A large scale, physical groundwater flow and transport modeling facility has been designed, constructed and tested at the University of Vermont, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The facility was completed in 2003.

As a research facility, it is being used: 1) to investigate the applicability of computer-aided analysis and design tools to the solution of groundwater contamination problems; 2) to study and evaluate fundamental scientific hypotheses regarding mass transport of contaminants in layered porous media; and 3) to examine and assess remediation concepts for nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) in heterogeneous (layered) environments.

As an education and training facility, it has become an integral part of two graduate/ undergraduate courses in civil and environmental engineering and offers students a unique learning opportunity.

The physical model has a complex, heterogeneous (and precisely characterized) stratigraphy and contaminant distribution. In addition it uses a dense sampling matrix, a sophisticated data acquisition and control system in order to collect sufficient data for various applications.

The facility was funded by the National Science Foundation (Major Research Implementation Grant BES-0079464) with matching funds from Dupont, Corp.