Principles of Pumping Test
Principles of Pumping Test
Principles of Pumping Test
Rafid
Pumping Test
These measurements are then incorporated into an appropriate well flow equation to
calculate the hydraulic parameters of the aquifer.
Design Considerations
There are several things should be considered before starting a pumping test:
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1 Literature review for any previous reports, tests and documents that may
include data or information regarding geologic and hydrogeologic systems or
any test for the proposed area.
2 Site reconnaissance -استطالع الموقع- to identify wells status and geologic
features.
3 Pumping tests should be carried out within the range of proposed or
designed rate (for new wells, it should be based on the results of Step
Drawdown Test).
4 Avoid influences such as the pumping of nearby wells shortly before the
test.
5 Determine the nearby wells that will be used during the test if it’s likely they
will be affected, this well depends on Radius of Influence. The following
equation can be used to determine the radius of influence (R0):
6 Measure groundwater levels in both the pumping test well and nearby wells
before 24 hours of start pumping.
7 Make sure that the water discharged during the test does not interfere with
shallow aquifer tests.
8 Determine the reference point of water level measurement in the well.
9 Determine number, location and depth of observation wells (if any).
1- Confined Aquifers
If a fully penetrating small-diameter well penetrating a confined aquifer is
pumped for a very long period of time until the water level reached a
steady state, i.e. the water level and the cone of depression became stable,
and then by applying Darcy equation it is possible to calculate the well
discharge:
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Where:
A= Cross-sectional area of flow (L2)
V= Darcy velocity (L/T)
r= radial distance from main well to any point in the aquifer (L),
D= thickness of the aquifer (L).
K= hydraulic conductivity (L/T).
h= head (L)
since:
T = Dk
Then
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2-Unconfined Aquifers
In unconfined aquifers the saturated thickness (D) is variable; therefore it
is not possible to apply it in the flow equation. As an alternative we use
the head (h), which represents the elevation of the water level above the
base of the aquifer.
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The discharge of the well is supplied by the vertical recharge and the
aquifer storage. Thus
Thus the total flow of the well equals the recharge within the circle
defined by the radius of influence, which means that the radius of
influence is controlled by the well pumping and the recharge rate only.
This results in a steady- state drawdown.
Solution:
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Example 2/ The following observations were recorded during a pumping out test on a
tube well penetrating fully in a free aquifer:
Well diameter = 25cm
Discharge from the well = 300 m3/hr
E.L of original water surface before pumping started = 122.0 m
E.L of water in well at constant pumping = 117.1 m
E.L of water in the observation well = 121.3 m
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ln R - ln 0.125 = 7.1
Ln R= 7.1+ ln 0.125 = 5.02
2.303log R= 5.02
R=1.51 m
Hence the radius of zero drawdown, R = 151 m
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Theis's Method