WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH, VOL. 16, NO.

5, PAGES 887-890, OCTOBER 1980

A Numerical Method for the Calculation of the Average Drawdown

in a Fully PenetratingObservationWell
in an Unconfined Aquifer
LAURETTE ROLFES

National ResearchInstitutefor MathematicalSciences,Councilfor Scientificand Industrial Research,Pretoria, SouthAfrica

A numerical method which is numerically stable and makes use of a convergenceaccelerational-

gorithm is proposedfor the calculationof Neuman's formula for the averagedrawdownin an observa-
tion well completelypenetratingan unconfinedaquifer.

INTRODUCTION {1 - exp[-tg(y 2 + 'yn2)]}

tan 'Yn
s(y) = (3)
Neurnan [1972] proposed an analytical model for the de- {y2__(1 + O)'yn 2 -- 022+ 'yn2)2/O}
'Yn
layed responseprocesscharacterizingflow to a well in an un- and the terms ¾oand 'Ynare the roots of the equations
confined aquifer and derived [Neurnan, 1975] an expression
for the average drawdown in the specialcaseof the observa- 0¾osinh¾o- (y2_ ¾0 2) cosh¾o= 0 'yo
2< / (4)
tion well completelypenetratingthe aquifer. This expression
is given in terms of three independent dimensionlessphys- OynSin'Yn-I- 072-I- ¾n
2) COS 'Yn= 0 (5)
ically well-defined parameters of the aquifer system.These (n - «)•r < 'Yn< n•r n- 1,2, ...
parameters are

storage coefficient The respectiverangesof the three dimensionlessparameterso,

specific yield /•, and ts are 0 < o, 0 </•, and 0 < ts. For the computer pro-
gram, l0 -l •< tswas consideredsufficient.
Although the order of integration and summationin (1) is
of no theoretical significance,it is necessaryto consider the
numerical implications.A convergenceaccelerationalgorithm
(with K•, the vertical permeability, Kr, the horizontal per- providesa meansof approximatingthe limit of a slowly con-
meability, r, the radial distancefrom the pumpingwell, and b, vergentseries,
usingbnlya smallnumberof terms,moreaccu-
the initial saturatedthickness of the aquifer),and tsor ty(ty =rately than by simple summation of the same terms. Since
ots),a time parameter. For the theoreticalbackgroundof the convergenceaccelerationis an unstable processsensitiveto
problem and a detailed descriptionof the parametersthe small perturbationsto the termsof the series,a high degreeof
reader is referred to Neuman [1975]. accuracyin thesetermsis necessary.Integration,on the other
Although the average drawdown in the above-mentioned hand, is a stabilizing processwhich tends to dampen out in-
special case is given in closed form by the mentioned ex- accuraciesin the values of the integrand.
pression,threedifficultiesdo arisewhenthe expressionis eval- Reversing the order of integration and summation in (1)
uated numerically: (1) the calculation of an infinite integral, causesthe terms of the infinite seriesto involve integrals. Al-
(2) the summationof an infinite series,and (3) at certaincriti- though the integrandsthemselvescan be calculated to ma-
cal valuesof the parameters,cancellationof significantfigures chine precision, the process of numerical integration in-
in the calculation of the terms of the series causes severe nu- troduces inaccuracies in the terms of the series. The errors are
merical inaccuracy. amplified by the convergenceaccelerationalgorithm.
In the proposednumerical method the first two difficulties
Furthermore,performingthe operationsof integrationand
are effectively taken care of by using a sophisticatedcon-
summationas in expression(1) hastwo important advantages.
vergenceaccelerationalgorithm of Levin [1973].To overcome1. The En•l øøen(y) can be effectivelyapproximated,using
the problemof cancellation,the termsof the seriesare rewrit-
a convergenceaccelerationalgorithm, since the terms Un(y)
ten in an analyticallyequivalentbut numericallystableform.
are calculatedto machine precision.
NUMERICAL METHOD 2. Inaccuraciesdue to the approximation in advantage 1
are dampenedout by the processof numerical integration.
The averagedrawdown in an observationwell completely Evaluating (1) for given values of o,/•, and ts implies the
penetratingan unconfinedaquifer is given by numerical integration of the integrand

So
=•øø
4yJo(,]3'/2y)
{UoO,)
+n•=l
UnO,)}
dy (l)
where Jo is the zero-order Besselfunction of the first kind,
over the interval [0, oo], which in turn implies the evaluation
{1 - exp [-tsfi(y2- Yo')]}tanh¾o
Uo(y)
= {y2
+(1+0)¾o'-
- (y2 ¾o (2) of
_ ¾o')'/0} (6) for many valuesof y theoreticallyrangingfrom zero to
infinity.To evaluate(6) for a specificvalueof y, we proceedas
Copyright
¸ 1980bytl•eAmerican
Geophysical
Union. follows.

887
Paper number 80W0687.
0043-1397/80/080W-0687501.00
888 ROLFES: AQUIFER HYDRAULICS

Calculationof ¾oand ¾n 2. The term tan ¾nin (10) where¾n= (n -- «)½r.The com-
Equations(4) and (5) canbe rewrittenin the followingway: puter routine implemented for the tan function commits a
large relative error.
Numericalstabilityin theexpressions
for Oo(X)and O,(x)
¾o
= Y_ O¾o
tanh
Y+¾o
¾o ¾02
< ya (7)
is obtained as follows. From (4) and (5), respectively,it fol-
lows that

tan
¾n=--(y:o'y,,
+¾,,2)(n--«)½r
<¾n<net (8) x2 - fi¾o
2 = ofi¾o
tanh¾o (11)

The roots¾oand ¾,of (7) and (8) canbe calculatedto machine

precisionby using the initial values = _(x
tan'Yn 2+fi¾,,2)
fiOyn (12)
¾o
(ø)= y
Substituting(11) and (12) in (9) and (10), we obtain the ex-
.y,,(o)
._ (n -- «)•r pressions
and the iterations
{1
Uo(x)-
{x2-+exp
(1+[-t•O•¾o
tanh
o)•¾o
2-- ¾o]}
O•¾o:tanh
¾o
¾o (9')
tanh:¾o}
O¾o
© tanh ¾o
(k)
¾o
(k+•
--y- Y+¾o<k
• k--0,1,2,'"
which follows directly from (7) and
Uo(x)
=2sinh
{tsO•¾o
tanh
¾o.}-t•O•¾o
tanh
¾o
¾?+•)
=(n- «)½r
+arctan
ya+(¾?))2 0¾?)k=O,
1,2,... ßtanb
To/{x:
+(1+o)fi¾o:
-ofi¾o:
tanh:
To}
To(9")
and
obtainedby observingthe following.Since¾n
(ø)= (n -- «)•r
and (n - «)½r< ¾n< mr, it followsthat
On(X)
= {o/•x
{1--exp [--t•(x
•+fiyn:)]}
• -- (1 + o)o/•:¾,,:
(X:+fi¾,2)(10')
-- (x: + •Tfi) :} Tfi
¾?+•) = (n - «)•r + 8 8> 0 k -- 0, 1, 2, -.-
and hence

tan ¾?+')= -1/tan 8 (8')

O(x)
= {t(x:
+2 }exp{ 2+ }
From (8) it followsthat
ß(x:
+•Tfi)/{o•x:
--(1+o)o•:Tfi
--(x:
+•Tfi):}
Tfi(10")
tan
¾?+')=
-[y:oy?)
+(¾?))2] (8")
which are numerically stableß

•4pproximation
of y.,=,ooUn(y)
By equatingthe right-handsidesof (8') and (8") one obtains
the iterationfor ¾f'+•L Consideringthe transformationx -- fi•/2y and the relation
The above method is particularly suitablefor small values
of o. In fact, for o = 10-9, machineprecisionis reachedwithin
we have
two iterations. However, for large o(_> 1) more iterations are
neededto obtain machine precision,and a Newton-Raphson
method,as suggested by Neuman[1972],shouldbe used.
n=:l

Evaluation of U and Un
It remainsto approximate
y,.,=•oo
O,(x),whichisthemostdif-
Consider(2) and (3), and apply the transformation ficult part in the evaluationof (1). Although the partial sums
of the infinite seriesin (1) converge[Neuman, 1972],the rate
of convergence,which dependson the valuesassumedby the
obtaining the relations parameterso, fi, and t•, is very slow for certain combinations
Uo(.V)
= # Oo(x) U(y) = # O(x) of y, o, fl, and t• valuesß
The use of the method of straightforwardaddition has been
where suggested by Neuman [1972].The desireddegreeof accuracy
can be obtained,usingthis method, providedthat the number
Oo(X)
= {x{1 - exp [-ts(x
2 + (1 + o)fi¾o
2- fi¾o2)]}tanh¾o
2 - (x2 - fi¾o2)2/ofi}
¾o
(9) of terms added is sufficientlylarge. Indeed, from (10') it is
clear that

{1 -exp [-ts(x2+ fiyn2)]}tan 'Yn

0,, = 0(n-2) /• small
On(X)
= {X
2__
(1+O)fi¾, ¾• (10)
2--(X2+fi¾•2)2/Ofi}
Cln= O(n-n) otherwise
The sourcesof numerical instability in the expressions(9)
and (10) are the following: in which caseit can easily be shownthat
1. The term 1 - exp [-t•(x 2 - fi¾o2)] whenevert• is small;
i.e., exp [-ts(X2 - fi¾o2)]is closeto 1. The numericalevalua-
tion of I - exp [-t•(x 2 - fi¾o2)]then resultsin the subtraction
of two numberswhich are almostequal,causingcancellation. oo N I (13)
 ROLFES:AQUIFER HYDRAULICS 889

TABLE 1. IntegralValuesandExecution Timesof theProposed where

andNeuman'sMethodsfor VariousValuesof fl andtsando ---10-9
ProposedMethod
Value of Execution
Neuman's

Value of
Method

Execution
So=
•0xlf (x) ax
ts So Time, s So Time, s

10-2 0.2492 X 10-2

fl = 10-•s
0.2478 X 10-2
Sn=
Xn+
n
If(x) dx
I 0.1044 X 10 0.1038 X 10 It remainsto evaluateSoand the infiniteseries•]niløøSn.
102 0.5417 X 10 32.788 0.5392 X 10 259.217 To obtainnumericalstabilitynear the origin,particularly
105 0.1232 X 102 0.1226 X 102
when t• is large, we write
1020 0.2387 X 102 0.2367 X 102

10-2
I
0.2492 X 10-2
0.1044 x 10
fl -- 10-6
0.2478 X 10-2
0.1038 x 10
$o=
•0øt
f(x) dx +
• xlf(x) dx (14)

102 0.5397 x 10 45.283 0.5385 x 10 244.322 wherea ischosen

suchthat0 < a < x2anda -- 0(t•-2).Choos-
105 0.1161 x 102 0.1160 x 102 ing a in this way causesthe size of the first interval of in-
1020 0.1247 x 102 0.1245 x 102
tegration [0, a] to decreaseas t• increasesand hence makes it
19= 10-s possibleto calculatethe firstintegralin (14) accuratelyfor all
10-2 0.2465 X 10-2 0.2465 X 10-2 values of t•. In the computer program implementing this
I 0.1019 X 10 0.1017 X 10
102 0.4765 X 10 55.92 0.4766 X 10 219.518
method,a = 0.2/t• wasused.The Pattersonintegralrule [Nu-
105 0.5622 X 10 0.5623 X 10 merical AlgorithmsGroup, 1977], which was found the most
1020 0.5694 X 10 0.5696 X 10 suitable,is usedin the calculationof $o and Sn.The alternat-
ingseries•]n=løøSnis againsummed
by makinguseof a con-
10-2 0.1703 X 10-2 0.1702 X 10-1 vergenceaccelerationalgorithm.The T transformationsug-
I 0.3 0.3001 gestedby Levin[1973]provedto be particularlysuitable.
102 0.3173 48.422 0.3174 130.563
105 0.3174 0.3175 NUMERICAL RESULTS
1020 0.3138 X 10 0.314 X 10
To illustratethe advantages
of the proposedmethodover
the methoddescribed and implementedby Neurnann[1972],
For example, consider the unconfinedaquifer integral So was evaluatedfor various
oo 1
valuesof the parameterso, fi, and t,. Resultswere compared
with respectto accuracyand computerexecutiontime.
•--2
n(n+
1-•-'-•=1 The values listed in Tables 1 and 2 show that the results of
and the partial sum the two methodsconsideredare of comparableprecision.
However,the computerexecutiontime usedby the proposed
k 1 1
• n(n
n•! +1•=1 k+l TABLE 2. IntegralValuesandExecutionTimesof theProposed
and Neuman'sMethodsfor VariousValuesoffl and t• and o --- 10-2
Omitting the factor N in the right-handside of (13), as has ProposedMethod Neuman's Method
been suggestedby Neuman [1972], thereforeclearly resultsin
Value of Execution Value of Execution
a severeunderestimateof the error in the approximationof t• So Time, s So Time, s
•].il øøOnwhentheconvergence
of thepartialsumsof thisin-
finite series is slow. 19= 10-•s
10-2 0.2492 x 10-2 0.2478 x 10-2
In view of the abovediscussion it is necessaryto make use I 0.1044 x 10 0.1038 x 10
of an algorithmfor improvingthe convergenceof slowly con- 102 0.5417 x 10 72.64 0.5392 x 10 262.139
vergent sequences.In particular, the U transformation de- 105 0.1232 x 102 0.1226 x 102
scribedby Levin [1973] is used. 1020 0.2388 x 102 0.2367 x 102

fl -- 10-6
Calculationof the Integral $D 10-2 0.2492 x 10-2 0.2478 x 10-2
Making the transformationx = fi2/2yand letting I 0.1044 x 10 0.1038 x 10
102 0.5397 x 10 93.348 0.5385 x 10 250.111
105 0.1168 x 102 0.1167 x 102
f(x)
--axJo(x)
{•oOn(X)}
dx 1020 0.2141 x 102 0.2142 x 102

19---10-s
we obtain 10-2 0.2465 X 10-2 0.2465 X 10-2
I 0.1019 X 10 0.1017 X 10
102 0.4806 X 10 118.537 0.4807 X 10 233.404
so
=fo
øø
f(x)
dx 105
1020
0.9924 X 10
0.2141 X 102
0.9925 X 10
0.2144 X 102
Since4x •n=O
øøOn(X)> 0, 0 <--X < OO,
andJo(x)isan oscillat-
ing function, we can evaluate So as follows. Let x,, x2, x3, '" 10-2 0.1708 x 10-2 0.1708 X 10-l
be the zeros of the Bessel function Jo. Then I 0.3452 0.3453
102 0.3045 x 10 105.903 0.3047 x 10 144.709
105 0.9924 x 10 0.9927 x 10
SD•_•_.
So_[_
•n•Sn nll
10iø 0.2141 x 102 0.2144 x 102
890 ROLFES: AQUIFER HYDRAULICS

NOTATION
methodis lessthan that usedby Neuman'smethodby a factor
8 in the best and a factor 1.5 in the worst case tabulated. Fur- b initial saturated thicknessof the aquifer.
thermore, all calculationsin the program implementingthe vertical permeability.
methodof Neumanhad to be carriedout in doubleprecision horizontal permeability.
on a CDC Cyber 174computer,i.e., to 28 significantdigits,to radial distancefrom pumping well.
obtain the tabulatedresults.Experimentsshowedthat a single value of the unconfined aquifer integral.
precisionimplementation of thismethodyieldsreliableresults time parameter.
only in the casewherefi is large(_>1). In the programimple- time parameter, ty = ots.
mentingthe proposedmethod,however,all calculationswere 18= (Kzra)/(K•:).
carried out in singleprecisionon the samecomputer.This o storagecoefficient/specific
yield.
(Fortran) programas well as a completedocumentation is
available from the author on request. Acknowledgment. The authoris thankfulto D. P. Lauriefor his
adviceand helpful suggestions.
CONCLUSION

The accuracyobtainedin the calculationof the termsSnde- REFERENCES

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of En=løøOn(X
). This impliesa limitedaccuracy in the final Levin, D., Developmentof non-lineartransformation
convergence of sequences,
for improving
lnt. J. Comput.Math., Ser.B., 3, 371-
value obtained for So. 388, 1973.
Apartfromtheapproximation
for En•iøøOn(X
) andEn_--!
øø Neuman,S. P., Theoryof flowin unconfinedaquifersconsidering
de-
Sn,the implementationof the convergence accelerationused layedresponse
of the watertable,WaterResour.
Res.,8(4), 1031-
1044, 1972.
alsogivesan estimateof theaccuracyobtainedin the approxi-
Neuman, S. P., Analysisof pumpingtest data from anisotropicun-
mation. In view of this we think that four significantdigits are confinedaquifersconsidering delayedgravityresponse,
WaterRe-
probablyreliableover the whole rangeof parametervalues. sour.Res.,11(2), 319-342, 1975.
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in Nag Li-
Neuman[1972],givesa fair amountof success, it requirescon- brary Manual, 1977.
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length.The proposednumericalmethodis much fasterand (ReceivedMarch 12, 1980;
only requiressingle(14 digit) precisionon a CDC Cyber 174 revisedApril 25, 1980;
computer. acceptedMay 13, 1980.)