MODELING OF GROUNDWATFRFLOW IN FRACTURED ROCK AQUIFERS

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the charecterislics of the groundwater flow in

fuctured rock aquifers. The effect of lowering the piezomelric level io lhe fractured

aquifer, on the water table is also studied. In the lheorerical <rudy, dimensional analysis is applied 10 relale lite diffcn:nl factors affecting the water rnovement in such a frai:rured media. Furthermore, lhe continuity equation and Darcy's Lew are used to get rorne expicssioris defming the relations belween the main characteristic.<of the fl.ow in fractured rock aquifen;. Available field measurements are n.QI. quiedy sufficient at providing data upon

which numerical models can be formulated and calibrated. Experimental studies hove

conlributedtobcttcr~ofthebeterogeaoollsflowfieldwitbinfulctun:planes.

In this work, a physical model 120 cm looi;. SO cm wide, ·and SS cm depth has been coastrected to simulate groundWllterflow in ~Rd leaky and ·,,.,nfioed aquifers. A weak mo11ar with ccrajn proportions'""" usedto simulate frac.tured rock aquifer. The upper bo<llldillg Jaye• in case of leaky ll<[ullCCS was sll:nulaled by j\ne sand. Study of \'arious dira:lioo of fractmcs (i.e., traDSverse, longitudinal, and 1311dom) in fractured leaky and confmcd aquifer was st\ldie.d.The effect of varying the foll layer'• dCflth,in

case of leaky aquif=, was also presented. It is concluded that the model can be used efficiently and successfully io simula1ing g11>undwater flow in Jiactu.'ed llOllfined and leaky :iquifers under the bo<1ndnry and ioitial conditions presented,