PUMPING TEST
General
Pumping Test is the examination of aquifer
response, under controlled conditions, to the
abstraction of water.
The idea of a pump test is to stress the aquifer by
pumping or injecting water and to note the
drawdown over space and time.
Well test (determine well yield and well efficiency)
Aquifer test (determine aquifer parameters and
examine water chemistry).
The objectives of the pumping test are:
To confirm the yield, efficiency and
performance of the well;
To investigate water quality;
To assess whether the abstraction can
be sustained in terms of yield (and
quality);
To identify potential environmental
impacts;
To characterize the aquifer properties.
A cone of depression expanding beneath a riverbed creates a hydraulic gradient
between the aquifer and river. The result in induced recharge to the aquifer from the river
Definitions
Well yield: is a measure how much water can be
withdrawn from the well over a period of time and
measured in m3/hr or m3/day.
Specific capacity: is referring to whether the well will
provide an adequate water supply. Specific capacity
is calculated by dividing pumping rate over drawdown
(Q/S).
Static water level: is the level of water in the well
when no water is being taken out.
Dynamic Water level: is the level when water is
being drawn from the well. The cone of depression
occurs during pumping when water flows from all
directions toward the pump.
Drawdown: the amount of water level decline in a
well due to pumping. Usually measured relative to
static (non-pumping) conditions
The Importance of Pumping Tests
Pumping tests are carried out to determine:
1 How much groundwater can be extracted from a well
based on long-term yield, and well efficiency.
2 The hydraulic properties of an aquifer or aquifers.
3 Spatial effects of pumping on the aquifer.
4 Determine the suitable depth of pump.
5 Information on water quality and its variability with
time.
Design Considerations
There are several things should be considered before
starting a pumping test:
1 Literature review for any previous reports, tests and
documents that may include data or information
regarding geologic and hydrogeologic systems or any
conducted test for the proposed area.
2 Site reconnaissance to identify wells status and
geologic features.
3 Pumping tests should be carried out within the range of
proposed or designed rate (for new wells, it should be based
on the results of Step Drawdown Test).
4 Avoid influences such as the pumping of nearby wells
shortly before the test.
5 Pumping tests should be carried out with open-end
discharge pipe in order to avoid back flow phenomena (i.e. Pp
=Patm).
6 Determine the nearby wells that will be used during the test
if its likely they will be affected, this well depends on Radius
of Influence. The following equation can be used to determine
the radius of influence (Ro):
Ro 2.25 T
s
where,
R is the radius of influence (m)
T is the aquifer transmissivity (m2/day)
t is time (day)
S is the storativity
This equation can be applied for a pumping well in a confined
aquifer.
7 Make sure that the water discharged during the
test does not interfere with shallow aquifer tests
(Jericho Area).
8 Measure groundwater levels in both the pumping
test well and nearby wells before 24 hours of start
pumping.
9 Determine the reference point of water level
measurement in the well.
10 Determine number, location and depth of
observation wells (if any).
Data to be Collected
Before Test
1 Site geology: lithological logs for well and piezometers,
2 Well construction data and piezometers,
3 Geometry of site: layout, distances, features, potential boundaries etc,
4 Groundwater abstraction in vicinity of site:
- Constant abstractions
- Suspended abstractions (time of suspension)
5 Pre-test groundwater levels.
During Test
1 Time,
2 Discharge,
3 Groundwater level,
4 Temperature/quality of pumped water,
5 Air pressure,
6 Other abstractions in vicinity,
7 Rainfall, surface water levels, tides, etc..
Pumping Test Components
Duration of Pumping Test
Its difficult to determine how many hours that pumping test
required because period of pumping depends on the type and
natural materials of the aquifer. In general pumping test is still
until pseudo-steady state flow is attained or low fluctuation in
dynamic water is occur.
In some tests, steady state occurs a few hours after pumping,
in others, they never occur. However, 24-72 hours testing is
enough to produce diagnostic data and to enable the
remaining wells for testing.
Tests taking longer than 24 hours may be required for large
takes, such as community supplies, or situations where it may
take longer to determine effects.
Pumping Rate
How to set pumping rate (Q) for
step drawdown discharge
test:
1. Set Q as follows:
Use the maximum design
How to set pumping rate (Q) for
pumping rate as Q for the 3rd constant rate discharge test:
step. Multiply this value by
Method (in order of preference)
0.5, 0.75, and 1.25 to obtain
1. Conduct step drawdown test
Q for the 1st, 2nd and 4th
to establish optimal Q, or if
steps, respectively.
step drawdown test is not
necessary
a. use maximum design
pumping rate.
b. check with other aquifer test
results conducted in the area.
Pump Selection
Type of pump :- Electric Submersible pump
- to draw water from the well to the surface for use
Electric Submersible Pump
Completed Well with Control
Panel
Installation of
Submersible Pump
Completed Well with
Control Panel
Measurements of the water level
- in all piezometers
- in the pumped well
- dippers, water level records, data loggers
Measurements of the discharge rate
- accurately and periodically
- necessary adjustments must be made from time to time to
keep the discharge rate constant
- Orifice plate, V notch weir, flow meter, tank, orifice bucket
18 Mld well
(Terengganu)
16 Mld well
(Selangor)
Measurement to be Taken
Water levels measurements for pumping well could be taken as the
following:
Time since start of pumping
(minutes)
05
5 60
60 120
120 shut down the pump
Time intervals
(minutes)
0.5
5
20
60
Similarly, for observation wells, water level measurement can
be taken as the following:
Time since start of pumping
(minutes)
05
5 15
15 50
50 100
100 300
300 2,880
2,880 shut down the pump
Time intervals
(minutes)
0.5
1
5
10
30
60
480
Note: 480 min = (8 hours) and 2,880 min. = (48 hours)
- After the pump has been shut down, the water levels in the
well will start to rise again. These rises can be measured in
what is known as recovery test.
- If the pumping rate was not constant throughout the
pumping test, recovery-test data are more reliable than
drawdown data because the water table recovers at a
constant rate.
- Measurements of recovery shall continue until the aquifer
has recovered to within 95% of its pre-pumping water level.
- Amongst the arrangements to be made for pumping test is a
discharge rate control. This must be kept constant
throughout the test and measured at least once every hour,
and any necessary adjustments shall be made to keep it
constant.
Types of pumping tests
Time-Drawdown Method
- the drawdown of a well is observed while the discharge rate from the
well is increased in steps
- used to determine the yield characteristics and also the efficiency of the
well performance,
- the step test is run for 4 - 7 discharging steps, each step ranging from
to 3 hours long drawdown is measured at fixed time intervals,
- usually comprising of very short time intervals at the beginning of each
step and gradually increasing the time intervals.
Constant-Drawdown Method
- the well will be pumped at a fixed or constant discharge rate,
- the rate depending on observation from step-pumping,
- the test is run for a period of time normally ranging from 48 to 72
hours.
Recovery Method
- after completing the constant discharge test, the pump is shut down
and recovery measurements are taken immediately
- taken at fixed time intervals
DATA PROVIDED BY PUMPING TEST AND DRAWDOWN
MEASUREMENTS
Step Drawdown Test
Constant Rate Test
Recovery
Data
Well
Efficiency, T, sc, Hydraulic T, S
Pumping Rate (Q), Conductivity
(K),
Transmissivity
(T), Yield
Specific Capacity (sc),
Yield
Observation
Wells Data
Pumping Regime
1 Development: Variable discharges and times, surging well
for some hours to clean and develop well, develop and
stabilize gravel pack.
2 Recovery
3 Step Test: Pumping well at incrementally increasing
discharges, each step lasting and hour or so. To examine well
efficiency and non-linear behavior.
4 Recovery: With observed water levels, period lasting long
enough to stabilize after step test.
5 Constant discharge test: Main test discharge about 120%
of target yield.
6 Recovery: Monitored until stable water level recovery 10
cm.
Figure below shows the sequence of types of pumping tests.
CONSTANT DISCHARGE TEST
Using Pumping Tests to Estimate Hydraulic Conductivity
(K), Transmissivity (T) and Drawdown (Sw).
Steady Radial Flow to a Well (Equilibrium Radial Flow)
Hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity can be determined
from steady state pumping tests.
- Confined Aquifers The Thiem Analysis
r2
Q
T Kb
ln
2 s1 s 2 r1
- Unconfined Aquifers
Q
r2
K
ln
2
2
h2 h1
r1
Q R
s w H hw
ln
2T rw
Using Pumping Tests to Estimate Hydraulic Conductivity
(K), Transmissivity (T), Storativity (S) and Drawdown (Sw).
Unsteady Radial Flow in a Confined Aquifer
(Non-equilibrium Radial Flow)
Confined Aquifers The Theis Method (Curve Matching Method)
T
Q
W u
4s
4Tut
r2
Problem_1
Q = 1000 m3/day
r1 = 100 m
r2 = 200 m
Values of r2/t for the s vs. t data of both observation wells
are calculated and plotted against s on double
logarithmic paper
Figure 1
Construct a curve of W(u) versus u on a sheet of the same
logarithmic paper
Figure 2
Figure 1 is now placed on figure 2 and moved until the two
curves coincide while keeping the coordinate axes parallel
A match point is arbitrarily selected, and the coordinates
of the point are read on both graphs, yielding.
S = 0.167 m
r2/t = 3 x 106 m2/day
W(u) = 2.1
u = 8 x 10-2
Substituting the above values yields T = 1000.7 m2/day
and S = 0.0001
Confined Aquifers Cooper-Jacob Straight-Line Time-Drawdown
Method
Q
Q
u2
u3
0.5772 ln u u
s
W u
...
4T
4T
2.2! 3.3!
Q
r 2S
0.5772 ln
s
4T
4Tt
2.3Q
2.25T
log 2 t
4T
r S
2.25T 2.3Q
2.3Q
s
log 2
log t
r S 4T
4T
y
C
a
X
T
2.3Q
4ho h
2.25Tto
S
r2
Unsteady Radial Flow in an Unconfined Aquifer
Delayed yield
- the rate of fall of water table may be faster than the
rate at which pore water is released
- however, it will take some time before all the pore
water that eventually will be released will actually have
reached the falling water table
- the rate of pore-water release is also affected by the
rate at which air can move into the zone immediatelly
above the water table to occupy the space left by the
draining water
Unsteady Radial Flow in an Unconfined Aquifer
(Non-equilibrium Radial Flow)
The flow equation for unconfined aquifers - Neuman
T
Q
W u A , u B ,
4 ho h
Where W(uA , uB ,) is the well function for the water table aquifer and ..
S
Sy
4Tu At
(for early drawdown data)
2
r
4Tu B t
(for later drawdown data)
2
r
r 2Kv
2
b Kh
Kh T / b
Type curves for drawdown data from fully penetrating wells in unconfined aquifer
Problem_2
A well pumping at 1000 gal/min fully penetrates an unconfined
aquifer with an initial saturated thickness of 100 ft. Time-drawdown
data for a well located 200 ft away are plotted on log paper.
The early-time drawdown data fit best on the Type-A curve for =
0.1. The selected match point is W (uA,) = 0.1, 1/uA = 1.0, ho-h
=0.041 ft, and t = 0.9 min. The value of uA is 1.0 and t = 6.25 x 10-4
d.
The later-time-drawdown data are now matched to the Type-B curve
for = 0.1. With the axes of the two sheets of graph paper parallel,
the selected match point has value of W (uB,) = 0.1, 1/uB = 10, ho-h
= 0.043 ft, and t = 128 min. The value of uB is 0.1 and t = 0.089 d.
Unsteady Radial Flow in a Leaky Aquifer
(Non-equilibrium Radial Flow)
Leaky (Semi) Confined Aquifers Hantush-Jacob Method and
Walton Graphical Method
- Leaky aquifer bounded to and bottom by less transmissive horizons, at least one of
which allows some significant vertical water leakage into the aquifer.
The Hantush and Jacob (1955) solution for leaky aquifer presents the following equations
is the well function for leaky confined aquifer
B is the leakage factor given as
where,
b' is thickness of the aquitard (m)
K' is hydraulic conductivity of the aquitard (m/day)
Walton Graphical Solution
1 Type curves
see Figure below.
vs.
for various values of
and
2 Field data are plotted on drawdown (sw) vs. time on full
logarithmic scale.
3 Field data should match one of the type curves for
(interpolation if between two lines)
4 From a match point, the following are known values
,
, t , sw , and
5 Substitute in Hantush-Jacob equation:
where,
Q is the pumping rate (m3/day)
t is the time since pumping began (day)
r is the distance from pumping well to observation well (m)
b is the thickness of aquitard (m)
K is the vertical hydraulic conductivity of confining bed (aquitard) (m/day)
B is the leakage factor (m)
Figure: Log-log plot for Hantush method
RECOVERY TEST
At the end of a pumping test, when pumping is stopped, water levels in pumping and
observation wells will begin to rise. This is referred to as the recovery of groundwater levels,
while the measurements of drawdown below the original static water level (prior to pumping)
during the recovery period are known as residual drawdowns ( s' ). A schematic diagram of
change in water level with time during and after pumping is shown in Figure below.
Figure: Drawdown and recovery curves in an observation well near a pumping well.
Note that: the resulting drawdown at any time after pumping stop is
algebraic sum of drawdowns from well and buildup (negative drawdown) from
imaginary recharge well
Figure: illustration of recovery test
If a well is pumped for a known period of time and then shut
down, the drawdown thereafter will be identically the same as if
the discharge had been continued and a hypothetical recharge well
with the same flow were superposed on the discharging well at the
instant the discharge is shut down. From the principle of
superposition and Theis showed that the residential drawdown s
can be given as:
For r small and t ' large and u is less than 0.01, Theis equation can be simplified by Jacob
and Cooper equation as:
Thus, a plot of residual drawdown s' versus the logarithm of t /t ' forms a straight line. The
slope of the line equals (see Figure below):
STEP DRAWDOWN TEST
What is a Step-Drawdown Test?
1 The borehole is pumped at a number of incremental rates,
gradually increasing discharge, and drawdown is measured during
each of these steps of pumping.
2 It is usual to measure until drawdown begins to stabilize at
each rate before proceeding to the next step (though in practice,
none but a driller even thinks the level is stable- the driller reckons
its stable if its dropping at less than a meter between each
measurement!)
3 Step drawdown test developed to assess the Well Performance
(Well losses due turbulent flow).
4 At least 5 pumping steps are needed, each step lasting from 1 to
2 hours.
5 Step drawdown test is used to determine the Optimum Pumping
Rate.
6 Step drawdown test can be used to determine T and S from each
step.
Specific Capacity ( Sc )
The specific capacity Sc is the ratio of discharging (Q) to steady
drawdown ( sw ).
Using non equilibrium equation
Variation in specific capacity of a pumping well with discharge and time
Graph relating specific capacity to transmissivity and storage coefficient
from the nonequilibrium equation.
Use of Specific Capacity ( Sc ) Values
1 For Design Purposes
2 To Estimate Transmissivity
Before a designed pumping test, a step-drawdown test is normally carried out to find
out the yield and the maximum drawdown. This is done for:
To determine Transmissivity from specific capacity data,
To determine aquifer and well losses,
To determine if the aquifer is dewatering or can be developed
If the well losses term is neglected
Note that (T) appears in the arithmetic and logarithmic portions of the
equation. The above equation is difficult to solve because:
It is not linear with respect to (T),
(T) is dependent on (S) which is normally unknown,
Well losses are neglected which is impractical,
Empirical formula
a = 15.3, b = 0.67
a0-2
Well Loss and Well Efficiency
Well Loss
Well loss is the difference between the head in the aquifer
immediately outside the well to the head inside the casing during
pumping. Well losses usually divided into linear and non linear
components:
1 Linear components
(i) effects of head in mud-invaded zone
(ii) head loss in gravel pack
(iii) head loss due to screen entry velocity
2 Non-linear component: head loss due to turbulent flow in well
casing.
Variable head losses in a pumped well
It is assumed in some analysis that the non-linear well losses are
negligible. However, according to Parsons:
(i) Screen entrance losses are actually small in comparison with the
turbulent upflow losses.
(ii) Decrease in sc will decrease in well diameter is only important if
no gravel pack (or poor gravel pack less permeable than aquifer) is
installed.
Because the well loss is associated with turbulent flow, it may be
indicated as being proportional to an nth power of the discharge, as
Qn , where n is a constant greater than one. Jacob suggest that a
value n=2 might be reasonably assumed
.
Taking account of the well loss, the total draw town w s at the well
may be written for the steady state confined case
where C is a constant governed by the radius, construction and
condition of the well.
For simply let
Relation of well loss CQn to draw-down for a well penetrating a
confined aquifer
Variation of total drawdown w s , aquifer loss BQ , and well loss
CQn with well discharge.
Evaluation of Well Loss
To evaluate well loss a step-drawdown pumping test is required.
This consists of pumping a well initially at a low rate until the
drawdown within the well essentially stabilize.
The discharge is then increased through a successive series of steps
as shown by the time-drawdown data in Figure below
Incremental drawdowns s for each step are determined from
approximately equal time intervals.
The individual drawdown curves should be extrapolated with a
slope proportional to the discharge in order to measure the
incremental drawdowns.
Time-drawdown data from step-drawdown pumping test
Therefore, by plotting sw\ Q versus Q (see Figure below) and
fitting a straight line through the points, the well loss coefficient
C is given by the slope of the line and the formation loss coefficient
B by the interceptQ=0 .
Determination of B and C from graph sw\ Q versus Q
Relation of well loss coefficient to well condition (after Walton)
Well Loss Coefficient ( C )
min2/m5
Well Condition
< 0.5
0.5 to 1.0
1.0 to 4.0
> 4.0
Properly designed and developed
Mild deterioration or clogging
Severe deterioration or clogging
Difficult to restore well to original capacity
Another parameter can computed from step-drawdown test:
Where,
LP is the ratio of laminar head losses to the total head losses (this
parameter can be considered also as well efficiency).
Well Efficiency
Well Efficiency is the ration between theoretical drawdown and the
actual drawdown measured in the well expressed as (see Figure
below):
(i) A well efficiency of 70% or more is usually acceptable.
(ii) If a newly developed well has less than 65% efficiency, it should
not be accepted.
A qualitative Rule of Thumb to recognize an inefficient well is:
If the pump is shut off after 1 hour of pumping and 90% or more
of the drawdown is recovered after 5 minutes, it can be concluded
that the well is unacceptably inefficient.
Calculation of Well Efficiency
Figure below yields a theoretical specific capacity (Q \ BQ) for
known values of S and T in an aquifer. This computed specific
capacity, when compared with one measured in the field (Q\sw) ,
defines the approximate efficiency of a well. Thus, for a specific
duration of pumping, the well efficiency EW is given as a percentage
by:
Optimum Pumping Rate
Determining the Optimum Pumping Rate is based mainly on the well
losses and well efficiency, the procedure consists of the following
steps:
1 For up to ten different Q, find sw based on equation below.
2 For the same pumping rates, find theoretical drawdown through the
following equation:
3 Calculate well efficiency for all pumping rates.
4 Demonstrate graph between efficiencies and pumping rates, and
choose the Q value that correspond more than 65% efficiency or more.
optimum pumping rates
THANK YOU