My current work is focused on using this modeling technique to develop the idea that karst cave systems have a fractal nature. The slide on the right shows a sliced grid block from the volumetric calculation of Kirkgoz-Suluin. By calculating the volume of cave systems such as Kirkgoz-Suluin at different grid spacings which correlate to measurement scales, I am investigating space filling characteristics that will reveal the fractal dimension.
We all know the significance of karst aquifers and karst water resources. According to Ford and Williams, about 25% of the world’s population depend on karst water resources. My goal with this modeling technique is to use available geometric data to visualize these systems which will increase the awareness of their contribution to ground water hydrology and perhaps contribute to our understanding of how they work.
