Determination of the hydraulic properties of a multilayered aquifer from pumping test data using genetic algorithms

A new approach to parameter determination methodology is presented which estimates soil hydraulic properties and aquifer thickness from pumping test data with the aid of genetic algorithms (GA) incorporating finite element analysis. GA are search algorithms based on the mechanics of natural selection and natural genetics, which combine an artificial survival of the fittest with genetic operators abstracted from nature. The advantages of our proposed method are the possibility of identifying the optimal hydraulic properties and geological formations of aquifers. Pumping test data measured under multilayered conditions were used to evaluate our proposed method.