Solving the steady‐state groundwater flow equation for finite linear aquifers using a generalized Fourier series approach in two‐dimensional domains

Abstract

AbstractA method to solve steady linear groundwater flow problems using generalized Fourier Series is developed and particularized for multiple Fourier series in two‐dimensional domains. It leads to a linear vector equation whose solution provides a finite number of generalized Fourier coefficients approximating the hydraulic head field. Its implementation is shown and two relevant properties are found for the system matrix. It is always symmetric and, once computed, if additional Fourier terms are needed for a better approximation of the hydraulic head field, previously computed matrix elements remain invariant, i.e. only new rows and columns are added to the system matrix. The method is demonstrated in three simple cases with different geometries and transmissivity fields, where solutions are compared with analytical and finite element method results. Thus, the method is verified as an alternative to other flow solvers. Additionally, it provides a direct way to obtain the spectral form of the flow equation solution, given a spectral representation of transmissivity, and can be easily extended to obtain continuous velocity fields and their approximated spectral expressions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.