Unit 2: General GW Governing Equation

•Assumptions:
  1. Velocity of the solid is neglected in comparison to the velocity of
groundwater.
2. To obtain the condition of mass balance, it is assumed that the groundwater
varies linearly in x, y & z directions.
3. Porous ground is incompressible.
4. Density of water is constant.
Consider Steady state without recharge,
ABCDEFGH –control volume of porous media,
Flow occurs at all the six faces(figure).
, , --Darcy velocities in the direction of
principal axes at a centre point P within the element.
 
,
 
Velocity component at face ABCD:
Velocity component at face EFGH:
Rate at which groundwater enters through face ABCD:()
Rate at which groundwater leaving through face EFGH: ()
Hence, net rate of change of volume within the aquifer element in x direction:
() - () = - = ,where

lly, in y direction:
In z- direction:
Then, net rate of change of volume within the elemental control volume:
rate of inflow – rate of outflow =
For steady state, rate of inflow = rate of outflow.
Therefore,
  since
---------(1)

Eqn.(1) is the general steady state equation for groundwater flow in a

heterogeneous-anisotropic aquifer.
For homogeneous-isotropic aquifer,
Then, eqn.(1) reduces to

  (2)
or,
For 1D steady- flow, eqn.(2) reduces to
----------(3)
For heterogeneous-isotropic aquifer, hydraulic conductivity changes in space but is the
same along all the three directions, i.e.,

Then, eqn.(1) reduces to

  --------(3)
For homogeneous-anisotropic aquifer, , and are not function of (x,y,z), i.e., hydraulic
conductivity does not change in space but is different along the three principal directions.
Eqn.(1) reduces to
----(4) where & are coefficients of anisotropy.