Advances in Groundwater Science and Engineering

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

This topic focuses on cutting-edge research and key issues in the field of groundwater science and engineering, covering a wide range of subjects in depth.

In terms of groundwater pollution, the topic delves deeply into the migration and transformation mechanisms of various pollutants in groundwater, including organic pollutants and heavy metals. It introduces advanced monitoring technologies and simulation methods, providing theoretical support for the precise assessment and effective governance of pollution. Regarding groundwater resource management, the topic emphasizes the importance of sustainability, analyzes the supply-and-demand balance of water resources in different regions, and proposes water resource optimization allocation strategies based on ecological protection. The topic also pays attention to the relationship between groundwater and geological structures, studying the occurrence characteristics and flow patterns of groundwater under different geological conditions and providing important references for geological exploration and engineering construction. Additionally, in terms of the interaction between groundwater and the ecosystem, it reveals the impact of groundwater changes on ecosystem functions and species diversity, providing a basis for ecological protection and restoration.

In conclusion, the topic brings together the latest research results and practical experiences, providing valuable knowledge and ideas for the development of groundwater science and engineering, and helping to promote further innovation and application in this field.

Dr. Michele Lancia
Prof. Dr. C. Radu Gogu
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Energies energies	3.2	7.3	2008	16.2 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Geosciences geosciences	2.1	5.1	2011	23.4 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Hydrology hydrology	3.2	5.9	2014	15.7 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Sustainability sustainability	3.3	7.7	2009	19.3 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Water water	3.0	6.0	2009	19.1 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering jmse	2.8	5.0	2013	15.6 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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All Energies Geosciences Hydrology Sustainability Water JMSE

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26 pages, 8855 KB  

Open AccessArticle

A Double-Layered Seismo-Electric Method for Characterizing Groundwater Seepage Fields in High-Level Waste Disposal

by Jing Fan, Yusufujiang Meiliya, Shunchuan Wu, Guoping Du and Liang Chen

Water 2025, 17(19), 2848; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17192848 - 29 Sep 2025

Viewed by 369

Abstract

Groundwater seepage plays a critical role in the long-term safety of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal, yet its characterization remains challenging due to the complexity of fractured rock media. This study introduces the Double-Layered Seismo-Electric Method (DSEM) for imaging groundwater seepage fields with [...] Read more.

Groundwater seepage plays a critical role in the long-term safety of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal, yet its characterization remains challenging due to the complexity of fractured rock media. This study introduces the Double-Layered Seismo-Electric Method (DSEM) for imaging groundwater seepage fields with enhanced sensitivity and spatial resolution. By integrating elastic wave propagation with electrokinetic coupling in a stratified framework, DSEM improves the detection of hydraulic gradients and preferential flow pathways. Application at a representative disposal site demonstrates that the method effectively delineates seepage channels and estimates hydraulic conductivity, providing reliable input parameters for groundwater flow modeling. These results highlight the potential of DSEM as a non-invasive geophysical technique to support safety assessments and long-term monitoring in deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Groundwater Science and Engineering)

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18 pages, 2878 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Semi-Analytical Solution for Simulating the Migration of Parent and Daughter Contaminants from Multiple Contaminant Sources, Considering Rate-Limited Sorption Effects

by Thu-Uyen Nguyen, Yi-Hsien Chen, Heejun Suk, Ching-Ping Liang and Jui-Sheng Chen

Hydrology 2025, 12(10), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12100249 - 25 Sep 2025

Viewed by 316

Abstract

Most existing multispecies transport analytical models primarily focus on inlet boundary sources, limiting their applicability in real-world contaminated sites where contaminants often arise from multiple internal sources. This study presents a novel semi-analytical model for simulating multispecies contaminant transport driven by multiple time-dependent [...] Read more.

Most existing multispecies transport analytical models primarily focus on inlet boundary sources, limiting their applicability in real-world contaminated sites where contaminants often arise from multiple internal sources. This study presents a novel semi-analytical model for simulating multispecies contaminant transport driven by multiple time-dependent internal sources. The model incorporates key transport mechanisms, including advection, dispersion, rate-limited sorption, and first-order degradation. In particular, the inclusion of rate-limited sorption addresses limitations in traditional equilibrium-based models, which often underestimate pollutant concentrations for degradable species. The derivation of this semi-analytical model utilizes the Laplace transform, finite cosine Fourier transform, generalized integral transform, and a sequence of inverse transformations. Results indicate that the concentrations of contaminants and their degradation products are highly sensitive to the variations in time-dependent sources. The model’s most significant contribution lies in its capability to simulate the contaminant transport from multiple internal pollution sources at a contaminated site under the influence of rate-limited sorption. By enabling the representation of multiple time-varying sources, this model fills a critical gap in analytical approaches and provides a necessary tool for accurately assessing contaminant transport in complex, realistic pollution scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Groundwater Science and Engineering)

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21 pages, 12605 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Sharp Soil Interfaces on Solute Transport: Insights from a Reactive Tracer Test in a 2D Intermediate-Scale Experiment

by Guido González-Subiabre, Oriol Bertran and Daniel Fernàndez-Garcia

Water 2025, 17(16), 2382; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17162382 - 12 Aug 2025

Viewed by 505

Abstract

Understanding solute transport across interfaces between different porous materials is crucial for subsurface applications. Column tracer experiments have suggested solute accumulation at these interfaces. This effect cannot be explained by standard models based on Fickian flux continuity and the advection–dispersion equation. To analyze [...] Read more.

Understanding solute transport across interfaces between different porous materials is crucial for subsurface applications. Column tracer experiments have suggested solute accumulation at these interfaces. This effect cannot be explained by standard models based on Fickian flux continuity and the advection–dispersion equation. To analyze this phenomenon, we present reactive transport experiments in a 2D intermediate-scale horizontal tank to visualize and evaluate the spatiotemporal evolution of a solute plume crossing a sharp interface between coarse and fine materials. The plume results from the reaction of two fluid solutions entering the tank in parallel through inlet ports. The reaction product is analyzed using mixing and reaction metrics. Results show the reaction product encounters anomalous resistance when the plume crosses the coarse-to-fine (CF) interface. This effect is less pronounced in the fine-to-coarse (FC) transition. This asymmetric resistance does not produce solute accumulation behind the interface, a difference from the results obtained with the one-dimensional model. Instead, results show enhanced transverse spread of the reaction product in the coarse-to-fine transition, with slow release in the fine material. A sudden decrease in the longitudinal concentration profile across the interface is observed. Mixing metrics show that as apparent transverse dispersivity increases closer to the interface in the CF transition, the scalar dissipation rate and total mass reacted increase, indicating that the CF configuration promotes greater solute reactivity near the interface compared to the FC configuration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Groundwater Science and Engineering)

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24 pages, 20005 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Zoning Method for Groundwater Pollution Risk Control in Typical Industrial–Urban Integration Areas in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River

by Xiongbiao Qiao, Tianwei Cheng, Liming Zhang, Ning Sun, Zhenyu Ding, Zheming Shi, Guangcai Wang and Zongwen Zhang

Water 2025, 17(15), 2249; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152249 - 28 Jul 2025

Viewed by 751

Abstract

With increasing urban economic development, some industrial parks and residential areas are being situated adjacent to each other, creating a potential risk of soil and groundwater contamination from the wastewater and solid waste produced by enterprises. This contamination poses a threat to the [...] Read more.

With increasing urban economic development, some industrial parks and residential areas are being situated adjacent to each other, creating a potential risk of soil and groundwater contamination from the wastewater and solid waste produced by enterprises. This contamination poses a threat to the health of nearby residents. Currently, groundwater pollution prevention and control zoning in China primarily targets groundwater environmental pollution risks and does not consider the health risks associated with groundwater exposure in industry–city integration areas. Therefore, a scientific assessment of environmental risks in industry–city integration areas is essential for effectively managing groundwater pollution. This study focuses on the high frequency and rapid pace of human activities in industry–city integration areas. It combines health risk assessment and groundwater pollution simulation results with traditional groundwater pollution control classification outcomes to develop a groundwater pollution risk zoning framework specifically suited to these integrated areas. Using this framework, we systematically assessed groundwater pollution risks in a representative industry–city integration area in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in China and delineated groundwater pollution risk zones to provide a scientific basis for local groundwater environmental management. The assessment results indicate that the total area of groundwater pollution risk control zones is 30.37 km², accounting for 19.06% of the total study area. The first-level control zone covers 5.38 km² (3.38% of the total area), while the secondary control zone spans 24.99 km² (15.68% of the total area). The first-level control zone is concentrated within industrial clusters, whereas the secondary control zone is widely distributed throughout the region. In comparison to traditional assessment methods, the zoning results derived from this study are more suitable for industry–city integration areas. This study also provides groundwater management recommendations for such areas, offering valuable insights for groundwater control in integrated industrial–residential zones. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Groundwater Science and Engineering)

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14 pages, 1711 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Using Machine Learning to Develop a Surrogate Model for Simulating Multispecies Contaminant Transport in Groundwater

by Thu-Uyen Nguyen, Heejun Suk, Ching-Ping Liang, Yu-Chieh Ho and Jui-Sheng Chen

Hydrology 2025, 12(7), 185; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12070185 - 8 Jul 2025

Viewed by 1975

Abstract

Traditional numerical models have been widely employed to simulate the transport of multispecies reactive contaminants in groundwater systems; however, their high computational cost limits their applicability in real-time or large-scale scenarios. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) offer promising alternatives, particularly data-driven machine [...] Read more.

Traditional numerical models have been widely employed to simulate the transport of multispecies reactive contaminants in groundwater systems; however, their high computational cost limits their applicability in real-time or large-scale scenarios. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) offer promising alternatives, particularly data-driven machine learning techniques, for accelerating such simulations. This study presents the development of a surrogate model based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) to simulate the transport and decay of interacting multispecies contaminants in groundwater. High-fidelity training datasets are generated through finite difference-based reactive transport simulations across a wide range of environmental and geochemical conditions. The ANN model is trained to learn the complex nonlinear relationships governing the multispecies transport and transformation processes. Model validation reveals that the ANN surrogate accurately reproduces the spatial–temporal concentration profiles of both original and degradation species, capturing key dynamic behaviors with high precision. Notably, the ANN model achieves up to a 100-fold reduction in computational time compared to traditional analytical or semi-analytical solutions. These results highlight the ANN’s potential as an efficient and accurate surrogate modeling tool for groundwater contamination assessment, offering a valuable advancement for decision-making in environmental risk analysis and remediation planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Groundwater Science and Engineering)

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25 pages, 3693 KB  

Open AccessArticle

Triangular Fuzzy Finite Element Solution for Drought Flow of Horizontal Unconfined Aquifers

by Christos Tzimopoulos, Nikiforos Samarinas, Kyriakos Papadopoulos and Christos Evangelides

Hydrology 2025, 12(6), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology12060128 - 23 May 2025

Viewed by 688

Abstract

In this paper, a novel approximate triangular fuzzy finite element method (FEM) is proposed to solve the one-dimensional second-order unsteady nonlinear fuzzy partial differential Boussinesq equation. The physical problem concerns the case of the drought flow of a horizontal unconfined aquifer with a [...] Read more.

In this paper, a novel approximate triangular fuzzy finite element method (FEM) is proposed to solve the one-dimensional second-order unsteady nonlinear fuzzy partial differential Boussinesq equation. The physical problem concerns the case of the drought flow of a horizontal unconfined aquifer with a limited breath B and special boundary conditions: (a) at x = 0, the water level is equal to zero, and (b) at x = B, the flow rate is equal to zero due to the presence of an impermeable wall. The initial water table is assumed to be curvilinear, following the form of an inverse incomplete beta function. To account for uncertainties in the system, the hydraulic parameters—hydraulic conductivity (K) and porosity (S)—are treated as fuzzy variables, considering sources of imprecision such as measurement errors and human-induced uncertainties. The performance of the proposed fuzzy FEM scheme is compared with the previously developed orthogonal fuzzy FEM solution as well as with an analytical solution. The results are in close agreement with those of the other methods, with the mean error of the analytical solution found to be equal to $1.19·{10}^{-6}$. Furthermore, the possibility theory is applied and fuzzy estimators constructed, leading to strong probabilistic interpretations. These findings provide valuable insights into the hydraulic properties of unconfined aquifers, aiding engineers and water resource managers in making informed and efficient decisions for sustainable hydrological and environmental planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advances in Groundwater Science and Engineering)

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