Slug tests in partially penetrating wells

Abstract

A semianalytical solution is presented to a mathematical model describing the flow of groundwater in response to a slug test in a confined or unconfined porous formation. The model incorporates the effects of partial penetration, anisotropy, finiteradius well skins, and upper and lower boundaries of either a constant‐head or an impermeable form. This model is employed to investigate the error that is introduced into hydraulic conductivity estimates through use of currently accepted practices (i.e., Hvorslev, 1951; Cooper et al., 1967) for the analysis of slug‐test response data. The magnitude of the error arising in a variety of commonly faced field configurations is the basis for practical guidelines for the analysis of slug‐test data that can be utilized by field practitioners.