Darcys law

Groundwater Hydraulics
Daene C. McKinney

Outline

Darcys Law
Hydraulic Conductivity
Heterogeneity and Anisotropy
Refraction of Streamlines
Generalized Darcys Law

Darcy

http://biosystems.okstate.edu/Darcy/English/index.htm

Darcys Experiments
Discharge is
Proportional to

hL

P 1/

Area
Head difference

L
P 2/

Inversely proportional
h1
to

Length

v
Q
z1

Coefficient of
proportionality is

h2
Sand
column
Datum
plane

z2
Q

K = hydraulic
conductivity
QA

h1 h2
L

Q KA

h2 h1
L

Q KA

h
L

Darcys Data

Flow, Q (l/min)

35

Set 1, Series 1

30

Set 1, Series 2

25

Set 1, Series 3
Set 1, Series 4

20

Set 2

15
10
5
0
0

10
Gradient (m/m)

15

20

Hydraulic Conductivity
Has dimensions of velocity [L/T]
A combined property of the medium and the
fluid
Ease with which fluid moves through the
medium
Porous medium property

= cd2 intrinsic permeabilityFluid properties

=
density
=
dynamic viscosity
=
specific weight

Hydraulic Conductivity

Groundwater Velocity
q - Specific discharge
Discharge from a unit
cross-section area of
aquifer formation
normal to the direction
of flow.

v - Average velocity
Average velocity of fluid
flowing per unit crosssectional area where
flow is ONLY in pores.

Q
A

q Q

Example
h1 = 12m

K = 1x10-5 m/s
= 0.3
Find q, Q, and v

h2 = 12m

/
10m

Flow

Porous medium
5m
L = 100m

dh = (h2 - h1) = (10 m 12 m) = -2 m

J = dh/dx = (-2 m)/100 m = -0.02 m/m
q = -KJ = -(1x10-5 m/s) x (-0.02 m/m) = 2x10-7 m/s
Q = qA = (2x10-7 m/s) x 50 m2 = 1x10-5 m3/s
v = q/ = 2x10-7 m/s / 0.3 = 6.6x10-7 m/s

Hydraulic Gradient

Gradient vector points in the direction of greatest rate of increase of h

Specific discharge vector points in the opposite direction of h

Well Pumping in an Aquifer

Hydraulic gradient
y

Circular hydraulic
head contours

K, conductivity,
Is constant

Specific discharge
x

Well, Q
h1

h2

h3
h1 < h2 < h3

Aquifer (plan view)

Validity of Darcys Law

We ignored kinetic energy (low velocity)
We assumed laminar flow
We can calculate a Reynolds Number for the
flow
NR

qd10

q = Specific discharge
d10 = effective grain size diameter

Darcys Law is valid for NR < 1 (maybe up

to 10)

Specific Discharge vs Head

Gradient

Re = 10
Re = 1

Experiment
shows this
Darcy Law
predicts this

tan ()= (1/K)

-1

Estimating Conductivity
Kozeny Carman Equation
Kozeny used bundle of capillary tubes model to
derive an expression for permeability in terms
of a constant (c) and the grain size (d)

k cd 2

180(1 ) 2

d2

Kozeny Carman eq.

So how do we get the parameters we need for

this equation?

Measuring Conductivity
Permeameter Lab Measurements
Darcys Law is useless unless we can
measure the parameters
Set up a flow pattern such that
We can derive a solution
We can produce the flow pattern
experimentally

Hydraulic Conductivity is measured in the

lab with a permeameter
Steady or unsteady 1-D flow
Small cylindrical sample of medium

Measuring Conductivity
Constant Head Permeameter
Flow is steady
Sample: Right circular
cylinder
Length, L
Area, A

Continuous Flow

head difference

Constant head difference

(h) is applied across the
sample producing a flow
flow
rate Q
Darcys Law
b
Q KA

Overflow

A
Outflow
Q

L
Sample

Measuring Conductivity
Falling Head Permeameter
Flow rate in the tube must equal that in the
dh
column
Q
r 2
tube

tube

dt

2
Qcolumn rcolum
nK

Initial head

h
L

Final head

rtube L dh

dt
rcolumn K h
flow

Outflow
Q

Sample

Heterogeneity and
Anisotropy

Homogeneous
Properties same at
every point
Heterogeneous
Properties different at
every point
Isotropic
Properties same in
every direction
Anisotropic
Properties different in
different directions

Often results from

stratification during
sedimentation
K horizontal K vertical
www.usgs.gov

Example
= ???, = 4.673x10-10 m2/N, = 9798 N/m3,
S = 6.8x10-4, b = 50 m, = 0.25,
Saquifer = b???
Swater = b

% storage attributable to water expansion

%storage attributable to aquifer expansion

Layered Porous Media

(Flow Parallel to Layers)
Piezometric surface
h
h1

h2

b1

K1

Q1

b b2

K2

Q2

b3

K3

Q3
W

datum

Layered Porous Media

(Flow Perpendicular to Layers)

Piezometric surface
h1
h2 h
h3

K1
b

K2

K3

Q
Q

L1

L2
L

L3

Example
Flow Q

Find average K

Flow Q

Example

Find average K

Anisotrpoic Porous
Media

General relationship between specific

discharge and hydraulic gradient
K is symmetric, i.e., Kij = Kji.

Principal Directions

h
Often we can align q x K xx 0 0 x

the coordinate axes qy 0 K yy 0 h

y
qz 0
in the principal
0
K zz h
z
directions of

layering
Horizontal

conductivity often
order of magnitude
larger than vertical
K xx K yy K Horiz K zz K Vert
conductivity

h
x
h
qy K yy
y
h
qz K zz
z
qx K xx

Groundwater Flow
Direction
Water level
measurements from
three wells can be
used to determine
groundwater flow
Head Gradient, J
direction

Groundwater
Contours

hi

h1(x1,y1)

hi > hj > hk
hj

hk
h3(x3,y3)

z
y

Groundwater
Flow, Q

h2(x2,y2)
x

Groundwater Flow
Direction
Head gradient =
Magnitude of head gradient =

Angle of head gradient =

Groundwater Flow
Direction
Head Gradient, J

h1(x1,y1)

Equation of a plane in 2D
3 points can be used to
define a plane

h3(x3,y3)

z
y

Groundwater
Flow, Q

h2(x2,y2)
x

Set of linear equations can be solved for a,

b and c given (xi, hi, i=1, 2, 3)

Groundwater Flow
Direction
Negative of head gradient in x direction

Negative of head gradient in y direction

Magnitude of head gradient
Direction of flow

Example
Find:

y
Well 2
(200 m, 340 m)
55.11 m

Well 1
(0 m,0 m)
57.79 m

Magnitude of head gradient

Direction of flow

Well 3
(190 m, -150 m)
52.80 m

Contour Map of Groundwater

Levels

Contours of
groundwater level
(equipotential
lines) and Flowlines
(perpendicular to
equipotiential
lines) indicate
areas of recharge
and discharge

Refraction of
Streamlines
y

Vertical component of
velocity must be the
same on both sides of
interface
qy1 qy2
q1 cos 1 q2 sin 2

Head continuity along

interface
h1 h2 @ y 0

So

K1 tan 1

K 2 tan 2

K1

q1

K2
K 2 K1

Upper Formation

q2

Lower Formation

Summary
Properties Aquifer Storage
Darcys Law
Darcys Experiment
Specific Discharge
Average Velocity
Validity of Darcys Law

Hydraulic Conductivity
Permeability
Kozeny-Carman Equation
Constant Head Permeameter
Falling Head Permeameter

Heterogeneity and Anisotropy

Layered Porous Media

Refraction of Streamlines
Generalized Darcys Law

Darcys Law
Examples

Example
= ???, = 4.673x10-10 m2/N, = 9798 N/m3,
S = 6.8x10-4, b = 50 m, = 0.25,
Saquifer = b???
Swater = b = (9798 N/m3)(4.673x10-10 m2/N)(0.25)
(50 m)
= 5.72x10-5

percent of storage coefficient attributable to

water expansion
= Swater /S = 5.72x10-5 /6.8x10-4 *100 = 8.4%
percent of storage coefficient attributable to
aquifer expansion
= Saquifer /S = 1 (Swater /S ) = 91.6%

Example
Flow Q

K h,A

K1z1 K 2 z2 (2.3 m/ d)(15 m) (12.8 m/ d)(15 m)

7.55 m/ d
z1 z2
(15 m) (15 m)

Flow Q

K v,A

Example

z1 z2
(15 m) (15 m)

3.90 m/ d
z1 z2
15 m
15 m

K1 K 2 2.3 m/ d 12.8 m/ d

Example
Well 2
(200, 340)
55.11 m

Well 1
(0,0)
57.79 m

= -5.3 deg

Well 3
(190, -150)
52.80 m

Example
= ???, = 4.673x10-10 m2/N, = 9798 N/m3,
S = 6.8x10-4, b = 50 m, = 0.25,
Saquifer = b???
Swater = b = (9798 N/m3)(4.673x10-10 m2/N)(0.25)
(50 m)
= 5.72x10-5

percent of storage coefficient attributable to

water expansion
= Swater /S = 5.72x10-5 /6.8x10-4 *100 = 8.4%
percent of storage coefficient attributable to
aquifer expansion
= Saquifer /S = 1 (Swater /S ) = 91.6%

Example
Flow Q

K h,A

K1z1 K 2 z2 (2.3 m/ d)(15 m) (12.8 m/ d)(15 m)

7.55 m/ d
z1 z2
(15 m) (15 m)

Flow Q

K v,A

Example

z1 z2
(15 m) (15 m)

3.90 m/ d
z1 z2
15 m
15 m

K1 K 2 2.3 m/ d 12.8 m/ d

Example
Well 2
(200, 340)
55.11 m

Well 1
(0,0)
57.79 m

= -5.3 deg

Well 3
(190, -150)
52.80 m