This paper describes new advances in the computational modeling of groundwater and seepage using the finite element method (FEM) in conjunction with tools and techniques typically used by aerospace engineering. An extension of the technique of generating an orthognal structured grid (using the Cauchy-Riemann equations) to automatically generate a flow net in three dimensional (3-D) steadystate seepage problems is described where (1) grid generation is accomplished using the EAGLE program, (2) the seepage and groundwater analysis for either confined or unconfined steady-state flow, homogenous or inhomogeneous media, and isotropic or anisotropic soil is accomplished with no restriction on the FE grid or requirement of an initial guess of the free surface for unconfined flow problems, and (3) scientific visualization is accomplished using the program FAST developed by NASA. A primary aspect of this paper is a description of examples showing results for both theoretical and practical 3-D problems.
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