--> Geometrical Simulation of Discrete Sedimentary Units in Braided Stream Deposits: A Basis for Modeling Contaminal Transport, by E. K. Webb, S. H. Conrad, and R. Glass, Jr.; #90986 (1994).

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Abstract: Geometrical Simulation of Discrete Sedimentary Units in Braided Stream Deposits: A Basis for Modeling Contaminal Transport

Erik K. Webb, Steve H. Conrad, Robert Glass, Jr.

Discrete geological structures, such as facies architecture, can control the rate and direction of contaminant transport in sedimentary deposits. A geometrically based simulation code, the BRAIDED CHANNEL SIMULATOR (BCS-3D) was developed to model this internal structure for braided channel pattern including channel widths, depths, and flow velocities. This information on channel location and shape is transposed to a uniformity spaced grid producing a three-dimensional topographic surface. A series of these surfaces are produced and stacked with some offset. This offset is usually less than the average channel depth so that only a portion of each surface is preserved in the composite. The resulting description of curvilinear, truncated shapes represents a three-dimensional framework of bounding surfaces for sedimentary units. The sedimentary unit represented by each set of bounding surfaces is defined based on a correlation between estimates of Frude Number for each set of bounding surfaces defined based on a correlation between estimates of Frude Number for each channel segments and units observed to occur in a given sedimentary environment. Hydraulic conductivities or other properties that constrain the movement of the contaminants can be assigned to each sedimentary unit in several ways: homogeneous within a unit with varying degrees of contrast, randomly (no linear correlation) heterogeneous within each unit, and spatially correlated within each unit. In all cases, the sedimentary unit geometry (as accentuated by the contrast in properties) constraints fluid migrat on by forming preferential migration paths.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90986©1994 AAPG Annual Convention, Denver, Colorado, June 12-15, 1994