How appropriate is the Thiem equation for describing groundwater flow to actual wells?

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review

Authors

  • Franziska Tügel
  • Georg J. Houben
  • Thomas Graf

Research Organisations

External Research Organisations

  • Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR)
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2093-2101
Number of pages9
JournalHydrogeology journal
Volume24
Issue number8
Early online date9 Aug 2016
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2016

Abstract

The Thiem equation of radial groundwater flow to a well is more than 100 years old and is still commonly used. Here, deviations caused by some of its simplifications are quantified by comparing the analytical to a numerical model that allows the implementation of more complex geometries. The assumption of horizontal flow in the Thiem equation, which necessitates uniform inflow over the entire screen length of the fully penetrating well, was found to cause deviations from actual pumping wells where the pump is placed above the screen, resulting in non-uniform inflow and additional drawdown. The same applies to partially penetrating wells, where inflow peaks and additional drawdown occur, especially when the well is screened in the lower part of the aquifer. The use of the Thiem equation in the near-field of a well should thus be restricted to situations where the screen inflow is relatively uniformly distributed, e.g. when it covers large portions of the aquifer thickness. The presence of a gravel pack and a background gradient, on the other hand, are of limited importance.

Keywords

    Analytical solutions, Drawdown, Hydraulic properties, Thiem, Water well

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cite this

How appropriate is the Thiem equation for describing groundwater flow to actual wells? / Tügel, Franziska; Houben, Georg J.; Graf, Thomas.
In: Hydrogeology journal, Vol. 24, No. 8, 01.12.2016, p. 2093-2101.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review

Tügel F, Houben GJ, Graf T. How appropriate is the Thiem equation for describing groundwater flow to actual wells? Hydrogeology journal. 2016 Dec 1;24(8):2093-2101. Epub 2016 Aug 9. doi: 10.1007/s10040-016-1457-0
Tügel, Franziska ; Houben, Georg J. ; Graf, Thomas. / How appropriate is the Thiem equation for describing groundwater flow to actual wells?. In: Hydrogeology journal. 2016 ; Vol. 24, No. 8. pp. 2093-2101.
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AU - Houben, Georg J.

AU - Graf, Thomas

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