RADIAL GROUNDWATER

FLOW IN CONFINED
AQUIFERS
GROUP 8
CARIAGA, EMERSON
FERNANDEZ, MA. HANNAH YSABEL
LEGASPI, MARC ARVIN
NACNAC, ZEAH XZYRYZSHA
TABORA, GAVIN
CONFINED AQUIFER
 CONFINED
AQUIFER
A confined aquifer is a water-bearing layer of rock or sediment that is
sealed off from the surface by an impermeable layer of rock or clay.
This prevents water from entering or leaving the aquifer, except
through fractures or boreholes.
RADIAL FLOW TO A
CONFINED AQUIFER
 RADIAL FLOW
• Radial flow to a confined aquifer refers to the movement of water in an aquifer system, specifically towards a

well or extraction point. This flow is typically described as being "radial" because it occurs in a circular pattern

TO A
emanating from the well.

• In a confined aquifer, the water is under pressure and is sandwiched between two impermeable layers of rock or

soil. When a well is drilled into this type of aquifer, the water is able to rise up the well, sometimes to the

CONFINED
surface, due to the pressure.

• The rate of flow in such a system depends on several factors, including the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer

material, the pressure head, and the distance from the well. Mathematical models, like the Theis solution or

AQUIFER
Cooper-Jacob method, are often used to analyze and predict the behavior of water in confined aquifers.
CONFINED AQUIFERS:
A PRESSURIZED WATER
SOURCE
• Confined aquifers are underground layers of permeable rock or
sediment saturated with groundwater.
• Impermeable layers, often clay or shale formations (acquitard
above and aquiclude below), confine the aquifer.
• These confining layers restrict the movement of water into and
out of the aquifer.
• Confined aquifers are typically under pressure due to the
weight of the overlying rock and water.
FACTORS AFFECTING
RADIAL FLOW
 FACTORS
Several factors influence the rate and pattern of radial flow in
confined aquifers:

AFFECTING
• Hydraulic conductivity (K): A measure of how easily water can
flow through the aquifer material. Higher K allows for faster

RADIAL FLOW
and more extensive radial flow.
• Aquifer thickness (b): Thicker aquifers can store more water
and allow for a larger volume of radial flow.
 FACTORS
• Pumping rate (Q): The amount of water withdrawn from the

AFFECTING
well per unit of time. Higher pumping rates induce stronger
and more widespread radial flow.
• Distance from the well (r): As distance from the well

RADIAL FLOW
increases, the influence of the pressure difference weakens, and
the flow velocity decreases.
IMPORTANCE OF
UNDERSTANDING
RADIAL FLOW
Understanding radial flow has numerous applications in water
resources management:

IMPORTANCE OF
• Well design and spacing: Optimizing well placement to
maximize water extraction while minimizing interference

UNDERSTANDING
between wells that draw from the same aquifer due to
overlapping cones of depression.
• Predicting drawdown: Estimating the extent of the cone of
RADIAL FLOW
depression around a pumping well to assess potential impacts
on nearby wells