Effect of Number of Pumping Tests and Prior Information on Hydraulic Conductivity Estimation of Three⁃Dimensional Heterogeneous Aquifer

Hydraulic tomography (HT) can accurately characterize the hydraulic conductivity (K) of field heterogeneous aquifer, but the field test cost is relatively high and pumping test need to be optimized. In order to explore the effect of number of pumping tests and prior information on the K estimates, we constructed a laboratory three⁃dimensional sandbox with heterogeneous aquifer, and then carried out pumping tests in HT survey. The K fields are respectively estimated using HT with and without 42 K values of core samples as prior information. The estimated K fields from different cases are then used to predict non⁃dependent pumping tests and compare the accuracy of estimated K fields. With increasing number of pumping tests, the estimated K fields are gradually improved. When pumping tests increase to eight groups, the K estimates are not significantly improve with the increase of pumping tests. 42 K values of core samples as prior information can greatly improve the K estimates in HT survey. The K obtained from only two pumping tests with prior information has almost same accuracy as the K estimates from the case of eight pumping tests without prior information. © 2022, Editorial Department of Earth Science. All right reserved.