Pumping tests
2rw
Q
Pumping test: controlled field experiment to determine
basic aquifer parameters near the well. Volume interested:
support volume to which the measure refers.
It is an example of the inverse problem, or problem of
identifying aquifer parameters, or model calibration.
Specifically: Consider available information on aquifer
excitation (pumping) and responses (head/water levels).
Calibration means finding the values of parameters.
hw
b
h1
h2
q
r1
r2
Case I: steady-state flow, confined aquifer (Thiem equation):
Measure drawdown in two observation well and deduce
r2
r2
Q
2.30Q
T
ln
log
2 s1 s 2 r1 2 s1 s 2
r1
Show numerical example
Q
r2
h2 h1 s1 s2
ln
2T r1
If more than two observation wells are available, plotting
s(r) in semilog scale (r is log) should yield a line, its slope
provides T. For any two points
2.30Q log(r )
T
2 s1 s 2 s
Pumping tests
2rw
Q
Case II: unsteady-state flow, confined aquifer (Theis equation):
Q
s(r , t )
4T
e u
Q
Sr 2
W (u ); u
u
4T
4Tt
hw
b
For large times (u<0.01) the Cooper-Jacb formula is valid
Q
s (r , t )
4T
T,S q
r
Sr 2
Q
2.25Tt
0
.
5772
ln
ln
2
4T
4
Tt
Sr
One cannot eliminate S or T from these equations, hence the graphical method by Theis is used
(Type curve method). It takes advantage of the fact that Q, T, S are constants.
Pumping test analysis, confined aquifer (1/2)
Q
s
W (u )
4T
r2
4T
u
t
S
Q
log s log
logW (u )
4T
Data curve
Type curve
r2
4T
log
log
log u
t
S
The two relationships are similar in form when both are plotted on log paper, except for a certain
displacement of the curves with respect to each other, due to the first term on the r.h.s. of each equation
4T
log
r2/t
Q
log
1) Place the type curve W(u)-u over
the field data, and translate it
vertically and horizontally, keeping
coordinate axes parallel, until best fit
is achieved;
2) Choose an arbitrary point (match
point) on the overlapping sheets, and
record the coordinates on both sheets:
s, r2/t, W(u), u;
W(u)
3) Substitute the four coordinates in
the two equations to yield T and S.
Pumping test analysis, confined aquifer, late time (2/2)
For large times (u <0.01) the Jacob formula is valid :
Q
2.25Tt
s
ln
4T
Sr 2
2.3Q
s
4T
Sr 2
log t log
2
.
25
T
Drawdown test: for given r, s(r, t) is plotted as a function of t
log t
t0
s
2,3Q
log t
4T
Transmissivity T is obtained from the late time portion of the
pumping test curve.
s
log t
s
2.3Q
s0
4T
Then the storativity S is determined by extending the line to
the horizontal axis, finding t0. Then
Srw2
log t 0 log
2
.
25
T
Srw2
2.25Tt 0
t0
S
2.25T
rw2
2rw
Pumping tests
Case III: steady-state flow, phreatic aquifer, small drawdowns
(s<0.25H): behaves like a confined aquifer
Q
R
Q
R
s H h
ln
ln
2KH
r
2T
r
h1
hw
h2
H
K, S
Between any two points r1 and r2
z=0
r1
r2
r2
Q
2
2
h2 h1
ln
K r1
2
1
H s 2
2 H s2 s 2 H
2
2
H s1
r
Q
ln 2
KH
r1
r
Q
ln 2
K r1
r2
Q
s '1 s ' 2
ln
KH
r1
where s is the corrected drawdown that would occur in an equivalent confined aquifer
Hence to infer T: i) measure drawdowns s1, s2 in two observation wells; ii) calculate corrected
drawdowns s1, s2; III) deduce T as for a confined aquifer
Show numerical example
r2
2.30Q
T
log
2 s '1 s ' 2
r1
2rw
Pumping tests
Case IV: unsteady-state flow, phreatic aquifer, small drawdowns
(s<0.25H). The equivalent confined aquifer behaves as
2
Q
S'r
s'
W (u ); u
; T KH
4T
4Tt
s' s s
hw
K, S
2 H
where s is the corrected drawdown that would occur in an equivalent confined aquifer.
To determine aquifer parameters: i) measure s over time in observation well; ii) calculate corresponding
s sequence; iii) use Theis type curve method to determine T and S based on confined aquifer method.
z=0
