push “Show Selection” to
inspect an input data type or boundary condition from the drop-down menu (left click on a B.C.
or material zone to view the input values). Use the checkboxes to add desired B.C. overlays to
each plot.

Figure 11

In this example, we show Hydraulic Conductivity (one uniform K zone) with overlays of the
hydraulic head (uniform and linear) and solute concentration (uniform) boundary conditions for
this tutorial (plan view of top layer: Figure 12; x-z cross-section at y = 375 m with 10x vertical
exaggeration: Figure 13).

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Figure 12

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 Figure 13

Section 3 – Simulation Results Visualization

In this section we show how to create various two-dimensional plots of the simulation results for
Tutorial 4. You can use either the supplied Tutorial_4_Completed project files or your working
copy of the Adaptive Groundwater files for this tutorial: Tutorial_4_Start.agw. It does not
matter if you have made new runs with shorter simulation times than those shown here; select
whatever output time that you want.

Step 1 – View 2D Plan-View Hydraulic Head Line Contour Map

In the main menu select Output > Hydraulic Head and the View Simulation Results dialog
appears (Figure 14). A plan-view flood map through the middle of the aquifer is automatically
generated. Click the “Go To” button at the top of the dialog to pop up a child dialog with

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available output times; click on any output time you want and select “OK” in the “Go to Output
Time” dialog. You may also use the “+” / “-“ buttons to toggle through the output times.

Figure 14

Note: In this tutorial no hydraulic head output is available for t = 0 because a uniform starting
head is used (see Simulation Control Parameters dialog and discussion above). When the
program computes an initial hydraulic head distribution this output (t = 0) is available for
viewing.

Under Plot and Contour Types you see that “2D” (i.e., two-dimensional) plots are the default.
Change the “Contour Type” to lines.

Step 2 – View 2D Plan-View Hydraulic Head Line Contour Map (cont.)

Use the slice plane “Go To” button (Figure 14) to change the view-plane elevation to 49.84 m
and the plot in Figure 15 is generated.

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 Figure 15

You can also click the Layer no. “+/-“ buttons (Figure 14). Further, you can view an animation
of the different plan-view slices by changing the “Animation Type” to Layer (K-plane) and
clicking the “Start Animation” button.

A total of 40 head contour intervals are used in the range 97.0 to 105.0 m. To change the
contour intervals select “Contour Options” in the View Simulation Results dialog and click the
“Contouring Options” tab in the Contour Parameters and Overlays child dialog (Figure 16).

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 Figure 16

If you wish to use any of these display options later, click on the “Save Plot Format” button at
the bottom of the View Simulation Results dialog (Figure 14).

Note: the layer number refers to the Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) mesh associated with
the multi-level AMR grid created during the simulation. In highly-refined mesh areas the
vertical discretization is equal to the grid spacing in the highest-level subgrid (e.g, Level 5 in this
example which utilizes five AMR levels). In less-refined areas the grid layer thickness for the
output is equal to the grid spacing in the most-refined subgrid (e.g., Level 1, 2, 3, or 4).

Step 3 – View 2D Plan-View Hydraulic Head Line Contour Map with Pore Velocities

Figure 17 is a close-up plan-view plot of the hydraulic head contours and pore velocity vectors
(activate under the “Vectors” tab in the Contour Options dialog) at the mid-depth of the aquifer
(z = 24.2 m) near the drain line. You can vary the vector length [V Length (%)] and reduce the
number of plotted vectors by changing the “Vector Indices Skip” parameters to values greater
than one (Figure 17).

In all plots you can “Zoom In”, “Zoom Last”, or “Translate” the view by clicking one of the
icons in the upper-left corner of the display (Figure 15) or by making the appropriate selection
under View in the main menu.

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 Figure 17

Step 4 – Add Contour Map Overlays

Figures 15 and 17 also consist of these overlays: the AMR mesh, hydraulic head B.C.’s, and
solute concentration boundary conditions. The mesh overlay can be turned off by un-checking
the “Mesh” box in the Contour Options dialog (under the “Overlays” tab; Figure 16).

If groundwater pathline starting locations are defined in the input data (Pathlines > Assign in the
main menu) their computed trajectories can be shown in the output by checking the “Show
Pathlines” box in the Contour Options dialog (under the Pathlines tab; Figure 16). Display
overlays of boundary conditions by checking “Head B.C.’s” and “Concentration B.C.’s” under
the “Overlays” tab.

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Step 5 – View Cross-Section Map of Hydraulic Head Contours

To display the cross-sectional view in Figure 18, click on the X-Z Slice (Row) button in the
lower left hand corner (red circle in Figure 15), and then select a row of cells (i.e., x-z slice) that
cuts through both the infiltration basin and drain (or select View > Change View Plane in the
main menu). When you first switch to the cross-section view, you will want to add vertical
exaggeration (e.g., VE = 10-20) by going to View > Vertical Exaggeration in the main menu.

Figure 18

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Step 6 – View 2D x-y Flood Contour Map of Solute Concentrations in Source Area

“Close” the View Simulation Results dialog for hydraulic head output and on the main menu
select Output > Solute Concentration to generate a plan-view flood map of the plume. Change
the “Contour Type” (Figure 14) back to “Filled” to generate Figure 19. By default the program
initially selects an x-y slice through the highest concentration zone and the last simulation time.

“Zoom In” to obtain the view in Figure 19. The contour range is 0-1 mg/L with 20 intervals.

Figure 19

Step 7 – View 2D x-z Flood Contour Map of Solute Concentrations in Source Area

To display the cross-sectional view in Figure 20, click on the X-Z Slice (Row) button in the
lower left hand corner, and then select a row of cells (i.e., x-z slice) that cuts through both the
infiltration basin (or select View > Change View Plane in the main menu). Zoom in to get a
closer view of the effluent discharging from the infiltration basin.

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Figure 20

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