TECHNICAL PAPERS
Jul 1, 1984

Predicting Ground‐Water Response to Precipitation

Publication: Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 110, Issue 7

Abstract

High ground‐water levels are a principal cause of slope instability and of significance in other geotechnical engineering problems. A methodology has been developed, and is described in this paper, for predicting the fluctuation of ground‐water levels as a function of precipitation. The approximate method uses measured characteristics of the site or region and a short period of calibration from a well record. The linkage of precipitation to ground‐water fluctuation can be used in either deterministic or probabilistic methods. The new methodology has been tested by application in several different geological and climatological areas. Based on these field studies, the sensitivity of the methodology to calibration period, aquifer response time, evapotranspiration and other characteristics has been evaluated. The overall conclusion of the work has been a demonstration that the fluctuation of ground‐water levels, including extreme values, can be predicted with sufficient accuracy for many design and analysis problems.

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References

1.
Benjamin, J. R., and Cornell, A. G., Probability, Statistics, and Decision for Civil Engineers, McGraw‐Hill, New York, N.Y., 1970.
2.
Campbell, R. H., “Soil Slips, Debris Flows, and Rainstorms in the Santa Monica Mountains and Vicinity, Southern California,” U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, No. 851, 1975.
3.
Goldschmidt, “Hydrometeorological Methods of Quantitative Estimation of Annual Underground Water Replenishment,” Internat. Assoc. of Sci. Hydrology, No. 52, 1960, pp. 272–278.
4.
Jacob, C. E., “Correlation of Groundwater Levels and Precipitation on Long Island, N.Y., Part 1,” Trans. AGU, 1943, pp. 564–573.
5.
Jacob, C. E., “Correlation of Groundwater Levels and Precipitation on Long Island, N.Y., Part II: Correlation of Data,” Trans. AGU, 1944, pp. 928–939.
6.
Johnson, K. H., “A Predictive Method for Groundwater Levels,” thesis presented to Cornell University, at Ithaca, N.Y., in 1977, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
7.
Sangrey, D. A., Harrop‐Williams, K. O., and Klaiber, J. A., “Groundwater Response to Precipitation with Application to Slope Stability,” Research Report R‐82‐131, Dept. of Civ. Engrg., Carnegie‐Mellon Univ., Jan., 1982.
8.
Thornthwaite, C. W., “An Approach Toward a Rational Classification of Climate,” Geographical Rev., No. 38, 1948, pp. 55–94.
9.
Venetis, C., “A Study of the Recession of Unconfined Aquifers,” Bull. Internat. Assoc., of Sci. Hydrology, No. 14(4), Dec., 1969, pp. 119–125.
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Wieczorek, G. F., “Ground Water Level and Precipitation Data for Slopes Near La Honda, California,” Open File Report 81‐367, U.S. Geological Survey, 1981, 25 pp.

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Published In

Go to Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Journal of Geotechnical Engineering
Volume 110Issue 7July 1984
Pages: 957 - 975

History

Published online: Jul 1, 1984
Published in print: Jul 1984

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Authors

Affiliations

Dwight A. Sangrey, M. ASCE
Prof., and Head, Dept. of Civ. Engrg., Carnegie‐Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213
Kingsley O. Harrop‐Williams
Asst. Prof., Dept. of Civ. Engrg., Carnegie‐Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15213
Jeffrey A. Klaiber, Associate Members, ASCE
Engr., D'Appolonia Consulting Engrs., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15146

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