Hydraulic conductivity reduction during the recharge of the discharged groundwater: clogging pattern variation according to turbidity fluxes

Reinjection of the discharged groundwater at construction site into a nearby aquifer is considered as a beneficial approach. However, the suspended particles contained in the discharged groundwater might reduce the permeability of subsurface porous media, resulting in a rapid decrease in the reinjec...

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Main Authors: Chinhoo Jung, Sang Hyun Kim, Yeon Gyoung Chu, Jaesang Lee, Jin-O Choi, Jaeshik Chung, Seunghak Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Results in Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025024132
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author Chinhoo Jung
Sang Hyun Kim
Yeon Gyoung Chu
Jaesang Lee
Jin-O Choi
Jaeshik Chung
Seunghak Lee
author_facet Chinhoo Jung
Sang Hyun Kim
Yeon Gyoung Chu
Jaesang Lee
Jin-O Choi
Jaeshik Chung
Seunghak Lee
author_sort Chinhoo Jung
collection DOAJ
description Reinjection of the discharged groundwater at construction site into a nearby aquifer is considered as a beneficial approach. However, the suspended particles contained in the discharged groundwater might reduce the permeability of subsurface porous media, resulting in a rapid decrease in the reinjection efficiency. Therefore, to understand and predict the potential pore clogging during this particular process, we simulated the discharged groundwater recharging system and assessed the variation in hydraulic conductivities therein. The changes in relative hydraulic conductivities (K/K0) were observed in digital manometers-attached soil columns under various injection flux (Qsp) conditions. The relative hydraulic conductivities decreased more rapidly at a higher injection flux of suspended particles: K/K0 reached 0.1 in 13 h of injection when Qsp was 252 mg/h, while it took 550 h at the Qsp of 0.9 mg/h to attain the same K/K0. A critical time point, T0.1, at which the hydraulic conductivity decreased tenfold with respect to the initial, was estimated. Notably, two distinct patterns were observed in the transient variation in hydraulic conductivity depending on Qsp, an exponential reduction at higher Qsp and irregular pattern (e.g., temporary increases or plateaus) at relatively lower Qsp. A micro-computed tomography analysis revealed that the irregular patterns at lower Qsp were attributed to the seepage flow, which relocated the indigenous fine particles, changing the local porosity. However, at higher Qsp (e.g., 252 mg/h), pore clogging by the particles from the recharging water dominated this effect and resulted in a rapid and clear reduction in hydraulic conductivity.
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spelling doaj-art-c6b490d9ab67426bb6236bd9c96ce8762025-08-20T02:47:03ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302025-09-012710634110.1016/j.rineng.2025.106341Hydraulic conductivity reduction during the recharge of the discharged groundwater: clogging pattern variation according to turbidity fluxesChinhoo Jung0Sang Hyun Kim1Yeon Gyoung Chu2Jaesang Lee3Jin-O Choi4Jaeshik Chung5Seunghak Lee6Water Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, South Korea; Graduate School of Energy and Environment (KU-KIST GREEN SCHOOL), Korea University, Seoul 02841, South KoreaWater Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, South Korea; Division of Energy and Environment Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, South KoreaWater Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, South Korea; Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, South KoreaDepartment of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 02841, South KoreaEPS Engineering Co. Ltd., Gyeonggi-do 13930, South KoreaWater Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, South Korea; Division of Energy and Environment Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, South Korea; Corresponding authors at: Water Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, South Korea.Water Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, South Korea; Graduate School of Energy and Environment (KU-KIST GREEN SCHOOL), Korea University, Seoul 02841, South Korea; Division of Energy and Environment Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, South Korea; Corresponding authors at: Water Cycle Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, South Korea.Reinjection of the discharged groundwater at construction site into a nearby aquifer is considered as a beneficial approach. However, the suspended particles contained in the discharged groundwater might reduce the permeability of subsurface porous media, resulting in a rapid decrease in the reinjection efficiency. Therefore, to understand and predict the potential pore clogging during this particular process, we simulated the discharged groundwater recharging system and assessed the variation in hydraulic conductivities therein. The changes in relative hydraulic conductivities (K/K0) were observed in digital manometers-attached soil columns under various injection flux (Qsp) conditions. The relative hydraulic conductivities decreased more rapidly at a higher injection flux of suspended particles: K/K0 reached 0.1 in 13 h of injection when Qsp was 252 mg/h, while it took 550 h at the Qsp of 0.9 mg/h to attain the same K/K0. A critical time point, T0.1, at which the hydraulic conductivity decreased tenfold with respect to the initial, was estimated. Notably, two distinct patterns were observed in the transient variation in hydraulic conductivity depending on Qsp, an exponential reduction at higher Qsp and irregular pattern (e.g., temporary increases or plateaus) at relatively lower Qsp. A micro-computed tomography analysis revealed that the irregular patterns at lower Qsp were attributed to the seepage flow, which relocated the indigenous fine particles, changing the local porosity. However, at higher Qsp (e.g., 252 mg/h), pore clogging by the particles from the recharging water dominated this effect and resulted in a rapid and clear reduction in hydraulic conductivity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025024132Discharged groundwaterAquifer rechargePore cloggingHydraulic conductivity
spellingShingle Chinhoo Jung
Sang Hyun Kim
Yeon Gyoung Chu
Jaesang Lee
Jin-O Choi
Jaeshik Chung
Seunghak Lee
Hydraulic conductivity reduction during the recharge of the discharged groundwater: clogging pattern variation according to turbidity fluxes
Results in Engineering
Discharged groundwater
Aquifer recharge
Pore clogging
Hydraulic conductivity
title Hydraulic conductivity reduction during the recharge of the discharged groundwater: clogging pattern variation according to turbidity fluxes
title_full Hydraulic conductivity reduction during the recharge of the discharged groundwater: clogging pattern variation according to turbidity fluxes
title_fullStr Hydraulic conductivity reduction during the recharge of the discharged groundwater: clogging pattern variation according to turbidity fluxes
title_full_unstemmed Hydraulic conductivity reduction during the recharge of the discharged groundwater: clogging pattern variation according to turbidity fluxes
title_short Hydraulic conductivity reduction during the recharge of the discharged groundwater: clogging pattern variation according to turbidity fluxes
title_sort hydraulic conductivity reduction during the recharge of the discharged groundwater clogging pattern variation according to turbidity fluxes
topic Discharged groundwater
Aquifer recharge
Pore clogging
Hydraulic conductivity
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123025024132
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