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cv313 Lab 5

The document describes an experiment to study groundwater flow through a permeable medium like sand. The experiment involves pumping water from a well and measuring the drop in the water table and formation of a cone of depression to calculate flow rate and permeability coefficient. Factors like well spacing, pumping rates, and properties of the permeable material like sand affect the results.

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19 views3 pages

cv313 Lab 5

The document describes an experiment to study groundwater flow through a permeable medium like sand. The experiment involves pumping water from a well and measuring the drop in the water table and formation of a cone of depression to calculate flow rate and permeability coefficient. Factors like well spacing, pumping rates, and properties of the permeable material like sand affect the results.

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s11197376
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TITLE: Investigation of flow from a Well

Aim:

The aim of the experiment is to study groundwater flow in a permeable medium and
determine the permeability coefficient (k). This is done by pumping water from a well,
measuring how much the water table drops, and analyzing the cone of depression that forms.
Using Darcy's law, the setup involves wells, and the experiment measures water levels at
different distances from the well to calculate flow and permeability.

Introduction

The flow of water beneath the surface of the Earth via porous geological formations including
rock, sand, and soil is referred to as groundwater flow. Variations in hydraulic head, usually
caused by pressure gradients and gravity, cause this movement. An understanding of
groundwater movement requires a comprehension of Darcy's law, which bears the name of
the French engineer Henry Darcy and explains the rate of groundwater flow through porous
medium. Darcy's law states that the groundwater flow rate (Q) is inversely proportional to the
medium's coefficient of permeability (K) and directly relates to the hydraulic gradient (dh/dl)
and cross-sectional area (A) of the flow route [1]. One of the most important parameters in
the calculations of Darcy's law is the permeability constant, or K, which stands for the
inherent capacity of a porous media to transfer fluids. The cone of depression is a distinctive
feature that may be seen in the groundwater table around pumping wells. As water levels
drop, the water table becomes depressed in the form of a cone.

Furthermore, well spacing can have a big impact on aquifer behavior and groundwater
dynamics because of interference effects such drawdown amplification and cone of
depression overlap [2]. Groundwater levels locally drop around wells because they draw from
the same aquifer when they are positioned close to one another. Cones of depression zones
may grow and merge as a result, eventually decreasing the ability to store groundwater and
perhaps having negative effects on neighboring wells and bodies of surface water. Moreover,
the higher abstraction rates from several adjacent wells may worsen drawdown effects,
accelerating groundwater resource depletion and changing aquifer flow patterns [3].

The permeability coefficient measured in lab settings on coarse sand usually falls between
−2
10 and 10−4 cm/s, contingent on the sand sample's porosity, compaction properties, and
particle size distribution [4]. When compared to finer-grained soils, coarse sand often has
greater permeability coefficients due to its larger particle sizes and relatively high
permeability. This indicates that because the pore spaces between the grains in coarse sand
are more linked, water may pass through them more easily.

Materials

• Basic Hydrologic System with Wells.


• Sand
• Piezometer
• Ruler

Procedure

As per the protocol outlined in Experiment 4, the apparatus tank was configured with a
permeable medium functioning as the model catchment. The reservoir was not supplemented
with sand. In order to allow water to flow into the permeable medium, the catchment was
positioned horizontally and the porthole covers were removed from both end weirs. To record
the outcomes, a table resembling Table 1 was made. To regulate the groundwater level, the
adjustable overflows at each end of the device were adjusted to a suitable height, which was
roughly 132 mm below the top of the permeable medium. For a single well operation, valves
G and F were closed and valves A, C, and D were opened. breathable material. After that,
valve I was opened to permit flow from each end of the device to discharge through the
single well and go to the flow meter for measurement via the permeable medium. After
turning on the pump, the inflow flow rate dropped to about 6.1 l.m-1. In order to guarantee a
uniform flow distribution to every end of the device, valves C, D, and A (when needed) were
modified. This allowed the adjustable overflows to operate freely with a constant head. The
cone of depression surrounding the well was visually represented by the piezometer tubes,
and the corresponding heads were read from the fixed scales after the water levels inside
them achieved steady state conditions. It was indicated what the front panel's outlet flow rate
was. It was observed that some of the water that flowed through the inlet flowmeter
discharged down the adjustable overflows, so the flow through the permeable medium
discharge from the well was not represented by the flow through the flowmeter. As such, the
output flow meter had to be used to measure the flow. When the experiment was over, the
pump was shut off and valves C and D were closed. To help drain the permeable medium,
valves F and H could be opened, and valve I closed, if desired.
References

[1] Freeze, R. A., & Cherry, J. A, "Groundwater," Prentice-Hall, 1979.

[2] Hsieh, P. A., & Bredehoeft, J. D, "A reservoir analysis of the effects of groundwater development
on streamflow," Water Resources Research, vol. 17, no. 6, pp. 1633-1644, 1981.

[3] Sophocleous, M, " Interactions between groundwater and surface water: the state of the
science," Hydrogeology Journal, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 52-67, 2000.

[4] Bear, J, "Dynamics of Fluids in Porous Media," American Elsevier Pub. Co, 1972.

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