Christopher Hedemann
BE (Hons), BA
Postgraduate Research Student
School of Civil Engineering, Room 101
Phone: +61 2 9351 2145
Fax: +61 2 9351 3343
Email:
Research project - Lattice Boltzmann methods and flow through porous media
Supervisor: A/Prof Abbas El-Zein
The management of groundwater resources, membrane science and oil extraction are all driven by an understanding of flow in porous media. Yet despite two centuries of engineering research there is still no set of continuum equations which can describe flow in multiple situations from microscopic principles. My research seeks to develop new numerical tools and contribute to the understanding of flows through porous media, with particular focus on the lattice Boltzmann method.
The lattice Boltzmann method has its origins in kinetic theory and models the distribution of individual fluid particles in discrete time and space networks and using discrete velocities. It relies on relatively simple calculation steps that are purely local and therefore can be run on multiple processors in parallel, significantly reducing computing time for large simulations.
Different variations of the lattice Boltzmann method are of particular use when investigating flow problems with very irregular boundary conditions or where continuum mechanics break down. My work will use these methods to investigate a number of engineering problems such as:
- Interaction of diffusion and sorption in multiple-porosity media;
- Saline intrusion due to sea-level rise; and
- Developing a better understanding of the scale dependency of mechanical dispersion.
Learning & Teaching
- CIVL 3612 Fluid Mechanics II
- CIVL 3010 Engineering and Society