Theis Info
Theis Info
3-5
Problem 1
i:
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m
Initial
Potentiometric
Surface \_
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Si
S*
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Confining Layer
h0
ri
h
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n
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Screen
Confined Aquifer
Confining Layer
In 1935 C.V. Theis published his original paper, which described the
analogous transient behavior of heat flow to a line sink in an infinite conductive
3-6
Chapter Three
WThfs mathematical model became known as the Theis equation and requires
certain assumptions about the nature of the aquifer, the pumping rate, and the
s-h h=4tvT
du
(3-1)
where
Q
T
(3-2)
r
S T
|
1
IN
The Theis equation (equation 3-1) cannot be integrated directly but can be
approximated using the following expansion.
(3-3)
-0.5772 -In u +-
S=h'h =-^Y
2-2!
3-3!
4-4!
3-7
i
i
i
To simplify the expression, the entire series expansion is usually denoted by the term W(u), which is called the Theis well function. Thus, the Theis equation can
be written in a simplified form.
(3_4)
W{u)
u
<
Theis equation with Excel. (See Appendix Dfor a list of W(u) versus uvalues). This first exercise entails programming the Theis Well Function W{u) into the
"Distance-Drawdown' worksheet and solving the Theis equation for drawdown
We use the series expansion (equation 3-3) of the integral to solve the
(s)at various values of time (t) and distance (r). Because each successive term in
between problems but is usually six to ten. We limit the approximation to ten
terms in this exercise to illustratethe nature of the Theis well function.
;
The Theis equation is a powerful tool for estimating the effects of future
and previous pumping stress on nearby water levels. These predictions are
; predicated on the Theis equation being a realistic model of the actual flow system. To determine whether the Theis equation is a realistic mathematical
;
< ;
x
model, the user must check to see if the simplifying assumptions required ofthe Theis equation compare favorably with the actual conditions at the site. Many of the assumptions apply only to the area influenced by the pumping stress. For
example, the aquifer must be isotropic and homogeneous throughout the area influenced by the pumping stress. If all the assumptions are met, then
J
11
predictions can be made with the results from a multiple-well aquifer test. This
test is a controlled field experiment performed to determine whether observed time-drawdown behavior matches theoretical time-drawdown behavior based on
j
j
the Theis equation. Ifthe observed response matches the response predicted by
the Theis equation, then use of the Theis equation as a mathematical model
should produce reasonable results, at least in the short term. The aquifer test data also can be used to estimate site-specific values of transmissivity and storage coefficient in other mathematical models that are used to make predictive calculations. More information about aquifer tests and their interpretation is
found in Chapter 5.
An additional aquifer characteristic used to describe the ability of water to move through an aquifer is transmissivity. Transmissivity (7) is the rate of
flow under a unit hydraulic gradient through a cross section of the aquifer that
3-8
Chapter Three
has a unit width for the entire saturated thickness of the aquifer. It is determined
T=K,
where
(3-5)
t
)
T K b
is the transmissivity of an aquifer (L IT), is the hydraulic conductivity (L/T), and is the saturated thickness of the aquifer (L).
It is tempting to use the Theis equation to compute the drawdown in the pumped well itself using a radius representing the size of the wellbore or the size of the sand filter or gravel pack. This approach may greatly underestimate the drawdown that actually occurs in the pumped well because of additional drawdown caused by frictional losses created as water moves through the sand filter or gravel pack and across the screen. The Theis equation does not account for this additional drawdown, which is collectively known as well loss. It is
possible to estimate the amount of additional drawdown in the pumped well owing to well losses for a given pumping rate on the basis of analysis of a stepdrawdown test performed in the pumping well (Kruseman and de Ridder, 1990).
Excel Tips
FACT(n) is an intrinsic Excel function that takes the factorial of the number "n." Use FACT(n) to increase the efficiency of programming the W(u)
function.
>>.
>
PI() inserts the constant n into an equation. LN(n) calculates the natural logarithm of the number "." SUM() sums the cells designated within the parentheses. Cell anchor: $column$row anchors the cell (column, row) in a formula. Performing a relative copy will maintain the anchored cell within the formula and change only the other non-anchored cells in the formula (e.g., =SD$12+D2 will anchor cell D12 and not cell D2 during a relative copy).
Exponent symbol: Araises a number to the designated power (e.g., 3A2 = 9). Other intrinsic Excel functions are listed and explained by clicking thefx
button in the Toolbar.
Using the F2 key on a cell with a formula will highlight the reference cells
used in the formula. This allows you to more easily evaluate the accuracy of the formula programmed into the cell.
II
illustrated below with missing parentheses. However, Excel will not necessarily give an error message if the formula is entered incorrectly.
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel round an error in the formula you entered. Do you want to accept the correction proposed below?
correction, clickYes. * To close this message and correct the formula yourself, clickNo.
3-9
#DIV/0! displays if the denominator in any formula is zero including reference cells that may also contain an error. Thus, one "#DIV/0!" error may propagate through the worksheet to multiple cells. Check your formulas
for accuracy to avoid these errors. Save your work often to avoid losing information.
t
Parameter
Definition
ho
h
Q
r
Discharge from pumping well (L7T) Radial distance from the pumping well to any distance (L)
S
s
T
t
u
W(u)
I
*