A FINITE ELEMENT MODEL FOR THE MIGRATION OF LEACHATE FROM A SANITARY LANDFILL IN LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK ‐ PART I: THEORY1

Abstract
A two‐dimensional mathematical model for the migration of ground water contamination was developed. The finite element method using isoparametric elements, based on the Galerkin formulation and on weighting functions of nonsymmetric form, was used to formulate the numerical description of the convective‐dispersive mass transport equation. A comparison of two solution schemes with a new two‐dimensional analytical solution is presented. A field application of the model to the leachate migration from the Babylon sanitary landfill in Long Island, New York, presented in a subsequent paper will exemplify the calibration and verification of transport model parameters.