Fundamentals of Transport in Porous Media

Understanding how fluids and contaminants move through soil, sediment, and rock is essential for protecting groundwater resources and designing environmental remediation systems. This text-based course guides you through the fundamental physics of porous media transport, equipping you with the analytical skills to evaluate subsurface flow. Learn the core terminology of porosity, pore velocity, and hydraulic conductivity. Master the advection-dispersion equation to predict how substances spread in sediment columns. Calculate critical transport parameters, including dispersion coefficients, using step-by-step mathematical workflows. Analyze tracer study data and interpret breakthrough curves to assess environmental impacts. This course begins with foundational definitions of porous media before moving into practical transport equations and calculation methodologies. Designed for beginners in environmental science, hydrology, and civil engineering, this course requires no previous background in subsurface modeling. Start reading today to build a solid foundation in environmental fluid mechanics.