Zbigniew J. Kabala | Scholars@Duke

Zbigniew J. Kabala
Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Born and raised behind the Iron Curtain, Dr. Zbigniew J. Kabala is a naturalized United States citizen who cherishes the freedoms and opportunities granted by this country. He earned his master's degree in civil engineering in 1980 from Poznan Polytechnic in Poznan, Poland, and master's degree in mathematics in 1982 from A. Mickiewicz University in Poznan. At Princeton University, he earned another master's and Ph.D. degrees in civil engineering and operations research in 1985 and 1988, respectively. Next, Dr. Kabala held one-year postdoctoral appointments at the MIT in the Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory and at the UC-Berkeley in the Department of Soil Science. He was then appointed an assistant professor of hydrology in the Department of Soils and Environmental Sciences at the UC-Riverside. He joined the Duke faculty in the summer of 1994.

Dr. Kabala's principal research interests cover stochastic and deterministic theory of fluid flow and contaminant transport in saturated and unsaturated heterogeneous porous media, theory of related measurements, field and laboratory studies in subsurface hydrology, stochastic fields and processes, numerical and analytical methods and sensitivity analysis. His current research focuses on developing new measurement techniques for characterization of porous media, recovering contaminant release histories from current plume observations, and stochastic modeling of water and solute transport in saturated and unsaturated heterogeneous formations.

Dr. Kabala has served as a faculty in residence (FIR) in Southgate Dorm on the East Campus for a number of years. He enjoys his interactions with students outside of class. He follows politics with great passion and occasionally writes about it on Mic. Dr. Kabala is an avid member of Toastmasters International, where he hones his public speaking skills. In his free time, he enjoys racquet and water sports, hiking, reading, and listening to jazz.

Current Appointments & Affiliations

Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering 2001

Contact Information

Box 90287, Durham, NC 27708-0287
CIEMAS 2467, Durham, NC 27708
zbigniew.kabala@duke.edu (919) 660-5479

Background
Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Princeton University 1988
- M.S., Princeton University 1982
- M.S., Poznan Polytechnic (Poland) 1980
Duke Appointment History
- Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering 1994 - 2001
- Associate Professor in the Nicholas School of the Environment, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University 1998 - 2000
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- Earl I. Brown II Outstanding Civil Engineering Faculty Award. Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. 2005
- Top 8 Most Downloaded Article. Advances in Water Resources. 2001
Research
Selected Grants
- Proposal for Significant Undergraduate Laboratory Innovation and Improvement of Fluid Mechanics and/or Communications Laboratories awarded by Lord Foundation of North Carolina 2007 - 2008
- Flow Cell & Virtual Fluid Mechanics Lab awarded by Lord Foundation of North Carolina 2000 - 2003
- Multiscale Modeling and Simulation in Scientific Inference: Hierarchical Methods for Parameter Estimation in Porous Flow awarded by National Science Foundation 1999 - 2002
- Detailed Aquifer Characterization by the Dipole-flow Test and Flowmeter Test awarded by Lord Foundation of North Carolina 1995 - 1996
Publications & Artistic Works
Selected Publications
- Academic Articles
  - Kahler, D. M., and Z. J. Kabala. “Erratum: Acceleration of groundwater remediation by rapidly pulsed pumping: Laboratory column tests (Journal of Environmental Engineering (United States) DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001479).” Journal of Environmental Engineering (United States) 145, no. 3 (March 1, 2019). https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001540.
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  - Kahler, D. M., and Z. J. Kabala. “Acceleration of groundwater remediation by deep sweeps and vortex ejections induced by rapidly pulsed pumping.” Water Resources Research 52, no. 5 (May 1, 2016): 3930–40. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015WR017157.
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  - Krug, C. T., and Z. Kabala. “Vadose zone transport of nitrate in the sierra pelona groundwater basin, Agua Dulce, California.” Proceedings of World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2009 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2009: Great Rivers 342 (October 26, 2009): 1814–23. https://doi.org/10.1061/41036(342)181.
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  - Raanan, H., A. Vengosh, A. Paytan, A. Nishri, and Z. Kabala. “Quantifying saline groundwater flow into a freshwater lake using the Ra isotope quartet: A case study from the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret), Israel.” Limnology and Oceanography 54, no. 1 (January 1, 2009): 119–31. https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.2009.54.1.0119.
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  - Kabala, Z. J., H. K. El-Sayegh, and H. P. Gavin. “Sensitivity analysis of a no-crossflow model for the transient flowmeter test.” Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment 16, no. 6 (January 1, 2002): 399–424. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00477-002-0113-5.
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  - Kabala, Z. J., and H. K. El-Sayegh. “Transient flowmeter test: Simi-analytic crossflow model.” Advances in Water Resources 25, no. 1 (January 1, 2002): 103–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0309-1708(01)00013-6.
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  - Sutton, D. J., Z. J. Kabala, A. Francisco, and D. Vasudevan. “Limitations and potential of commercially available rhodamine WT as a groundwater tracer.” Water Resources Research 37, no. 6 (June 9, 2001): 1641–56. https://doi.org/10.1029/2000WR900295.
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  - Kabala, Z. J. “Sensitiviby analysis of a pumping test on a well with wellbore storage and skin.” Advances in Water Resources 24, no. 5 (May 1, 2001): 483–504. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0309-1708(00)00051-8.
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  - Alapati, S., and Z. J. Kabala. “Recovering the release history of a groundwater contaminant using a non-linear least-squares method.” Hydrological Processes 14, no. 6 (April 30, 2000): 1003–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1085(20000430)14:6<1003::AID-HYP981>3.0.CO;2-W.
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  - Kabala, Z. J., V. A. Zlotnik, and B. R. Zurbuchen. “Discussion of papers.” Ground Water 38, no. 2 (January 1, 2000): 162–63. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6584.2000.tb00325.x.
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  - Sutton, D. J., Z. J. Kabala, D. E. Schaad, and N. C. Ruud. “The dipole-flow test with a tracer: A new single-borehole tracer test for aquifer characterization.” Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 44, no. 1 (January 1, 2000): 71–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-7722(00)00083-8.
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  - Sutton, D. J., Z. J. Kabala, and D. Vasudevan. “Rhodamine WT as a reactive tracer: Laboratory study and field consequences.” Iahs Aish Publication, no. 262 (January 1, 2000): 201–5.
  - Ruud, N. C., Z. J. Kabala, and F. J. Molz. “Evaluation of flowmeter-head loss effects in the flowmeter test.” Journal of Hydrology 224, no. 1–2 (October 12, 1999): 55–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(99)00119-5.
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  - Cassiani, G., Z. J. Kabala, and M. A. Medina. “Flowing partially penetrating well: Solution to a mixed-type boundary value problem.” Advances in Water Resources 23, no. 1 (September 15, 1999): 59–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0309-1708(99)00002-0.
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  - Kabala, Z. J. “Maximum inclination path for laminar settling of axisymmetric particles in viscous fluids.” Journal of Environmental Engineering 125, no. 1 (January 1, 1999): 97–101. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(1999)125:1(97).
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  - Cassiani, G., and Z. J. Kabala. “Hydraulics of a partially penetrating well: Solution to a mixed-type boundary value problem via dual integral equations.” Journal of Hydrology 211, no. 1–4 (November 1, 1998): 100–111. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(98)00223-6.
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  - Kabala, Z. J., and T. H. Skaggs. “Comment on "Minimum relative entropy inversion: Theory and application to recovering the release history of a groundwater contaminant" by Allan D. Woodbury and Tadeusz J. Ulrych.” Water Resources Research 34, no. 8 (August 1, 1998): 2077–79. https://doi.org/10.1029/98WR01337.
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  - Skaggs, T. H., Z. J. Kabala, and W. A. Jury. “Deconvolution of a nonparametric transfer function for solute transport in soils.” Journal of Hydrology 207, no. 3–4 (June 25, 1998): 170–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(98)00126-7.
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  - Kabala, Z. J., G. Sposito, M. L. Kavvas, and A. Karakas. “Technical comment on: 'On the stochastic theory of solute transport by unsteady and steady groundwater flow in heterogeneous aquifers', by M.L. Kavvas and A. Karakas (Journal of Hydrology Vol. 179 (1996) 321-351).” Journal of Hydrology 207, no. 1–2 (June 5, 1998): 136–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(98)00128-0.
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  - Skaggs, T. H., and Z. J. Kabala. “Limitations in recovering the history of a groundwater contaminant plume.” Journal of Contaminant Hydrology 33, no. 3–4 (January 1, 1998): 347–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-7722(98)00078-3.
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  - Williams, A. E., J. A. Johnson, L. J. Lund, and Z. J. Kabala. “Spatial and temporal variations in nitrate contamination of a rural aquifer, California.” Journal of Environmental Quality 27, no. 5 (January 1, 1998): 1147–57. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1998.00472425002700050021x.
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  - Williams, A. E., L. J. Lund, J. A. Johnson, and Z. J. Kabala. “Natural and anthropogenic nitrate contamination of groundwater in a rural community, California.” Environmental Science and Technology 32, no. 1 (January 1, 1998): 32–39. https://doi.org/10.1021/es970393a.
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  - Ruud, N. C., and Z. J. Kabala. “Numerical evaluation of the flowmeter test in a layered aquifer with a skin zone.” Journal of Hydrology 203, no. 1–4 (December 31, 1997): 101–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(97)00091-7.
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  - Xiang, J., and Z. J. Kabala. “Performance of the steady-state dipole flow test in layered aquifers.” Hydrological Processes 11, no. 12 (October 15, 1997): 1595–1605. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1099-1085(19971015)11:12<1595::aid-hyp489>3.0.co;2-0.
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  - Ruud, N. C., and Z. J. Kabala. “Response of a partially penetrating well in a heterogeneous aquifer: Integrated well-face flux vs. uniform well-face flux boundary conditions.” Journal of Hydrology 194, no. 1–4 (July 1, 1997): 76–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(96)03217-9.
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  - Kabala, Z. J. “Analytical solutions for the coefficient of variation of the volume-averaged solute concentration in heterogeneous aquifers.” Stochastic Hydrology and Hydraulics 11, no. 4 (January 1, 1997): 331–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02427923.
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  - Kabala, Z. J., and B. Thorne. “Hydraulics of one- and two-dimensional flow fields in aquifers.” Hydrological Sciences Journal 42, no. 1 (January 1, 1997): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626669709492002.
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  - Kabala, Z. J., and G. Cassiani. “Well Hydraulics with the Weber-Goldstein Transforms.” Transport in Porous Media 29, no. 2 (January 1, 1997): 225–46. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006542203102.
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  - Katul, G., P. Todd, D. Pataki, Z. J. Kabala, and R. Oren. “Soil water depletion by oak trees and the influence of root water uptake on the moisture content spatial statistics.” Water Resources Research 33, no. 4 (January 1, 1997): 611–23. https://doi.org/10.1029/96WR03978.
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  - Ruud, N. C., and Z. J. Kabala. “Numerical evaluation of flowmeter test interpretation methodologies.” Water Resources Research 32, no. 4 (April 1, 1996): 845–52. https://doi.org/10.1029/96WR00004.
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  - Skaggs, T. H., and Z. J. Kabala. “Recovering the History of a Groundwater Contaminant Plume: Method of Quasi‐Reversibility.” Water Resources Research 31, no. 11 (January 1, 1995): 2669–73. https://doi.org/10.1029/95WR02383.
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  - Kabala, Z. J. “Measuring distributions of hydraulic conductivity and specific storativity by the double flowmeter test.” Water Resources Research 30, no. 3 (January 1, 1994): 685–90. https://doi.org/10.1029/93WR03104.
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  - Kabala, Z. J., and G. Sposito. “Statistical moments of reactive solute concentration in a heterogeneous aquifer.” Water Resources Research 30, no. 3 (January 1, 1994): 759–68. https://doi.org/10.1029/93WR03345.
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  - Skaggs, T. H., and Z. J. Kabala. “Recovering the release history of a groundwater contaminant.” Water Resources Research 30, no. 1 (January 1, 1994): 71–79. https://doi.org/10.1029/93WR02656.
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  - Kabala, Z. J., and A. Hunt. “A master equation for reactive solute transport in porous media.” Stochastic Hydrology and Hydraulics 7, no. 4 (December 1, 1993): 255–68. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01581614.
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  - Hinedi, Z. R., Z. J. Kabala, T. H. Skaggs, D. B. Borchardt, R. W. K. Lee, and A. C. Chang. “Probing soil and aquifer material porosity with nuclear magnetic resonance.” Water Resources Research 29, no. 12 (January 1, 1993): 3861–66. https://doi.org/10.1029/93WR02302.
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  - Kabala, Z. J. “The dipole flow test: A new single‐borehole test for aquifer characterization.” Water Resources Research 29, no. 1 (January 1, 1993): 99–107. https://doi.org/10.1029/92WR01820.
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  - Kabala, Z. J. “Well response in a leaky aquifer and computational interpretation of pumping tests.” Proceedings National Conference on Hydraulic Engineering, no. pt 1 (January 1, 1993): 21–28.
  - Kabala, Z. J., and J. Xiang. “Skin effect and its elimination for single-borehole aquifer tests.” Finite Elements in Water Resources, Proceedings of the International Conference 1 (December 1, 1992): 467–74.
  - Kabala, Z. J., and G. Sposito. “A stochastic model of reactive solute transport with time‐varying velocity in a heterogeneous aquifer.” Water Resources Research 27, no. 3 (January 1, 1991): 341–50. https://doi.org/10.1029/90WR01906.
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  - Kabala, Z. J., and P. C. D. Milly. “Sensitivity analysis of partial differential equations: A case for functional sensitivity.” Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations 7, no. 2 (January 1, 1991): 101–12. https://doi.org/10.1002/num.1690070202.
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  - Kabala, Z. J., and P. C. D. Milly. “Sensitivity Analysis of Infiltration, Exfiltration, and Drainage in Unsaturated Miller‐Similar Porous Media.” Water Resources Research 27, no. 10 (January 1, 1991): 2655–66. https://doi.org/10.1029/91WR01869.
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  - Sposito, G., D. A. Barry, and Z. J. Kabala. “Stochastic differential equations in the theory of solute transport through inhomogeneous porous media.” Advances in Porous Media. Vol. 1, January 1, 1991, 295–309.
  - Kabala, Z. J., and P. C. D. Milly. “Sensitivity analysis of flow in unsaturated heterogeneous porous media: Theory, numerical model, and its verification.” Water Resources Research 26, no. 4 (January 1, 1990): 593–610. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR026i004p00593.
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  - Milly, P. C. D., and Z. J. Kabala. “Integrated modeling and remote sensing of soil moisture.” Hydrologic Applications of Space Technology. Proc. Workshop, Cocoa Beach, Fl, 1985, January 1, 1986, 331–39.
  - Kabala, Z. J., G. F. Pinder, and P. C. D. Milly. “Analysis of Well‐Aquifer Response to a Slug Test.” Water Resources Research 21, no. 9 (January 1, 1985): 1433–36. https://doi.org/10.1029/WR021i009p01433.
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  - Kabala, Z. J. “Comment on: An exposition of the distribution function used in proving the averaging theorems for multiphase flow.” Advances in Water Resources 7, no. 3 (January 1, 1984): 144–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/0309-1708(84)90045-9.
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Teaching & Mentoring
Recent Courses

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Education, Training, & Certifications

Duke Appointment History

Awards & Honors

Selected Grants

Selected Publications

Academic Articles

Recent Courses