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Simulation of fully coupled finite element analysis of nonlinear hydraulic properties in land subsidence due to groundwater pumping

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Abstract

A fully coupled mathematical model of land subsidence caused by groundwater pumping was established based on the mechanics of porous seepage and the theory of fluid–solid interaction. The mathematical model employing the Galerkin finite element method was proposed to simulate the deformation dependencies of hydraulic properties due to the water pressure decrease in aquifers. This model has been verified by comparing with the known analytical solutions in the confined aquifer. Results show that the simulated drawdown and displacements match well with those of analytical solutions. To evaluate the nonlinear effects of hydraulic properties in the seepage and consolidation coupling phenomena, the numerical model is applied to an ideal three layers numerical experiment. The results show that the subsidence rate is faster than conventional groundwater theory when the nonlinear hydraulic properties (NHP) are considered in the coupled model. The reason is that the water level decline due to groundwater withdrawal induces the soil compression and the porosity and permeability decrease. Decrease of permeability in regions adjacent to the pumping well produces hydraulic gradient and seepage forces that may result in accelerated subsidence. Therefore, the effect of the NHP is an interaction process of pore water pressure and soil consolidation deformation and should not be ignored. Further studies of various hydrogeology problems are recommended to consider the heterogeneity concerning different stratigraphic condition in the field.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Beijing Science and Technology Commission project “Research on water resources sustainable utilization of new air area in Beijing” (Z131100005613001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Water Cycle and Related Land Surface Processes, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China

    Yong Yang & Xian Fang Song

  2. Beijing Water Science and Technology Institute, Beijing, 100048, China

    Yong Yang, Fan Dong Zheng & Li Cai Liu

  3. Key Laboratory of Computational Geodynamics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Xiao Juan Qiao

  4. College of Earth Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Xiao Juan Qiao

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  1. Yong Yang
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  2. Xian Fang Song
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  3. Fan Dong Zheng
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  4. Li Cai Liu
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  5. Xiao Juan Qiao
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Correspondence to Yong Yang.

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Yang, Y., Song, X.F., Zheng, F.D. et al. Simulation of fully coupled finite element analysis of nonlinear hydraulic properties in land subsidence due to groundwater pumping. Environ Earth Sci 73, 4191–4199 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3705-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3705-8

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