Consider a typical groundwater modeling problem in light of proper modeling

protocol –GMS tutorial

Groundwater Modeling
A model is a tool designed to represent a simplified version of reality. Groundwater
models are tools that we use to conceptualize subsurface flow conditions for
understanding or prediction. The typical problem is to predict the distribution of
hydraulic head through an aquifer system given only a few measurements with a
mathematical representation of the system.

Conceptual Model

Mathematical Model

Graphical Analytical Numerical

Solution Solution Solution

a. Establish purpose
Simulate the response of the aquifer to pumping wells
forecasting, prediction, scientific inquiry, …

b. Conceptualization of the problem

What do we need to know about the problem?

c. Model selection or development

What mathematical model?
-what are our choices?
-see below

What solution procedure?

What code?
d. Parameter estimation (calibration)
What parameters are we allowed to very and what are their boundaries?
What is our acceptance criteria

d. Parameter sensitivity analysis

e. Verification
-not present in example. How would we verify?

f. Prediction
g. Prediction sensitivity analysis
h. Presentation
The Mathematical Model:
Equations for predicting the distribution of hydraulic head in a flow system.
The equation describing the distribution of head is derived from 2 basic physical
principles:

1. Conservation of mass. Any water that flows into an area either flows out or
changes the amount of water stored in that area.

2. Darcy's Law: The rate of groundwater flow is dictated by a gradient in hydraulic

head.

1. Conservation of Mass (Continuity):

Continuity is a fundamental concept of physical science that appears in nearly all models
of flow. What goes in must come out unless it is stored.

In –Out = change in Storage

In – Out = ΔS

The ins and outs refer to a total flux or flux rate of water through an area Flux is
typically denoted by q.

Consider a control area in a flow field of groundwater:

∂qx
qx qx + ΔX
∂X
Storage

ΔX

The flow into the control area is represented by Qx. The flow out of the area can be
different than the flow rate in. So the flow rate out equals the flow rate in plus or minus
any additions or subtractions along the way. The difference between the the flow rate in
and the flow rate out has to equal the change in the mass of water in the area with time. If
there is no change in storage, the condition is said to be steady-state. If the storage is
changes, the condition is said to be transient.

flow rate in: qx

⎛ ∂q ⎞
flow rate out: ⎜ q x + x ΔX ⎟
⎝ ∂X ⎠

Storage: Steady state = 0

∂M
Transient =
∂t

Let’s deal with steady state for simplicity.

In - Out = 0

⎛ ∂q ⎞
qx - ⎜ q x + x ΔX ⎟ = 0 (1)
⎝ ∂x ⎠

or

⎛ ∂q x ⎞
− ⎜ ⎟ = 0 (2)
⎝ ∂x ⎠
This is the 1D steady-state continuity equation for mass flux.

2. Darcy's Law

Recall that Qx in the final equation above is the flow rate of groundwater in the x
direction. We have an equation for that:

qx = -Kdh/dx (3)

We can substitute 3 into 2 to get

∂ ⎛ ∂h ⎞
− ⎜− K ⎟ = 0 (4)
∂x ⎝ ∂x ⎠
or

∂2h
=0 Steady-state (5)
∂x 2

Equation 5 is the 1 dimensional equation for steady-state groundwater flow.

If the inflow and outflow are not equal, the right side of the equation must represent the
change in the volume of water in our control area. Recall the definition of specific
storage. Storativity times the rate of head decline will give us the change in the volume of
water.

∂ 2 h Ss dh
= Transient (6)
∂x 2 K dt

The 3d governing equation is typically written as

∂ 2h ∂ 2h ∂ 2h Ss dh
+ 2 + 2 −W =
∂x 2
∂y ∂z K dt

Solution to the 1D steady-state groundwater equation

What does equation 5 do for us? As previously mentioned, it gives of the distribution of
head in a flow system.

Equation 5 is a differential equation. To use it, we first need to obtain an analytical

solution (algebraic equation)…
-solve on board
-highlight boundary conditions, relate to conceptual model
Equation 5 is the simplest form of the groundwater flow equation (1D, homogeneous,
isotropic, steady-state…)

This simple situation almost never exists in reality. When real situations are
incoroporated in the equation, the equation becomes impossible to solve. We then can
only approximate solutions

1. Graphical approximation – flow nets

2. Numerical analysis – computer models
Numerical solution to the Laplace equation using Microsoft Excel.

The purpose of steady-state groundwater modeling is to simulate the distribution of head

in a flow system from just a few points where head is known. One of the simplest
systems, and the one we will focus on, is a 2-d confined, homogeneous, isotropic aquifer.
For this situation, the governing equation is

∂2h ∂2h
+ =0
∂x 2 ∂x 2

Recall that the analytical solution to the 1-D version of this equation is simply a linear
equation

h = ax + b

where a and b are constants that are evaluated by plugging in boundary conditions
(locations where h is known).

In 2-D, the analytical solution is more complicated and analytical solutions exist only for
the simplest cases. Instead, we replace the continuous domain with a finite grid (See
Figure 13.1). If the 1D solution is linear, we can assume that head changes linearly in all
directions. The head in a given cell is therefore just the average of head in surrounding
cells. This is the essence of the finite difference approach. A rigorous derivation of the
finite difference approximation is given in Fetter Chapter 13. Equation 13.2 give the
finite difference approximation of the Laplace equation.

Hi,j = (1/4)(hi-1,j + hi+1,j + hi,j-1 + hi,j-1)

The subscript i and j refer to the x and y directions, respectively. The equation simply
says that the value of cell i,j is simply the average of the four surrounding cells.

The above equation tells us the relationship of head in a cell to the other cells, but how do
we get the absolute values?

…boundary conditions. We have to know the actual value of head somewhere in

the problem. Then the above equation will ripple through the problem until it converges.

Bounday conditions can be;

1. Known head – called Dirichlet condition
2. Known flux – called Neumann condition

The water table is an example of a known head boundary condition. A no-flow boundary
is an example of a known flux boundary.

Let’s work through an example.

Example 1.
Consider a cross-section of a 2-d groundwater flow field 1000 ft long and 1000 feet deep.
The aquifer is unconfined, homogeneous, and isotropic. The elevation of the water table
is 1000 feet at the west end of the problem and 1100 at the east end of the problem. The
two vertical boundaries and the bottom boundary are no-flow barriers. Assume that the
water table has a linear slope and that the head in the aquifer is desribed by the LaPlace
equation. Use a finite-difference approximation of the Laplace equation to construct a
map of the flow field with equipotential lines and flowlines. Hand in your map
electronically.

1. Start Microsoft Excel

2. Set up the grid

a. Enter cell dimensions along the top and left sides of the problem domain.

b. Adjust cell widths and heights so that cells are square (isotropic).

c. Highlight the cell borders. These cells are outside the problem domain and are
here just for scale reference.

d. Format interior cells so that the contents appear in the center of the cell.

3. Shade the boundary cells a color of your choice for the time being.

4. Enter finite difference equations in all interior cells. Note that 0’s appear in all cells.
That’s because there are no boundary conditions to provide a seed value. Just for
illustration enter any number in the top cell of the second column. Press F9 to activate the
equations. You will see the solution ripple through all cells once. The problem is not
done, however, because when a cell value changes it changes the values of the
surrounding cells which changes itself… Hold down the F9 key continuously to see what
I mean. The solution will slow down and eventually stop when the convergence criteria is
met.

5. Set the convergence criteria. Click Tools, Options, Calculation. Check the iteration box
if it is not check. This will allow for circular references. The equations will be resolved
until the change in values between iterations in every cell is less than a specified value.
Enter a value of 0.001 in the maximum change box.

6. Get rid of the bogus value you enter in step 4. The interior cells will still have
numbers. We will use these as initial conditions.

7. Enter boundary conditions.

a. Enter 1000 in the upper left corner and 1100 in the upper right corner.
 b. Fill in the equation for a line for all other upper cells.
Y = mx+b

c. For no-flow boundaries around perimeter (excluding corners)

hx,0 = (hx-1,y + 2*hx,y+1 + hx+1,y)/4

h0,y = (hx,y+1 + 2*hx+1,y + hx,y-1)/4

hx,y = (hx,y-1 + 2*hx-1,y + hx,y+1)/4

d. For bottom corners

hx,y = (2*hy+1,x + 2*hx+1,y)/4 or hx,y = (2*hy+1,x + 2*hx-1,y)/4

8. Hold down F9 key until there are no more changes in any cell.

9. Contour the results.

10. Draw flowlines

Problem 1.
Consider a plan view of a confined, isotropic, homogeneous aquifer that is 1000 m wide
and 1000 m long. The west boundary has a constant head of 1500 m and the east
boundary has a constant head of 1700 m.
a. Construct a potentiometric map and flow lines for the condition described. If
the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer is 10-2cm/s and the thickness is 200 m, calculate
the flow rate through the aquifer. If the porosity is 0.3, calculate the average linear
velocity of groundwater.

b. Assume a well is installed in the center cell and after equilibrium it maintains a
constant head of 1450. Construct the new potentiometric map and flow lines. Hand in
your map electronically.

Problem 2. Consider a cross-section of a 2-d groundwater flow field 1000 ft long and
1000 feet deep. The aquifer is unconfined, homogeneous, and isotropic. The elevation of
the water table is 1000 feet at the both ends and 1100 in the center. Assume the water
table has a linear slope from the center to the ends. The two vertical boundaries and the
bottom boundary are no-flow barriers. Assume that the water table has a linear slope and
that the head in the aquifer is described by the Laplace equation. Use a finite-difference
approximation of the Laplace equation to construct a map of the flow field.
Problem 3. (Requires advanced excel skills)
Repeat example 1, but simulate the influence of undulating topography on the regional
sloping water table. Assume that the water table mimics the topography and can be
approximated with a sin wave governed by

hx = (z0 + Bx/L + bsin(2*pi*x/n))

where B is the total relief of the water table

L is the total length in the x direction of the domain
z0 is the elevation of the water table at a known point
x is the distance from z0
b is the amplitude of the sin wave
n is the number of oscillations in the sin wave (L divided by the number of flow cells)