Date of Award:

5-2018

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Mathematics and Statistics

Committee Chair(s)

Joeseph Koebbe

Committee

Joeseph Koebbe

Committee

Luis Gordillo

Committee

Michael Cortez

Committee

Brynja Kohler

Committee

Geordie Richards

Abstract

Three papers are presented, applying computational fluid dynamics methods to fluid flows in the geosciences. In the first paper, a numerical method is developed for single phase potential flow in the subsurface. For a class of monotonically advancing flows, the method provides a computational savings as compared to classical methods and can be applied to problems such as forced groundwater recharge. The second paper investigates the shear stress reducing action of an erosion control roughness array. Incompressible Naiver-Stokes simulations are performed for multiple wind angles to understand the changing aerodynamics of individual and grouped roughness elements. In the third paper, a 1D analytical flow model is compared with multiphase Navier-Stokes simulations in a parabolic fissure. Sampling the numerical results allows the isolation of flow factors such as surface tension, which are difficult to measure in physical experiments.

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