GROUNDWATER

Flow Equations
 Law of Darcy
Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock

Henry Darcy (1856) Water

supply

Schematic Diagram
of the Darcy
Laboratory Set-up Soil sample
in Ingebritsen and Water
Sanford L outflow

h1 h2
A
 The Law of Darcy
Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock

Darcy’s Law

h −h
Q = − AK 2 1
L
Q = flow rate through the sand column (m2/day)
A = cross section of the sand column (m2)
K = coefficient of permeability of the sand column (m/day)
h1, h2 = piezometric heights (m)

L = length of soil sample(m)

Henry Darcy (1856)
 The Law of Darcy
Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock
h2 − h1 Q dh dh
Darcy’s Law Q = − AK → = −K → q = −K
L A dL dL
Flow rates in the X,Y, and Z directions

h h h
qx = − K x qy = −K y qz = − K z
x y z
qx , qy , qz = flow rate through a unit area
of 1 m2 in the x, y, z directions (m.day)

Kx , Ky , Kz = coefficient of permeability in the

x, y, z directions (m/day)
 Groundwater Flow Equations
Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock

Continuity Equation
- mathematical equivalent of the law of conservation of mass.
Elemental
control volume
and mass flow
qx mass flowrate =  qx yz
Z
ρ = groundwater density (kg/m3)
∆x, ∆y = lengths of the faces of
Y Δz the control volume in the y and x
Δx directions (m)
X
q x Δy ∆x, ∆z = lengths of the faces of
qx + x the control volume in the y and z
x directions (m)
 Groundwater Flow Equations
Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock
-Flow along x, looking the figure from the top.
qx Net mass flowrate along x
Y   q x   q x
Z
 q x yz −   q x + x  yz = − xyz
y  x  x
X x ρ = groundwater density (kg/m3)
∆x, ∆y = lengths of the faces of
the control volume in the y and x
directions (m)
q x ∆x, ∆z = lengths of the faces of
qx + x
x the control volume in the y and z
directions (m)
 Principles of Groundwater
Flow
Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock
-Flow along y, facing directly the Z axis (Top View)
y
Z Y q y
qy x qy + y
y
X
Net mass flowrate along y
  q y   q y
 q y xz −   q y + y  xz = − xyz
 y  y
 Groundwater Flow Equations
Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock
q z
Z qz + z
z
Y
X
Net mass flow rate along z,
y
looking at the x axis.
z
Net mass flowrate along x
 q z   q z
qz  q z yx −   q z + z  yx = − xyz
 z  z
 Groundwater Flow Equations
Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock
Continuity Equation
- mathematical equivalent of the law of conservation of mass

x + +
(
 ( q )  qy  ( q )
− z )
 x y z =
 ( M )
 x y z 

t

∆M = mass of groundwater in the control volume (kg)

x +
(
 ( q )  qy  ( q )
− + z )
 xyz =
 ( n xyz )
 x y z 

t
n = porosity
 Groundwater Flow Equations
Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock
This equation is considered as the general continuity equation that follows
the law of conservation of mass.

x + +
( z )
 ( q )  qy  ( q )
−  xyz =
 ( n xyz ) EQ(1)
 x y z 

t

The general continuity equation , EQ(1) can be simplified further for specific
cases.
 Groundwater Flow Equations
Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock
Continuity Equation

A case where there is no groundwater stored or release (Steady State)

+
( +
)
 (  qx )   q y  (  qz )
=0
EQ (2)
x y z
No groundwater stored or release and the fluid is incompressible
(ρ is constant)

qx q y qz
+ + =0 EQ (3)
x y z
 Groundwater Flow Equations
Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock
EQ(3) combined with Darcy’s equation

qx q y qz
+ + =0 h h h
x y z qx = − K x qy = −K y qz = − K z
x y z
 2h  2h  2h
Kx 2
+ Ky 2
+ Kz 2
=0 EQ(4)
x y z

 2h  2h  2h For Isotropic rock material.

2
+ 2 + 2 =0 EQ(5) This is known as Laplace
x y z equation for steady flow
 Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock

Non-steady or transient continuity equation for groundwater flow

In the case where groundwater is stored or released in the control volume, the variations in
the time related density and the porosity of the material will now be considered. The specific
storage, Su , can be included in the formula.

From the equation

− x + +
( )
 ( q )  qy  ( q )
z  xyz =  ( n xyz )
 x y z 

t

Incorporating specific storage Su; which is the volume of groundwater stored

in, or released from a control volume of 1 m3, for a 1 m increase or decrease of
the hydraulic head (1/m)
Non-steady or transient continuity equation

− x + ( +
)
  (  q )   q y  (  q )   ( n )
z =
 x y z 

t

For incompresible fluid,  is constant

x + ( )
  ( q )  q y  ( q )   1   ( n )
− + z =
      t
 x y z   

1  ( n  ) 1  ( n  )  h  h
=   = S
 t  h  t  u t
where
1  ( n )
Su =
 h
 qx q y qz  h
− + +  = S
   t
u
 x y z 
 Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock

Non-steady or transient continuity equation, homogenous

rock in combination with the law of Darcy
 q q q  h
−  x + y + z  = Su
 x y z  t h h h
qx = − K x qy = −K y qz = − K z
x y z

2h 2h  2h h For homogeneous

K x 2 + K y 2 + K z 2 = Su anisotropic formation
x y z t
Non-steady or transient continuity equation, isotropic rock: Kx=Ky=Kz =K

 2 h  2 h  2 h Su h
+ 2+ 2 =
x 2
y z K t
 Groundwater Flow in Unconsolidated Rock

Non-steady or transient continuity equation, homogenous

rock in combination with the law of Darcy
 q q q  h
−  x + y + z  = Su
 x y z  t h h h
qx = − K x qy = −K y qz = − K z
x y z

2h 2h  2h h For homogeneous

K x 2 + K y 2 + K z 2 = Su anisotropic formation
x y z t
Non-steady or transient continuity equation, isotropic rock: Kx=Ky=Kz =K

 2 h  2 h  2 h Su h
+ 2+ 2 =
x 2
y z K t
 1  ( n )
The expression of specific storage, Su =
 h
The hydraulic head at a point is
g  ( n ) n n 
P Su = = g  +
h= +z P  P P 
g
 n n 
Differentiating the expression Su =  g  + 
  P P 
P
we have h = + z n
g   Uniaxial compressibility
P
P
letting z = 0, we obtain h = of the porous medium
g

1  ( n  )  h  h and   Compressibility of the fluid
  = S P
 h  t  u t The specific storage is written
g  ( n )
= Su Su =  g  n +  
P
 Storage Coefficient or storativity

The numerical values of specific storage, Su

−3 1
are usually <<10 .
m
The common practice is to express storage properties
of a confined unit in terms of Storage Coefficient or
Storativity, S = Su H
where H is the thickness of a unit or layer.
For confined units the storage coefficient is
generally < 0.005
In unconfined unit, the amount of fluid present in
the system will vary with the water table elevation as
well as with the porosity and fluid density.

S=SuH+Sy
Where Sy, the specific yield, accounts for the changes in
saturation due to movement of the water table.

The storativity of unconfined systems is

generally ranges from 0.05 to 0.25.
Basic groundwater flow
equations
qx q y qz
+ + =0 Steady State Continuity equation
x y z

 2h  2h  2h Steady State Continuity equation combined with

2
+ 2 + 2 =0 Darcy; homogeneous and isotropic medium
x y z
 qx q y qz  h Non-steady or transient continuity
− + +  = Su equation
 x y z  t
Diffusion Equation
 2 h  2 h  2 h Su h
+ 2+ 2 = Non-steady or transient continuity
x 2
y z K t equation combined with Darcy;
homogeneous and isotropic
End