Teaching Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport Modeling via a Sand-Tank Model

In this study, a sand-tank model as a physical analog of a real-world aquifer is presented for groundwater instruction. The sand tank is used for introducing flow nets and quantifying groundwater flow, for groundwater modeling and calibration via a spreadsheet, and for dye-transport modeling. Students learn from the sand tank through interaction and visualization, and by collecting and interpreting data. This integrates the theories from lectures into the sand-tank laboratories, enhancing students’ skills and understanding.