Method article
01 Jun 2016
Method article | 01 Jun 2016
Structural geology and geophysics as a support to build a hydrogeologic model of granite rock
Lurdes Martinez-Landa1,3, Jesús Carrera2,3, Andrés Pérez-Estaún4,†, Paloma Gómez5, and Carmen Bajos6
Lurdes Martinez-Landa et al.
Lurdes Martinez-Landa1,3, Jesús Carrera2,3, Andrés Pérez-Estaún4,†, Paloma Gómez5, and Carmen Bajos6
- 1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), c/Jordi Girona 1-3, 0803 Barcelona, Spain
- 2Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, c/Jordi Girona 18, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
- 3Associated Unit: Hydrogeology Group (UPC-CSIC)
- 4Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra Jaume Almera, CSIC, c/Lluis Solé Sabaris s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- 5Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Departamento de Impacto Ambiental de la Energía, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- 6Empresa Nacional de REsiduos (ENRESA), c/ Emilio Vargas 7, 28043 Madrid, Spain
- †deceased, August 2014
- 1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), c/Jordi Girona 1-3, 0803 Barcelona, Spain
- 2Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), CSIC, c/Jordi Girona 18, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
- 3Associated Unit: Hydrogeology Group (UPC-CSIC)
- 4Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra Jaume Almera, CSIC, c/Lluis Solé Sabaris s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- 5Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Departamento de Impacto Ambiental de la Energía, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- 6Empresa Nacional de REsiduos (ENRESA), c/ Emilio Vargas 7, 28043 Madrid, Spain
- †deceased, August 2014
Correspondence: Lurdes Martinez-Landa (lurdes.martinez@upc.edu)
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Received: 06 Feb 2016 – Discussion started: 22 Feb 2016 – Revised: 19 Apr 2016 – Accepted: 20 Apr 2016 – Published: 01 Jun 2016
A method developed for low-permeability fractured media was applied to understand the hydrogeology of a mine excavated in a granitic pluton. This method includes (1) identifying the main groundwater-conducting features of the medium, such as the mine, dykes, and large fractures, (2) implementing this factors as discrete elements into a three-dimensional numerical model, and (3) calibrating these factors against hydraulic data . A key question is how to identify preferential flow paths in the first step. Here, we propose a combination of several techniques. Structural geology, together with borehole sampling, geophysics, hydrogeochemistry, and local hydraulic tests aided in locating all structures. Integration of these data yielded a conceptual model of the site. A preliminary calibration of the model was performed against short-term (< 1 day) pumping tests, which facilitated the characterization of some of the fractures. The hydraulic properties were then used for other fractures that, according to geophysics and structural geology, belonged to the same families. Model validity was tested by blind prediction of a long-term (4 months) large-scale (1 km) pumping test from the mine, which yielded excellent agreement with the observations. Model results confirmed the sparsely fractured nature of the pluton, which has not been subjected to glacial loading–unloading cycles and whose waters are of Na-HCO3 type.