Title: The flow and transport parameter estimation of groundwater in a laboratory-scale sand tank aquifer
Abstract: Abstract A laboratory study was conducted on groundwater reservoir to characterize the hydrogeological conditions and performance of wells in an unconfined aquifer using laboratory experiments and real-–time groundwater level data. A single-well step-drawdown pumping test was conducted using a two-dimensional sand tank aquifer model, followed by Hunts–Bierschenk’s graphical analyses. The step-drawdown pumping test revealed 25% well losses and 75% aquifer losses, demonstrating high well efficiency, while the well efficiency value of 75% indicated that the well was appropriately designed and developed. The laboratory results suggested that the contact point of the aquifer’s laminar flow and well-face had only slight turbulent flow. A well development factor of 0.46 reflected the effective development of the well. The hydraulic conductivity (K) value was 0.037cm/s. Our approach thus demonstrated the potential of the pumping test of a single-well step-drawdown at the laboratory scale for the estimation of safe and sustained yield from the well for groundwater exploitation within an unconfined aquifer under similar conditions in the future.