Pump Test Analysis of Confined Aquifer

Abstract

The storage coefficient and transmissivity are important aquifer parameters that are useful in assessing the ground‐water potential of an aquifer. For a nonleaky confined aquifer, these parameters can be determined with the help of a pump test. The present practice of aquifer parameters determination uses approximations of well function valid for small arguments only. In the absence of a full‐range equation for the well function, it is not possible to utilize the entire set of pump test data. In this paper a high accuracy expression for the well function valid for the entire range of its argument has been developed. The present practice of parameter estimation uses least square method. This gives undue importance to large errors. A criteria function capable of ignoring large observational errors has been suggested to replace the least square method. Minimizing the cumulative criteria function, the aquifer parameters can be estimated with a high degree of accuracy. A criteria function capable of ignoring large observational errors also has been developed. Minimizing the cumulative criteria function, the aquifer parameters can be estimated with a high degree of accuracy.