Speakers
Description
This study continues the numerical investigation of unsaturated infiltration processes in pervious concrete systems, with the broader goal of improving their integration into sustainable urban drainage strategies. The computational framework, microRichardsFoam, is based on the Richards equation and imple- mented in OpenFOAM, incorporating prior parameter calibration through 1D experiments using the Van Genuchten-Mualem model. In this new stage, the solver was expanded to include internal routines for flow monitoring and mass balance verification, enabling a more reliable evaluation of water movement through the porous matrix. These additions are intended to enhance the physical consistency of the results, particularly under complex boundary conditions. In addition to the original formulation, the study includes a preliminary evaluation of alternative models for describing the saturation–permeability relationship, such as Brooks-Corey, to analyze the sensitivity and flexibility of the approach for different porous structures. Numerical tests were carried out on 2D infiltration scenarios with anisotropic permeability, using experimental data from laboratory- scale concrete slabs for comparison. Furthermore, the calibrated parameters were preliminarily applied to another type of drainage component to evaluate the model’s transferability to new configurations.