Transmissivity Tensor Identification from Pumping Test Data

Abstract

A transmissivity tensor is an available expression of hydraulic parameters for groundwater flow analysis in fractured material. Although components of tensor are related to geometrical and physical properties of cracks, its concept can be applied to anisotropic porous material as well. A closed form drawdown equation concerning a fully penetrating well into an anisotropic confined aquifer has already been obtained by Papadopulos (1965). He also proposed a method for determining components of tensor based on the Theis type curve method. But it has been said that individual differences frequently occur when it is applied to pumping test analysis. The authors derived a graphical method for determining the tensor from the Papadopulos solution. The method described in this paper is based on the Jacob procedure. We can, therefore, easily determine not only components of tensor but also a storage coefficient without individual differences. Its application to an actual pumping test shows availability of this method for analysis of a pumping test in a mountainous area.