Flow in Aquifers

CE374L Groundwater Hydraulics

Daene C. McKinney

www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/mckinney/ce374l/ce374l.html
Summary
Confined Aquifer Flow
Continuity Equation
Steady Horizontal Flow
Transmissivity
Unconfined Aquifer Flow
Continuity Equation
Steady Horizontal Flow
Steady Horizontal Flow with Infiltration
Drains








Confined Aquifer Flow
CE374L Groundwater Hydraulics

Daene C. McKinney

www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/mckinney/ce374l/ce374l.html
Recall: Continuity Equation
Continuity equation

Darcys Law

1-D Continuity

3-D Continuity

q
x
= K
ch
cx

cq
x
cx
= S
ch
ct

c
cx
K
ch
cx
|
\

|
.
| = S
ch
ct

c
cx
K
x
ch
cx
|
\

|
.
| +
c
cy
K
y
ch
cy
|
\

|
.
|
+
c
cz
K
z
ch
cz
|
\

|
.
| = S
ch
ct
Horizontal Aquifer Flow
Most aquifers are thin
compared to horizontal
extent
Flow is horizontal, q
x
and q
y

No vertical flow, q
z
= 0
Average properties over
aquifer thickness (b)

h(x,y,t)=
1
b
h(x,y,z,t)dz
0
b
}
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confined aquifer
Q
x
K

x
y
z
h
Head in confined aquifer
Confining Layer
b

q
x
(x,y,t)=
1
b
q
x
(x,y,z,t)dz
0
b
}

Q
x
= bq
x
Aquifer Transmissivity
Transmissivity (T)
Discharge through thickness of
aquifer per unit width per unit
head gradient
Product of conductivity and
thickness

T =K b
Hydraulic
gradient = 1 m/m
b
1 m
1 m
1 m
Transmissivity, T, volume
of water flowing an area 1
m x b under hydraulic
gradient of 1 m/m
Conductivity, K, volume of water
flowing an area 1 m x 1 m under
hydraulic gradient of 1 m/m

K(x,y)=
1
b
K(x,y,z)dz
0
b
}
Recall: Continuity Equation
Continuity equation


Darcys Law


Continuity

cQ
x
cx
= S
ch
ct

Q
x
= T
x
ch
cx

c
cx
T
x
ch
cx
|
\

|
.
| = ' S
ch
ct
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confined aquifer
Q
x
K

x
y
z
h
Head in confined aquifer
Confining Layer
b

1
r
c
cr
r
ch
cr
|
\

|
.
| =
' S
T
ch
ct
Radial Coordinates
Example Horizontal Flow
Consider steady flow from left to right in a confined aquifer
Find: Head in the aquifer, h(x)

c
cx
T
x
ch
cx
|
\

|
.
| = ' S
ch
ct
= 0

T
d
2
h
cx
2
= 0

h(x) = h
A
+
h
B
h
A
L
x
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confined aquifer
Q
x
K

x
y z
h
B
Confining Layer
b
h
A
L

steady flow
Head in the aquifer

h(x)
Example Horizontal Flow
L = 1000 m, h
A
= 100 m, h
B
= 80 m, K = 20 m/d, | = 0.35
Find: head, specific discharge, and average velocity

h(x) = h
A
+
h
B
h
A
L
x =100 0.02x m

q = K
h
B
h
A
L
= (20 m/ d)
80 100
1000
= 0.4 m/ day

v =
q
|

=1.14 m/ day
Ground surface
Bedrock
Confined aquifer
Q
x
K

x
y z
h
B
Confining Layer
b
h
A
L

Unconfined Aquifer Flow
CE374L Groundwater Hydraulics

Daene C. McKinney

www.ce.utexas.edu/prof/mckinney/ce374l/ce374l.html
Flow in an Unconfined Aquifer
Dupuit approximations
Slope of the water table is small
Velocities are horizontal
Ground surface
Bedrock
Unconfined aquifer
Water table
Ax
Q
x
K

h
x
y
z

Q
x
= q
x
h = (K
ch
cx
)h

cQ
x
cx
= S
y
ch
ct

c
cx
Kh
ch
cx
|
\

|
.
| = S
y
ch
ct
Steady Flow in an Unconfined Aquifer
1-D flow



Steady State



K = constant




d
2
h
2
( )
dx
2
= 0

c
cx
Kh
ch
cx
|
\

|
.
| = S
y
ch
ct

d
dx
Kh
dh
dx
|
\

|
.
| = 0

h
2
(x) = h
A
2
+(
h
B
2
h
A
2
L
)x
h
Flow
h
A
h
B
Water Table
Ground Surface
Bedrock
L
x

Q= (K
dh
dx
)h =
K
2
dh
2
dx
=
K
2
h
B
2
h
A
2
L
|
\

|
.
|
Steady Flow in an Unconfined Aquifer
K = 10
-1
cm/sec
h
A
= 6.5 m
h
B
= 4 m
x = 150 m
Find Q


h
Flow
h
A
h
B
Water Table
Ground Surface
Bedrock
L
x

Q=
K
2
h
B
2
h
A
2
L
|
\

|
.
| =
86.4 m/ d
2
6.5
2
4
2
150
|
\


|
.
|
|
= 7.56 m
3
/ d / m
Steady Flow in an Unconfined Aquifer
With Infiltration
h
h
Max
Flow
h
A
h
B
Water Table
Ground Surface
Bedrock
N, Infiltration
L
x

h
2
(x) = h
A
2
+
h
B
2
h
A
2
L
|
\

|
.
| x +
N
K
(L x)x

d
2
h
2
( )
dx
2
= 2
N
K

c
cx
Kh
ch
cx
|
\

|
.
| + N = S
y
ch
ct
Steady Flow
Constant K
h
h
Max
Flow
h
L
h
R
Water Table
Ground Surface
Bedrock
N, Infiltration
L
x
Steady flow in an unconfined aquifer
with infiltration

Q(x) =
K
2
d(h
2
)
dx

x
divide
=
L
2
+
K
2NL
(h
R
2
h
L
2
)

dh
2
dx
=
h
B
2
h
A
2
L
|
\

|
.
| +
N
K
(L 2x)

Q(x) = K
h
R
2
h
L
2
2L
N(
L
2
x)
Example (Embankment)
Given
L = 3000 m
K = 20 m/day
h
L
= 30 m
h
R
= 20 m
N = 500 mm/yr



Find: Flow to the streams and shape of water table
h
h
Max
Flow
h
L
h
R
Water Table
Ground Surface
Bedrock
N, Infiltration
L
x
Example (Cont.)

x
divide
=
3000
2
+
20*(500)
2*1.37*3
= 283.5m

Q(0) =
20
2
(
1.37
20
3+
30
2
20
2
3000
)
= 3.72 m
3
/ day

Q(L) = 3.72 +1.37* 3
= 0.39 m
3
/ day
h
h
Max
Flow
h
L
h
R
Water Table
Ground Surface
Bedrock
N, Infiltration
L
x
Example (Drains)
Subsurface drains are often used to prevent the water table elevation from
increasing to an elevation where it would waterlog the roots of crops or bring
unwanted salts and other chemicals in to the root zone.
Steady, 1-D flow , homogeneous,
isotropic aquifer, w/infiltration





h
d
h
Max
Water Table
Ground Surface
Lower
Confining
Layer
N, Infiltration
L
x

d
2
h
2
( )
dx
2
= 2
N
K
c
cx
Kh
ch
cx
|
\

|
.
| + N = S
y
ch
ct

h
2
=
Nx
K
(L x) + h
d
2
Example (Cont.)
Solve for max water table elevation
h
d
h
Max
Water Table
Ground Surface
Lower Confining
Layer
N, Infiltration
L
x

h
2
=
Nx
K
(L x) + h
d
2

h
Max
2
= h 0.5L
( )
2
=
NL
2
4K
+ h
d
2
Summary
Confined Aquifer Flow
Continuity Equation
Steady Horizontal Flow
Transmissivity
Unconfined Aquifer Flow
Continuity Equation
Steady Horizontal Flow
Steady Horizontal Flow with Infiltration
Drains