Simulation-based variance components analysis for characterization of interaction effects of random factors on trichloroethylene vapor transport in unsaturated porous media

This paper presents a simulation-based random effects model for analyzing the interaction effects of random factors on the gaseous transport of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the unsaturated zone. The model has the advantages of addressing parameter uncertainty characterized by inherent randomness in simulating the gaseous transport of VOCs in the unsaturated porous media, as well as of investigating their potential interactions and the nonlinear effects on the VOC vapor concentrations through a variance components analysis. The proposed model is applied to a numerical experiment on the transport behavior of trichloroethylene (TCE) vapors in the unsaturated porous media. The results reveal that variations of random factors can cause a significant difference in the gaseous TCE concentrations, and the temporal and spatial variability in the TCE vapor concentrations can result in different effects of factors on the model response.