Subject: HYDROLOGY AND DRAINAGE ENGINEERING

MUET Section: Groundwater Hydrology

Presentation #: 02 (2 hrs)

 Steady Radial Flow to a Well: Dupuit’s Theory (Thiem's Formula)

 Yield of a well from an Unconfined Aquifer
 Yield of a Well from a Confined Aquifer

IN ST R U C TOR: PR O F. D R . A SH FA Q U E A . M EM O N

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING 1

Yield of a well from an Unconfined Aquifer
When water is pumped heavily from a gravity well so that sufficient
drawdown occurs within the well and in the neighbor hood; forming an
inverted cone of depression all around the well, as shown in figure.

The base of this cone is a circle of radius R, known as the circle of

influence.
Inclined side is known as the drawdown curve.

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Let two observation wells are driven within the circle of influence of the
main pumped well, at radial distances of r1 and r2 from the main well.
Let d be the depth of the well or the aquifer, below the static water table.

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Let the main well be pumped at a sufficient rate, so as to cause heavy
drawdown.

Pumping is so adjusted that the equilibrium conditions are reached. In

other words, the rate of pumping becomes equal to the rate of yield, and
thus causing the water level to attain a constant value.

Since the formula involves the use of equilibrium conditions, it is known as

the equilibrium formula.

Let s1 and s2 be the drawdowns in the two corresponding observation

wells, at this equilibrium stage.

From Darcy's law, the flow through any concentric cylindrical section of the
water bearing material is given as
Q=KIA where I = Hydraulic gradient

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Using cylindrical co-ordinates, we take r as the radius of any cylinder, and h
as the height of the cone of depression at a distance r from the main well.
Assuming that the inclination of the water surface is small, so that the tangent
can be used in place of sine for the hydraulic gradient in Darcy's law, we have

Also assuming that the water flows through the full height of the aquifer and
flow is radial and horizontal (i.e. velocity distribution is assumed to be uniform
as shown in the following figure).

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Area of flow, A= 2πrh

where
Q = Constant when steady conditions have reached.
K = Permeability of soil, which is assumed to be constant at all places and at
all times i.e. assuming the soil to be homogeneous and isotropic.

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Above formula can be further simplified, as follows:

and if the amount of drawdown is small compared to the saturated

thickness of the water bearing material, then h2 and h1 are nearly equal
and each is approximately equal to this saturated thickness, say d.

Putting this value in the above equation for Q, we get

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Putting T = K d, where T = coefficient of transmissibility, we have

Other forms of the equation may be:

ho2  hw2
Q  K
lnR rw 
or  sw 
L 
Q  2Ks w  2
lnR rw 
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Assumptions:
1. The aquifer is homogeneous, isotropic and of infinite areal
extent, so that its coefficient of transmissibility or permeability is
constant everywhere.
2. The well has been sunk through the full depth of the aquifer
and it receives water from the entire thickness of the aquifer.
3. Pumping has continued for a sufficient time at a uniform rate,
so that the equilibrium stage or steady flow conditions have
reached.
4. Flow lines are radial and horizontal, and flow is laminar.
5. The inclination of the water surface is small so that its tangent
can be used in place of sine for the hydraulic gradient in Darcy's
equation.

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Example
A tube well penetrates fully an unconfined aquifer. Calculate
the discharge from the tube well under the following
conditions:
Diameter of the well = 30 cm;
Drawdown = 2 m ;
Effective length of the strainer under the drawdown = 10.0 m;
Radius of zero drawdown = 300 m;
Coefficient of permeability of the aquifer = 0.05 cm/sec;
 sw 
 L  
Q  2Ks w  2
lnR rw 

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Example
In order to determine the field permeability of a free aquifer, pumping test was performed and
following observations were made:
Diameter of well = 20 cm
Discharge from the well = 240 m3/hr
R.L. of original water surface before pumping = 240.5 m
R.L. of water in the well at constant pumping = 235.6 m
R.L. of the impervious layer = 210 m
R.L. of water in observation well = 239.8 m
Radial distance of observation well from the tube well = 50 m
Calculate
(i) Coefficient of permeability, k.
Using subscript 1 for well face and 2 for observation well & applying
k = 2.045 m/hr
(ii) The error in k if the observations are not made in observation well and radius of influence
is taken to be 300 m.

h 2
 h 2
2.23  2.045
Applying Q  k o ' w , k ’ = 2.23 m/hr, % error   100  9.05%
lnR rw  2.045
(iii) Actual radius of influence based on the observations of observation well.
Substituting k = 2.045 in the Eq. ho2  how
2
, R = 153.1 m
Q  K
lnR row 
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Example
A gravity well has a diameter of 60 cm. Depth of water in the well is 40 m before start of
pumping. During pumping at the rate of 2000 lit/min, the drawdown in a well 10 m away is
4 m and in another well 20 m away is 2 m. Determine:
(a) Radius of zero drawdown;
Firstly, Assign subscript 1 and 2 to sections at r1 and ro and compute Q1; and then
assign subscript 1 and 2 to sections at r2 and ro and compute Q2 using the
relationship

ho2  h12or 2
Q1 or 2  K
lnro r1 or 2 
Then equate expressions for both cases and solve to get ro = 140.82 m

b) Coefficient of permeability;

ho2  h12
Get value of k using Q1  K K = .0005 m/min
lnro r1 
c) Drawdown in the well;

Using Q  K
ho
2
 hw
2
find hw and thus determine sw
lnro rw 
hw = 29.14 m sw = 10.86 m

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Yield of a Well from a Confined Aquifer
The conditions of a confined aquifer case are shown in the following figure.

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In a confined aquifer, the flow is actually radial and horizontal therefore, it has not to be
assumed as such, as it was in the unconfined case. Rest of the assumptions remain the same,
as in case of unconfined aquifer, and hold good in this case also.

Because water is drawn from the cylinder of radius r and Height = H,

where H = Thickness of the confined aquifer.

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Integrating between the limits of r1 and r2 we get

h2  h1
or Q  2KH or
lnr2 r1 

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where s1 - s2 is the difference of water levels between the two observation
wells after the steady conditions have reached. or
ho  hw
Q  2KH
lnR rw 
sw
Q  2KH
lnR rw 
sw
Q  2T
lnR rw 

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Assumptions
1. Aquifer is homogeneous.
2. The well penetrates to the full thickness of aquifer.
3. Permeability is uniform.
4. Piezometric surface/ confining layers is/are horizontal and thus, the
base of the cone is a circle.
5. Equilibrium conditions have fully reached.

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 Yield/Discharge through the well in a
Confined Aquifer
ho  hw
Q  2 bk
ln(ro / rw )
sw
Q  2 bk
ln(ro / rw )

s
Q  2 T
ln(ro / rw )

 For two observation wells

h2  h1
Q  2 bk
ln(r2 / r1 )

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Example

A tube well of 30 cm diameter penetrates fully in an artesian aquifer. The

strainer length is 15 m. Calculate the yield from the well under a drawdown of 3
m. Aquifer consists of sand with coefficient of permeability 50 m/day. Assume
radius of drawdown as 150 m.

sw
Q  2KH
lnR rw  Q = 2046.5 m3/day

Example
Design a tube well for the following data:
Yield required = 0.08 cumec;
Thickness of confined aquifer = 30 m;
Radius of circle of influence = 300 m;
Permeability coefficient = 60 m/day;
Drawdown = 5 m

rw = 0.084 m

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Example
An artesian tube well has a diameter of 20 cm. The thickness of aquifer is 30 m and
its permeability is 36 m/day. Find its yield under a drawdown of 4 m at the well face.
Use radius of influence as recommended by Sichardt.

According to Sichardt, R  3000 s k

[R and s are in meters, k in m/sec]
R = 245 m

sw
Q  2KH =0.031 m3/sec = 3479 m3/day
lnR rw 

Example
A well penetrates fully in a 10 m thick water bearing stratum having coefficient of
permeability of 0.005 m/sec. The well radius is 10 cm and to be worked under a
drawdown of 4 m at the well face. Calculate the discharge from the well. What will be
the percentage increase in discharge if the radius of the well is doubled? Take R = 300
m in each case.
Q-q
% increase in discharge   100
q
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