This classic work by one of the world's foremost hydrologists presents a topic encountered in the many fields of science and engineering where flow through porous media plays a fundamental role. It is the standard work in the field, designed primarily for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of ground water hydrology, soil mechanics, soil physics, drainage and irrigation engineering, and petroleum and chemical engineering. It is highly recommended as well for scientists and engineers already working in these fields. Throughout this generously illustrated, richly detailed study, which includes a valuable section of exercises and answers, the emphasis is on understanding the phenomena occurring in porous media and on their macroscopic description. The book's chapter titles reveal its comprehensive coverage: Introduction, Fluids and Porous Matrix Properties, Pressures and Piezometric Head, The Fundamental Fluid Transport Equations in Porous Media, The Equation of Motion of a Homogeneous Fluid, Continuity and Conservation Equations for a Homogeneous Fluid, Solving Boundary and Initial Value Problems, Unconfined Flow and the Dupuit Approximation, Flow of Immiscible Fluids, Hydrodynamic Dispersion, and Models and Analogs. "Systematic and comprehensive . . . a book that satisfies the highest standards of excellence. . . . Will undoubtedly become the standard reference in this field." — R. Allen Freeze, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Water Resources Research.

The present volume offers a state-of-the-art report on the various recent sci entific developments in the Theory of Porous Media (TPM) comprehending the basic theoretical concepts in continuum mechanics on porous and mul tiphasic materials as well as the wide range of experimental and numerical applications. Following this, the volume does not only address the sophisti cated reader but also the interested beginner in the area of Porous Media by presenting a collection of articles. These articles written by experts in the field concern the fundamental approaches to multiphasic and porous materials as well as various applications to engineering problems. In many branches of engineering just as in applied natural sciences like bio- and chemomechanics, one often has to deal with continuum mechanical problems which cannot be uniquely classified within the well-known disci plines of either "solid mechanics" or "fluid mechanics". These problems, characterized by the fact that they require a unified treatment of volumetri cally coupled solid-fluid aggregates; basically fall into the categories of either mixtures or porous media. Following this, there is a broad variety of problems ranging in this category as for example the investigation of reacting fluid mix tures or solid-fluid suspensions as well as the investigation of the coupled solid deformation and pore-fluid flow behaviour of liquid- and gas-saturated porous solid skeleton materials like geomaterials (soil, rock, concrete, etc. ), polymeric and metallic foams or biomaterials (hard and soft tissues, etc).

Processes of flow and displacement of multiphase fluids through porous media occur in many subsurface systems and have found wide applications in many scientific, technical, and engineering fields. This book focuses on the fundamental theory of fluid flow in porous media, covering fluid flow theory in classical and complex porous media, such as fractured porous media and physicochemical fluid flow theory. Key concepts are introduced concisely and derivations of equations are presented logically. Solutions of some practical problems are given so that the reader can understand how to apply these abstract equations to real world situations. The content has been extended to cover fluid flow in unconventional reservoirs. This book is suitable for senior undergraduate and graduate students as a textbook in petroleum engineering, hydrogeology, groundwater hydrology, soil sciences, and other related engineering fields.