Latin hypercube sampling for uncertainty analysis in multiphase modelling

To facilitate the uncertainty analysis of a finite element multiphase multi-component transport model MOFAT, this paper provides guidance on latin hypercube sampling Monte Carlo (LHS-MC) sample size selection. To evaluate the ability of LHS-MC to produce output cumulative distribution functions (cdfs) that replicate random sampling Monte Carlo (RS-MC) cdfs, output cdfs obtained with LHS-MC sample sizes of 100, 300, and 500, and a RS-MC sample size of 10 000 are compared using the two sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. The LHS-MC cdfs for the three different sample sizes are able to accurately replicate the corresponding RS-MC cdfs for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) concentrations in the water, gas, and solid phases. The stability of LHS-MC is also evaluated by comparing three replicates of a LHS-MC sample. The three replicates are all able to accurately replicate the corresponding RS-MC cdfs for all BTEX concentrations in all three phases.