Generation of two-dimensionally variable saturated hydraulic conductivity fields: Model theory, verification and computer program

The theory for the generation method of spatially variable Ks fields, using a set of scaling factors of log-normally distributed random field with two-dimensional correlation structure, is compiled from different sources. It is developed further by derivation of computational formulas of model parameters for a general case. The user of the method needs to define the mean, coefficient of variation and correlation length of the Ks fields. Both isotropic and anisotropic fields can be generated. The method and the computer program, which is provided for readers, are verified by analyzing example generations carried out by set of different parameter values. Since the materializations of the set values in generated fields were found satisfactorily accurate and their distributions cohered the model structure, the method and the computer program can be considered a useful and reliable tool for simulation of spatially variable hydraulic conductivity fields. However, the way of the method treating the covariance structure of the random vector limits the field size or the number of nodes where the Ks values are to be generated.