CE 626

P RINCIPLES OF G ROUNDWATER F LOW II

Riddhi Singh Lecture 4
Email: [email protected]
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Today we will learn about steady state flow
conditions in …

• Confined aquifers
• Unconfined aquifers
• Sloping aquifers

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STEADY STATE FLOW: CONFINED
AQUIFER

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In case of steady flow with no sources or sinks in isotropic
homogeneous confined aquifer, the general equation is:
2h 2h 2h
+ 2 + 2 =0
x y
2
z
In this case, the main gradient will be in the x-direction, z term can be
ignored, and for flow per unit width of aquifer: L
2h
=0
x 2
h1 Confining layer h2
h
→ = c → h = cx + b
x
Applying boundary conditions: b Q
h1 = c  0 + b → b = h1
h2 − h1
h2 = c  L + b → c =
L For estimating the flow, apply Darcy’s law:
dh Q dh
h −h Q = − KA → = qw = − Kb
 h = 2 1 x + h1 dx w dx
L h −h q 4
→ qw = Kb 1 → h = h1 − w x
x Kb
STEADY STATE FLOW:
UNCONFINED AQUIFER

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In case of steady flow with no sources or sinks in isotropic
homogeneous confined aquifer, the general equation is:
Unlike the case of confined aquifers, the gradient of piezometric surface is not constant but
increases in the direction of flow (as the same discharge is carried by a thinner layer).
Dupuit’s assumption: (1) hydraulic gradient is equal to the slope of the water table, (2) for small
water table gradients, the flow is horizontal

from Darcy’s law:

dh Q dh
Q = − KA → = qw = − Kh
dx w dx
L h2
1  h12 − h22  h1
→  qw dx = −  Khdh → qw = K   h h2
0 h1
2  L 
F
x L

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Unconfined flow subject to infiltration and evaporation
Recall the general equation for unconfined flow:
w
  h    h  w
h + h  = −
x  x  y  y  K
  h 2    h 2  2w hmax
→  +  =− h1
x  x  y  y  K h2

For flow along x-direction only:

d L
h 2 2w x
=−
x 2
K
Using Darcy’s to estimate discharge
w
→ h 2 = − x 2 + c1 x + c2 per unit width:
K dh
Applying boundary condition:
qw = − Kh
dx
x = 0, h = h1 ; x = L, h = h2 K ( h12 − h22 ) L 
→ qw = − w − x 
→h= h 2
−
( h
1
2
− h22 ) x w
+ ( L − x) x
2L 2 
1 7
L K
Location of water divide
w
At the divide, qw is 0

K ( h12 − h22 ) L 
qw = − w − x  = 0
2L 2  h1 hmax
L K (h − h )
2 2 h2
→d = −
1 2

2 w 2L
d L
x
Elevation of the water table at the
water divide:

x=d

( h 2
− h22 ) d w
→ h = h12 − + (L − d )d
1

L K
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STEADY STATE FLOW: SLOPING
AQUIFER

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Sloping confined aquifer
  h    h  h
 kx ( B − b )  +  k y ( B − b )  = ( B − b ) Ss
x  x  y  y  t

Impervious

Saturated thickness = B-b B

Impervious

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Sloping unconfined aquifer
  h    h  h
 kx ( h − b )  +  k y ( h − b )  = S y
x  x  y  y  t

Water table
Saturated thickness

(h-b)
h
b

Datum
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