Search

Characterizing fractured aquifers plays a crucial role in the issues related to groundwater contamination, and geothermal and hydrocarbon resource exploitation. Due to the heterogeneity of the fractured medium, the permeability of fractured medium generally exhibits significant non-Gaussian characteristics, leading to difficulties and challenges in the estimation of hydrogeological parameters. This study used the ESMDA-DS (ensemble smoother with multiple data assimilation-direct sampling) integrating hydrogeophysical data to explore the effectiveness of the data assimilation framework in portraying the parameter field of the fractured medium and to analyze the influences of assimilating three different types of observation data, the fracture density, and the number of observation wells on the parameter estimation. The results show that the method of ESMDA-DS integrating hydrogeophysical data can estimate the spatial distribution of hydrogeological parameters in the fractured medium effectively. Comparing the estimated results from three types of observation, it finds that fusing the hydraulic head and the self-potential observational data (hydrogeophysical data) has the best effect. The fracture density in the study area and the number of observation wells also affect the data assimilation results. A reasonable number of observation wells is suggested to obtain the optimal parameter estimation scheme in practical applications. This study can provide an effective method for characterizing the parameter field of the fractured medium and a reliable theoretical basis for the development and management of fractured water resources.

The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is one of the most widely used data assimilation methods. However, it exhibits limitations in handling non-Gaussian problems. To effectively address such issues and accurately describe the connectivity of aquifers, a novel approach named NS-ES-MDA is developed in this study. The proposed NS-ES-MDA synergistically combines the normal-score transformation (NST) with ensemble smoother with multiple data assimilation (ES-MDA). Through comparative experiments, the efficacy of NS-ES-MDA in estimating the hydraulic conductivity of non-Gaussian distributed aquifers is demonstrated. By assimilating the same dataset, NS-ES-MDA exhibits approximately 34% improvement in parameter estimation accuracy and about 35% enhancement in computational efficiency compared to the restart normal-score ensemble Kalman filter (rNS-EnKF). Furthermore, the NS-ES-MDA shows case robustness against the “equifinality” and displays remarkable updating capabilities, which leads to more precise parameter estimates. This study provides an effective solution for parameter estimation in non-Gaussian distributed aquifers.

Pipeline transportation is an important engineering component, which is widely used in transporting gas and liquid resources. The safety of the pipeline became the central point of this study. Pipeline deformation caused by liquid storage pressure is of great significance to the safety of pipeline engineering. Previous studies mainly focused on pipe deformation under ring force and less on deformation caused by internal liquid. In this paper, the theoretical results of strain distribution are derived based on elastic mechanics, and the strain distribution equation is established. The effects of the liquid storage pressure, pipe diameter, and pipe length on pipe strain are investigated experimentally. The experimental results are in agreement with the equation. It is found that the strain increases linearly with the increase in reservoir pressure. Under the same length, the larger the pipe diameter is, the larger the pipe strain is when the pipe diameter is 5–10 mm. In the range of 10–15 mm, the average strain is basically unchanged. Under the same pipe diameter, the pipe length has little effect on the average strain. The strain is greatest in the middle of the pipeline and decreases gradually to both sides. The results have important guiding significance for pipeline protection and stress corrosion prevention.

At aquifer-sea interfaces, submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and related chemical loads are closely related to groundwater environment in the intertidal zone of coastal aquifers. Although unstable salinity distribution in the intertidal zone associated with salt-fingering flow has been known as a natural phenomenon for some coastal aquifers, a quantitative understanding of groundwater dynamics in the intertidal zone during salt-fingering flow is still lacking. This study investigated the movement features of salt fingers and the response laws of freshwater discharge zone (FDZ) in the intertidal zone, considering the fixed and seasonal inland conditions. The results revealed that during salt-fingering flow, the finger was repeatedly generated and detached from the intertidal zone. Horizontally, the finger moved toward the sea, and the finger speed first increased at the development stage, then remained unchanged at the separation stage, and finally decreased at the mergence stage. The movement speed of salt fingers was closely related to ambient freshwater flow in the FDZ. In the vertical direction, the finger first permeated downward with a decreasing speed, and then the upward discharge of fresh groundwater in the FDZ region with an increased flow velocity pushed the finger upwards with an increasing speed. In contrast to the results in a stable intertidal regime, the width of FDZ at the aquifer-sea interface fluctuated over time, and the variation trends possessed a well agreement with the flux of fresh groundwater discharge. This suggested that the width of FDZ at the aquifer-sea interface can be used as an indicator of fresh groundwater discharge, even in an unstable regime, to provide a basis for field monitoring. The intensity of salt-fingering flow varied over time under the condition of seasonal freshwater inflow. The mean duration of salt fingers decreased slightly with the increase of seasonal freshwater periods due to a decrease in the interface perturbation for the intertidal environment. These findings lay the foundation for gaining a better understanding of the potential implications of salt-fingering flow on SGD and related solute transports.

In order to explore the effectiveness of salt and heat tracers in a fracture-matrix system, a fracture-matrix test model is designed. The tracer tests with different tracers are carried out. The transport process of tracer is described in the fracture-matrix with the real-time dynamic resistivity monitoring data at different measuring points, and the effectiveness of salt and heat tracers based on the resistivity method is discussed. The results show that the process of injecting three different tracers into the fracture-matrix system and the existence of fracture can be seen by the resistivity method. Under the salt-heat tracer, the difference between the volume conductivity in the fracture and the matrix is the largest, and the change rate of the volume conductivity in the fracture and the matrix decreases with the increasing depth. The fitting effect of concentration and volume conductivity is better than that of temperature and volume conductivity. These indicate that the tracer based on the resistivity method is effective in describing the positions of the fracture and matrix in the fracture-matrix system, and the salt-heat combined tracer has the best effect. The results are of certain reference for the field electrical exploration of the positions of fractures and other heterogeneous layers.

To understand the cause of the high content of phosphorus in the North Chaohu Lake Catchment of China, the distribution of the total phosphorus in groundwater and the dissolution of rock phosphorus near Chaohu Lake were investigated, and a few interesting findings have been revealed. Firstly, four main processes affecting the groundwater quality in North Chaohu Lake Catchment were identified with the results of factor analysis, including anthropogenic activities and the dissolution of carbonate rocks, phosphorus, and fluorine-bearing minerals. Secondly, the dissolution of rock phosphorus can be well described using the one-dimensional diffusion equation, with a semi-infinite boundary condition, and the Langmuir kinetic equation. A relatively low ambient temperature (less than 25 °C) was probably responsible for the small diffusion coefficient compared to that of the previous studies. Thirdly, the high-potential maximum dissolution of rock phosphorus (Cmax) indicated that the dissolution of rock phosphorus could pose a risk to the ambient water body, and Cmax was found to be independent of the total rock phosphorus content.

The Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) has been widely applied for real-time simulation of groundwater flow and solute transport. The majority of previous studies tend to assume no bias in forecast models, therefore ignoring the model uncertainties. This assumption, however, may be invalid when a conceptual model is not accurately generalized. As a result, forecast bias will lead to incorrect estimation of the system parameters or states. In this work, a bias aware Ensemble Kalman Filter with Confirming Option (Bias-CEnKF) is proposed to take into account the forecast bias by the model during the filtering process. The proposed method is tested in a real-time groundwater simulation considering model uncertainties, by setting inaccurate boundary conditions, initial conditions and recharge items. The results show that the standard EnKF may lead to filter divergence and assimilation failure, if the forecast model is not accurately generalized. Instead, Bias-CEnKF not only achieves better performances, but also reduces the inconsistency caused by the nonlinear relationship among the parameters, variables and bias corrections. Four scenarios are investigated, with the results showing the aquifer hydraulic conductivities and heads obtained by Bias-CEnKF are close to the real values, and the prediction results are also more reliable. This study further improves the applicability of the EnKF under the uncertain condition of model generalization, and provides a reliable method for groundwater data assimilation under complex field conditions.

Studies have focused on describing the interactions between the fluid flow characteristics and structural deformation of fractures at the mesoscopic scale, which is a scale between the macroscale and the microscale. In this work, a three-dimensional numerical simulation based on the Navier-Stokes equation was carried out to investigate the effect of normal stress on the fracture morphology distribution, the fluid flow characteristics distribution, and the interdependence between the flow and stress in a single mesoscopic fracture. Two fracture surfaces of a mesoscopic rough-walled fracture model were created. Results suggest that the nonlinear relationship between the normal stress and deformation due to the area of the total closure increases unevenly. Distributions of the mechanical aperture are approximated well by a normal distribution. Change in the fluid flow is due to the increase in the fractional contact area. The low-velocity zones are surrounded by relatively smaller apertures, which gradually close and join the areas of total closure. Under the limitation of the total closure areas of the two fracture surfaces, the appearance of channel flow behavior. Compared with the flow in the X- and Y-directions, normal stress-induced flow anisotropy occurred. The mesoscopic quantitative relationship between the strains in terms of the mechanical/hydraulic aperture was determined and proven. A macroscopic relationship between the intrinsic permeability and the strain was deduced, which enhances the evaluation and design of various geological engineering applications in which fracture deformation is considered.

The Fengfeng mining area is in the transition zone between the North China Plain and the Taihang Mountains, and groundwater is the main source of water supply in the district. Under the combined influence of human activities and natural geological conditions, the quality of different types of groundwater varies greatly, posing a potential threat to the safety of drinking water. In this study, hydrogeochemical processes in different types of groundwater were analyzed using multivariate statistical analysis methods with ion–ratio relationships, and a groundwater quality and health risk assessment model was developed. The research findings show that the main chemical components and TDS in the groundwater have obvious spatial distribution characteristics, i.e., the content of deep karst water (DKW) in the west is significantly lower than that of shallow pore water (SPW) in the east, and the hydrochemical type has changed from HCO3–Ca to SO4–Ca. The chemical components of SPW and DKW are mainly derived from silicates and carbonates, accompanied by weathering dissolution of sulphidic minerals, especially SPW. The chemical components of the groundwater was also influenced by the cation exchange reaction and human activities. The quality of the SPW was significantly worse than that of the DKW, and the nitrates in SPW carry a high non-carcinogenic risk, especially to children. The shallow pore water is not suitable for drinking water. This study can provide guidance on the safety of drinking water in the Fengfeng coal mining area and other areas with intensive industrial, mining, and agricultural activities.

The existence of macropores acutely enhances the capacity of soil to conduct water, gas, and chemicals. The capacity of macropores to transport water extremely depends on their spatial characteristics. However, the effect of the horizontal spatial distribution of macropores (especially the position characteristics of macropores) on water infiltration is still ambiguous. Therefore, this study utilizes the approach of numerical simulation to investigate the general pattern of the effects of horizontal spatial distribution characteristics of macropores (such as number, pore size and position) on water infiltration. Given the limitations on the ability to characterize the macropore position from the existing spatial characteristic parameters of macropores, two new statistical parameters (spatial dispersion, γ, and spatial deviation, γ*) are established to characterize the position relationships among macropores and between the macropores and the observation area, respectively. The results show that the larger the macropore number and the more uniformly macropores are distributed, the greater the soil permeability and the preferential flow degree, while the pore size hardly affects the water transport. Additionally, comparison between number and position effects reveals that the macropore number is the dominant factor when the macropore number is relatively small, but this relationship will reverse when the macropore number is relatively large. This study provides a novel meals to investigate the effect of macropore position on water infiltration, and emphasizes that besides the macroporosity, number and position are also significant for quantifying soil permeability.

The migration and distribution of dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPLs) in fractured media are affected by many factors, including the chemical properties of DNAPLs, geometric and chemical properties of fractures and leakage conditions. Previous studies were mostly conducted in a single fracture, while the migration of DNAPLs in stochastic network fracture were seldom examined. In this paper, stochastic network fractures are generated using the Monte Carlo method. The coordinates and apertures of fractures are identified and output by pixel scanning. The migration of Perchloroethylene (PCE) in the stochastic network fractures is simulated by PetraSim. The effects of the geometric properties of the fractures and the leakage conditions (including the leakage rate and the leakage location) on the migration of DNAPLs are discussed. The numerical simulation results show that the spatial variability of fractures also affects the migration path and spatial distribution of DNAPLs. With the increase of spatial variability of fracture width in the network fractures, dominant channels appear, the migration rate of DNAPLs accelerates, and the location of DNAPLs centroid and the spatial distribution of saturation change significantly. The leakage rate affects the migration range and spatial distribution of DNAPLs. The higher the leakage rate is, the faster the migration rate of DNAPLs will be. The more saturated the accumulated DNAPLs at the bottom of the model, the greater the spatial distribution of DNAPLs is. In the same network fracture, different leakage locations will also lead to different migration paths and distribution ranges of DNAPLs. The spatial variability of fractures in the gravity direction at different leakage locations is different, leading to different migration paths and spatial distribution of DNAPLs.

The confining pressure induces the deformation of fractures with seepage through the fracture. The seepage characteristics can reflect the deformation of the hydraulic aperture. We propose theoretical models to describe the mechanism by which the confining pressure influences the hydraulic aperture based on the fracture deformation constitutive law models of Goodman, Bandis, Sun, and Rong. Hydromechanical testing data were used to validate the four types of proposed models. The experiment results reveal the confining pressure and hydraulic aperture model based on Sun’s exponential model describes the mechanism the best. The maximum hydraulic aperture closure deformation and initial hydraulic aperture go through a growth phase with a decreasing rate, and then, they enter a stability phase when the flow rate increases to 7 ml/min, while the normal stiffness of the fracture decreases to a certain value and then tends to a stable value. Flow rate decreases as confining pressure increases in a nonlinear progression, which is described by Sun’s exponential model well. We further found that in laboratory tests at various temperatures and in field tests, the confining pressure’s influence on the hydraulic aperture is highly consistent with the model based on Sun’s model. The model developed in this study describes the mechanism by which the confining pressure influences the hydraulic aperture, and it is meaningful to rock seepage engineering with in situ stress changes at different temperatures.

Mastering hydraulic conductivity of rock mass is an important way to precisely describe hydrogeological characteristics of a certain region. Hydraulic conductivity is a significant indicator to reflect the rock mass’ permeability. The studies of hydraulic conductivity estimation models have important implications for the development of actual engineering. In the existing estimation models of hydraulic conductivity, the single-factor model cannot take into consideration of the comprehensive influence of various factors on hydraulic conductivity in the area, and the parameters selection of the multi-factor model lacks the flexibility and its application is limited when some parameters are difficult to be obtained, etc. The classification and comparative analyses of the positive and negative correlation parameters are conducted based on public data. We propose a set of high-fitting hydraulic conductivity estimation models, which are the PNC (Positive and negative correlation) model. The research results show that the fitting result of the PNC model (R2=0.964 and R2=0.801) is superior to that of the HC model (R2=0.905 and R2=0.563) in No. 1 study area. In No. 2 study area, the fitting result of the PNC model (R2=0.959) is superior to that of the RMP model (R2=0.927). In No. 3 study area, the fitting result of the PNC model (R2=0.94 to 0.99) is also better than that of the ZRF model (R2=0.92 to 0.99). By using Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient (NSE) to carry out the error analyses of the model, it is found that the error coefficients of 5 in 7 sets of data are above 0.95. It further illustrates the convenience and reliability of the PNC model, which can provide a certain reference for estimating and verifying hydraulic conductivity in actual engineering.

AbstractThe fluid flow in fractured rock was determined by the aperture of fractures, which is influenced by the complex variation and wide distribution of in situ stress conditions. While extensive studies focused on qualitative analysis of the experimental phenomena, much less was the quantitative mechanism of permeability under confining pressure in theory, which is frequently required in rock engineering projects. In this work, we proposed a new negative exponential model to quantitatively describe the flow rate Q, seepage pressure Ps, hydraulic aperture eh, and permeability k under different confining pressures Pc at a low flow rate. Hydromechanical tests with two experimental modes (constant Q test mode and constant Ps test mode) were conducted on cutting shale samples, and test data were collected. Furthermore, regression analyses were performed on the test data, based on the proposed model. Results suggest that the negative exponential model quantitatively predicts the seepage properties (Q, Ps, eh, and k) under the changeable in situ stress conditions in the application of low flow velocities in natural fractures, such as the development of oil/gas reservoirs and controlling of solute transport in the main aquifer. The proposed model assists in understanding and applying the behavior of the fluid flow in fractured rock under in situ stress conditions at low flow velocity.

Understanding the impact of natural processes and anthropogenic activities on geochemical evolution is vital for groundwater protection and utilization. This research was devoted to identifying the water quality status and the main controlling factors of the hydrochemical evolution of karst groundwater by combining hydrogeochemical indicators with multi-isotope analysis techniques in the Heilongdong Spring Basin, North China. The results showed that the karst groundwater in the area was of meteoric origin, and the dissolution of carbonate minerals was dominant in water–rock interactions. Meanwhile, the positive and negative cation exchange occurred in the process. The main hydrochemical types of karst groundwater were HCO3-Ca·Mg and HCO3-Ca in the recharge area, while the predominant hydrochemical types were the HCO3·SO4-Ca·Mg and HCO3·SO4-Ca in the runoff and discharge area. Under the influence of coal mining and other factors, the average concentrations of major ions kept rising in the runoff area where coal mines were distributed, and the SO42− concentrations of the karst groundwater changed the most in the study area. In addition, sewage from agricultural production and domestic sources had also negatively impacted the quality of regional groundwater in the runoff and discharge area, as evidenced by the increasing NO3− and Cl− contents in the Quaternary sediment groundwater, Permian bedrock groundwater and a small portion of karst groundwater. These results were helpful to explain the mechanism of gradual hydrogeochemical changes and provided a scientific basis for the effective management and utilization of karst groundwater.

The factors affecting the deflection flow in a bifurcated fracture under the effect of the fracture contact area are discussed. The effects of the contact area and cross-section on the deflection flow are determined using a combination of experiments and numerical simulations. The contact and seepage changes in bifurcated fractures under a confining pressure are monitored using a pressure film. A parallel plate bifurcated fracture model with a single contact area is established, which is in good agreement with the results of the laboratory experiments. Based on numerical simulation experiments, under the effects of the contact area and cross-section, the change in the effective flow path is the main reason for the change in the deflection flow behavior. The proportion of the flow path of the entire fracture is used to reflect the deflection flow characteristics under different contact areas and cross-sectional areas. For a given contact area, the larger the cross-section of the contact area, the larger the difference in the outlet flow of the bifurcated fracture and the more obvious the deflection flow behavior. As the contact area increases and the cross-section is constant, the effective path of the fluid does not change, and the deflection flow behavior does not change. This explanation of the cause of fracture deflection flow is of great significance for studying fracture seepage.

The understanding of solute transport in rock fractures is of great importance in many engineering fields. In this study, two groups of experiments on artificial and natural single fractures with different fracture apertures and roughness were conducted to investigate the changes of solute transport regimes. The time fractional advection–dispersion equation (tFADE) as a promising model was applied to describe the anomalous transport. The performance of the classical advection-dispersion equation (ADE) and tFADE was compared according to the fitting precision of breakthrough curves (BTCs). The responses of the fitting parameters in the tFADE to the experimental conditions were also discussed. The results indicated that the non-Fickian transport more likely occurred in the short distance transport, and the larger Peclet number (Pe) led to the increase of the exponent of the power-law function in the phase of concentration decline. The tFADE was superior to ADE in capturing the non-Fickian transport especially the tailing behavior. The fractional order of time α in the tFADE was the key parameter to describe the anomalous transport process, and its responding mechanisms of were revealed: the best-fit α decreased with the increase of flow velocity and the decrease of the fracture aperture. The roughness of the single fracture which leads to a complex flow field had a significant effect on the best-fit α. The findings of this study can help for better understanding the effectiveness and physical significance of the tFADE.

Fracture seepage is an important aspect of groundwater research, but due to the closure of fractures and the randomness of wall surface roughness, it is a challenge to carry out relevant research. Numerical simulation serves as a good way to solve this problem. As such, the water flow in single fracture with different shapes and densities of roughness elements (various bulges/pits on fracture wall surfaces) on wall surface was simulated by Fluent software. The results show that, in wider rough fractures, the flow rate mainly depends on fracture aperture, while, in narrow and close rough fracture medium, the surface roughness of fracture wall is the main factor of head loss of seepage; there is a negative power exponential relation between the hydraulic gradient index and the average fracture aperture, i.e., with increase of rough fracture aperture, both the relative roughness of fracture and the influence of hydraulic gradient decrease; in symmetrical-uncoupled rough fractures, there is a super-cubic relation between the discharge per unit width and average aperture; the rough fracture permeability coefficient K is not a constant which is affected by the scale effect and the density of roughness elements. Results found provide further understanding of rough fracture seepage.

Solute transport in a single vertical fracture (SVF) cannot be reliably described by the classical advection-dispersion equation (ADE) model, due to the heterogeneity nature of fracture. This study conducted a group of experiments to investigate chloride ion transport in the SVFs under different rough-walled conditions, and then applied a time fractional advection-dispersion equation (F-ADE) model to offer an accurate description. A comparison between F-ADE model and a classical ADE model in describing experimental data, was also carried out. Results show that the FADE model is better than the ADE model in describing the breakthrough curve and heavy-tail phenomenon of solute transport in the fracture. Especially in the experiments with lower flow rate and higher roughness fracture, the FADE model can offer a better description for non-Fickian transport, indicating that it is a promising tool for characterizing solute transport heterogeneous vertical fracture.

Prolonged exposure to intensive and extensive agricultural and industrial activities is leading to an increased deterioration of groundwater quality, especially nitrogen pollution in shallow groundwater aquifers. This study was carried out using the fuzzy comprehensive method to assess the overall groundwater quality, and the noncarcinogenic risks were estimated using the human health risk assessment method recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) via drinking water intake pathways around Fuyang City, China. A total of 34 samples were collected from shallow groundwater private wells, and 16 parameters were analyzed for each groundwater sample. The evaluation results of groundwater quality show 14.7% of groundwater samples classified as poor and very poor quality, and NO3-N, TH, TDS, Fe3+, and Mn are of high potential to affect the quality of potable drinking water. These are mainly derived from anthropogenic pollutants, predominantly due to uncontrolled agricultural and industrial activities, as well as some natural processes. The noncarcinogenic risk of nitrate indicates that 8.82% of groundwater samples surpass the permissible limit recommended by the USEPA for both adults and children. This study may provide the local authority with insights into making scientific decisions for exploiting groundwater in a sustainable manner so as to protect public health.

Geothermal resource is green and clean energy, and geothermal field is widely distributed in the world. Its development and utilization has little harm to the environment, can change the current situation of energy consumption mainly based on fossil energy, reduce carbon emissions, and promote the development of techniques for sustainable processing of natural resources. However, each geothermal field has its own characteristic structure, origin, and storage, so it is necessary to carry out targeted research. In this paper, the geothermal characteristics and geological characteristics of the geothermal belt in Lushan County, China are analyzed by means of remote sensing interpretation, field investigation and observation, geophysical exploration, long-term observation, pumping test, and hydrochemical analysis. Result of this study shows that the geothermal belt of Lushan geothermal fields is as a result of primary thermal control and heat conduction structures of the near east-west Checun-Xiatang deep fault as well as secondary thermal control and heat conduction structures of near north-east and north-west secondary faults; and annual recoverable geothermal energy of whole geothermal field is 4.41 × 1011 MJ. The research results will be beneficial for the development and utilization of Lushan hot springs. At the same time, it also provides reference for more geothermal research.

Accurate prediction of solute transport processes in a fracture aquifer is an important task not only for proper management of the groundwater but also for pollution control. A key issue of this task is how to accurately obtain the experimental data and to analyze the solute transport in fracture in subsurface hydrology, which would greatly help us to understand the releasing mechanism and transport of the solute in a fracture. In this study, a fracture experiment is conducted in a laboratory based on previous studies. The fracture used with a length of 60 cm and a width of 10 cm is sealed with glass glue to avoid leakage of tracer due to uneven fracture walls. The sodium chloride (NaCl) solute is injected from the left of the fracture. And an electrical conductivity monitoring system is installed on the right of the fracture. Then breakthrough curves (BTCs) of solute transport are fitted using the classical advection-dispersion equation (ADE) and the truncation power-law function (TPL) model in the package of the continuous time random walk (CTRW). The results show that the flow satisfies non-Darcian law in the experimental conditions, which can be better fitted using the Forchheimer equation and Izbash equation. The solute transport presents non-Fickian phenomena and shows a long tailing. The fitting results of the TPL model are far better than ADE in fitting the long tailing at three different flow velocities. Furthermore, electrical conductivity monitoring method not only is effective but also has an advantage of no disturbance to water and concentration fields in a fracture.

Non-Fickian diffusion has been increasingly documented in hydrology and modeled by promising time nonlocal transport models. While previous studies showed that most of the time nonlocal models are identical with correlated parameters, fundamental challenges remain in real-world applications regarding model selection and parameter definition. This study compared three popular time nonlocal transport models, including the multi-rate mass transfer (MRMT) model, the continuous time random walk (CTRW) framework, and the tempered time fractional advection–dispersion equation (tt-fADE), by focusing on their physical interpretation and feasibility in capturing non-Fickian transport. Mathematical comparison showed that these models have both related parameters defining the memory function and other basic-transport parameters (i.e., velocity v and dispersion coefficient D) with different hydrogeologic interpretations. Laboratory column transport experiments and field tracer tests were then conducted, providing data for model applicability evaluation. Laboratory and field experiments exhibited breakthrough curves with non-Fickian characteristics, which were better represented by the tt-fADE and CTRW models than the traditional advection–dispersion equation. The best-fit velocity and dispersion coefficient, however, differ significantly between the tt-fADE and CTRW. Fitting exercises further revealed that the observed late-time breakthrough curves were heavier than the MRMT solutions with no more than two mass-exchange rates and lighter than the MRMT solutions with power-law distributed mass-exchange rates. Therefore, the time nonlocal models, where some parameters are correlated and exchangeable and the others have different values, differ mainly in their quantification of pre-asymptotic transport dynamics. In all models tested above, the tt-fADE model is attractive, considering its small fitting error and the reasonable velocity close to the measured flow rate.