Evolution of reaction zones in reactive barriers consisting of calcite and glass beads

Two-dimensional modeling studies using TOUGHREACT were conducted to investigate the coupling between flow and transport developed as a consequence of differences in density, dissolution/ precipitation, and medium heterogeneity. The model includes equilibrium reactions for aqueous species, kinetic reactions between tile solid phases and aqueous constituents, and full coupling of porosity and permeability changes resulting from precipitation and dissolution reactions in porous media. Generally, the evolutions in the concentrations of the aqueous phase are intimately related to the reaction-front dynamics. Plugging of the medium contributed to significant transients in patterns of flow and mass transport.