Solution of source identification problem by using GMS and MATLAB

Abstract

In this paper, a new methodology is proposed by linking the user-friendly commercial groundwater simulation software Groundwater Modeling System (GMS) with MATLAB-based optimization procedure for solving groundwater source identification problem. The simulation package MODFLOW and MT3DMS available in GMS is used to simulate the flow and transport processes in an aquifer. The input files for the MODFLOW and MT3DMS are generated using GMS software. A function is written to execute the MODFLOW and MT3DMS in MATLAB environment. This function is then used to obtain the objective function value for solving the source identification problem. The optimization model minimizes the difference between observed and simulated concentration for finding the locations of the sources and its concentration. A hypothetical problem has been solved to show the applicability and efficiency of the proposed methodology. The evaluation of the results shows that the proposed methodology could be a promising one in solving real-world sources identification problems.

Keywords:

• groundwater
• aquifer
• simulation
• MODFLOW
• optimization

Acknowledgment

This article belongs to the selected papers presented at the ‘Hydro-2012’ conference held at IIT Bombay on 7–8 December 2012 and short-listed by Editor for publication in this Journal after re-review and revisions where necessary.