Finite element model of swelling/shrinkage and hydrology in a peatland
south of Venice
M. Camporese
Dept. Hydraulic, Maritime, Environmental, and Geotechnical Engineering,
University of Padova, Padova, Italy
M. Putti, P. Teatini,
Dept. Mathematical Methods and Models for Scientific
Applications, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
P. Salandin
Institute of Hydraulics and Road Infrastructures, Polytechnic University
of Marche, Ancona, Italy
ABSTRACT
Subsurface hydrology of soils characterized by a high organic matter content
is often described by the classical Richards equation governing flow in variably
saturated porous media with a mineral soil ''equivalent'' parametrization of the
retention curves. This work deals with the application of an ''adjusted''
Richards-based model where the storage term is modified to take into consideration
the reversible soil volume changes that take place during drying-wetting cycles.
This phenomenon is belived to have a significant impact on the peatland hydrological
regime that cannot be neglected. The modelling approach is validated with an
experimental data set collected in a drained cultivated peatland located south of
the Venice Lagoon.
