Taking into account the role of the weathering profile in determining hydrodynamic properties of hard rock aquifers

Abstract

The present study aims at understanding the role of the structure and the geometry of the weathering profile on the hydrodynamic behavior of hard rock aquifers. We first described 2D geophysical cross sections of weathering profiles realized and validated on an experimental site. Next, we implemented five long-term pumping tests in wells drilled at various locations of these cross sections. Finally, we chose the appropriate analytical solutions to determine the hydrodynamic parameters in consistence with the structure and the geometry of the weathering profile. Results reveal that land covers, weathering type and thickness, presence of no flow boundaries, etc. are all factors that explain the flow regime, which appears therefore much less unpredictable. In other words, the 2D geophysical data are enough to locate the best permeable areas, or the areas where the structure of the aquifer without impervious boundaries and with leakage favor a good longterm behavior of the well. The values of aquifer’s transmissivity vary between 5.10−3 and 4.10−5 m2/s. The storage varies between 0.06 and 7.10−7. The variability of these parameters from site to site reflects the high heterogeneity of hard rock aquifers.