Characterization of land subsidence induced by groundwater withdrawals in Su-Xi-Chang area, China

Su-Xi-Chang area is one of the typical regions in China which suffers from severe land subsidence. Various tools of field monitoring were integrated to study the characteristics and mechanisms of land subsidence in this region. The occurrence and the development of the land subsidence in this region are strongly related to the groundwater pumping both in time and space. The main consolidation layers are the soft mud layers; however, the compressibility of the confined sandy layers should not be ignored. The second and third confined aquifers contributed more than 30% of total subsidence. Meanwhile, irrecoverable deformations were also observed in the sandy layers. Different sandy layers deform diversely under different stress conditions. Some have the elastic feature. But the soil strata, including both sandy layers and clayey layers, located in the center of the groundwater level depression cone exhibited obvious viscous mechanical behavior which caused the common lag phenomenon. The sand composition (mingled with small clay particles or interbeds) and sand rheology are the two main reasons for the lag phenomena in sandy layers. A series of laboratory tests for modeling the effective stress changes due to groundwater withdrawals, were conducted to investigate the mechanism of the lag phenomenon. Based on the test results, the relationship of stress–strain–time for saturated sands is obtained; and it could be expressed as power functions. The results also showed that the compression of the sandy layers was time dependent, and its deformation could be remarkable. When establishing land subsidence model, the deformation for the similar soil formation could be elastic, visco-elastic and even visco-elastic–plastic, because of the different groundwater level fluctuation experienced.     

Numerical simulation of land subsidence induced by groundwater overexploitation in Su-Xi-Chang area,China

Su-Xi-Chang area is one of the typical regions in China which suffers from severe land subsidence. Various field monitoring records were integrated to study the characteristics and mechanisms of land subsidence in this region. The development of the land subsidence in this region shows a tight spatial and temporal correlation with the groundwater pumping. Based on the analysis of the field data, it is found that the deformation patterns of the hydrogeologic units are greatly related to the hydrogeologic properties and groundwater level variations. Some have an elastic behavior, others may have an elastic–plastic rheology. Hence, a 3D finite element numerical model considering the rheological properties of the soil was developed to simulate the groundwater level and land subsidence. Both hydraulic conductivity and specific storage were expected to vary with the porosity during the process of consolidation. Multiscale finite element method (MsFEM) was applied to solve the model during the period from 1996 to 2004. After calibrating the model with the observed groundwater level and subsidence data, the parameters of the multi-layers system were estimated. The calibrated model outputs fit reasonably well with the observed data. Consequently the model can be applied to predict groundwater level and land subsidence in future pumping scenarios. The model predictive results show that land subsidence rate can be controlled and even rebound may occur after the implementation of the groundwater exploitation prohibition. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

线性回归模型在北京平原地面沉降预测中的应用

北京平原的地面沉降日趋严重,地面沉降问题已经成为北京平原区最主要的地质灾害。本文在一系列地下水开采量、地下水水位和地面沉降量实测数据的基础上,运用Excel软件建立了地下水开采量与沉降量、地下水位与沉降量之间的线性回归方程。基于地面沉降量和地下水开采量或地下水位之间的回归方程对地面沉降量进行预测,并对预测值的可靠程度进行了验证。本文利用所建立的线性回归模型对地面沉降量进行预测,可以为地面沉降的控制提供依据。     

Long-term groundwater level changes and land subsidence in Tianjin,China

Acta Geotechnica - A large volume of groundwater is withdrawn annually in Tianjin Municipality, China, to meet agricultural, industrial, and municipal water uses. Groundwater overdraft in the urban...     

弹塑性变形条件下抽水引起的地面沉降三维数值模拟

基于部分耦合原理,采用TOUGH2和FLAC3D建立抽水引起的三维地面沉降弹塑性模型,模型中综合考虑土体的弹塑性变形特征、渗流-应力的双向耦合作用以及参数的非线性,探讨了持续抽水和脉冲抽水两种抽水过程中地面沉降发展演化过程。研究结果表明:（1）集中抽水停止后地面沉降会发生回弹,抽水中心沉降量不断减小。由于水平方向存在水力梯度,地下水继续向地下水位漏斗中心渗流从而导致沉降漏斗的范围仍继续扩大;（2）脉冲抽水导致土体的孔隙水压力、渗透系数以及沉降量均呈周期性波动变化,地面沉降会局部回弹,但总体仍随着抽水的持续,沉降量不断增加;（3）在抽水量相同前提下,对比持续抽水与脉冲抽水两种方式引发的塑形沉降量可知,抽水速率小、脉冲式多次开采导致的塑性沉降量较小,持续抽水的抽水速率越小、脉冲抽水间隔越短越有利于控制地面沉降。研究成果为地面沉降数值模拟提供了一种新方法,其中算例研究能为抽水条件下地面沉降的控制提供参考。     

开采地下水地面沉降三维数值模拟分析

根据汉口新业大厦水文地质与工程地质条件,建立开采地下水非稳定流定解问题三维数学模型,利用现有承压含水层非稳定流定解问题数值方案求解,重点讨论了源汇项的具体数学表达式。又简介根据达西定律和水均衡原理,建立了三维有限差分数值方程及其解法。根据土的有效应力原理和压密原理推导出了抽水沉降非线性压密方程,并研制了相应的三维有限元和有限差分计算程序。最后,对该环境岩土工程问题进行了分析和评价,计算结果与实测结果符合较好。     

Excessive groundwater withdrawal and resultant land subsidence in the Su-Xi-Chang area,China

Excessive groundwater withdrawal has caused severe land subsidence in the Su-Xi-Chang (SXC) area, China. The restriction and prohibition on groundwater pumping have been carried out since the late 1990s. Based on the latest updated field data, the changing pattern of groundwater level and the distribution of land subsidence are analyzed. The distribution of land subsidence in SXC is closely related to that of the cone of depression in the second confined aquifer in time and space. But land subsidence is not in synchronization with the changing groundwater level. Both aquitards and aquifers compacted continuously in the early period of groundwater level rising and behaved as creep materials. A series of laboratory tests were conducted on aquifer sands, which indicated that the creep deformation under virgin compression is much greater than that under recompression and unloading, and that the creep of sands decreases rapidly with the cycles of repeating load. The test results reveal the mechanism of sand creep under the condition of long-term groundwater pumpage. As a consequence of the restriction and prohibition on groundwater pumping, groundwater level has obviously recovered in the vast majority of the SXC area, and land subsidence has slowed down and even a little rebound has occurred in some sites in Suzhou and Changzhou. If the pumpage is strictly limited continuously, the groundwater level will not decline below the historical lowest value but fluctuate within a certain range. In such a case, land subsidence in SXC will no longer develop obviously.     

Investigation of land subsidence due to groundwater withdraw in Rafsanjan plain using GIS software

Nowadays, the purpose of predicting land subsidence is to manage the optimum usage of groundwater, which is considered according to irregular use of groundwater. Digging deep and semi-deep wells and continuous drought, mainly in wasteland and semi-wasteland zone in recent years causes the land subsidence in Rafsanjan plain. The Rafsanjan basin is located in the nearly central part of Iran in the Kerman province, with a general elevation between 1,400–1,500 m above sea level. In this research, first, the deep and semi-deep wells were investigated and groundwater table data were colleted. Second, these informations were analyzed and corrected. These data were used to create great bank of information data, to manage and program the geographic information system (GIS) software. Then by investigation of an existing land subsidence data, which were collected by GPS in August 1998 and April 1999, by the GIS software, the results show that discharging of groundwater is the main factor of the land subsidence in Rafsanjan zone. Therefore, the critical land subsidence zone of the Rafsanjan plain was determined, and precaution and recommendations are presented.     

南水北调前后北京平原区地下水和地面沉降演变特征

超量开采地下水引发的地面沉降已成为制约北京区域社会经济可持续发展的重要因素之一。2014年12月,南水北调中线工程正式通水,每年向北京输水超过10×108 m3,改变了北京供水格局,也为地下水压采、涵养及控制地面沉降创造了条件。本文利用多种监测数据,分析南水进京前后,北京平原区地下水和地面沉降的变化;研究不同水位变化模式下不同岩性及深度土层的变形特征;计算土层不同变形阶段的弹性和非弹性储水率;并对黏性土层产生较大残余变形和滞后变形的原因进行了探讨。结果表明：① 2015～2020年,平原区大部分地区第一至第四含水层组地下水位逐渐上升,地面沉降呈减缓的趋势。② 第二和第三压缩层组是沉降主要贡献层,除平各庄和榆垡站外,其余各站第三压缩层组沉降占比逐渐增大,沉降主控层有向深部转移的规律。③ 平原区北部和东部,第二和第三压缩层组对应的地下水位由降转升。在水位下降阶段,土层呈塑性和蠕变变形;水位上升阶段,土层以塑性变形为主,部分时间出现弹性变形,具有黏弹塑性。平原区南部,地下水位始终持续下降,土层变形始终呈塑性和蠕变变形。含水砂层则主要呈弹性变形。④ 土层变形的不同阶段,弹性和非弹性储水率并不是恒定的,随着地下水位下降,储水率呈减小的趋势。⑤ 黏性土层存在较大残余变形和变形滞后的原因,一是非弹性储水率大于弹性储水率,二是黏性土层的弱渗透性。     

Characterization of regional land subsidence in Yangtze Delta, China: the example of Su-Xi-Chang area and the city of Shanghai

Su-Xi-Chang area and the city of Shanghai, located in the south of Yangtze Delta, China, has subsided due to groundwater overpumping. Because of the regional scale of the groundwater exploitation, cone of depression and land subsidence at present, Su-Xi-Chang area and Shanghai are treated as a single area for a land subsidence study, which could more clearly elaborate the relationships between the deformation features of hydrostratigraphic units and the different sites of the cone of depression. All hydrostratigraphic units in the study area were discussed throughout. Based on the field data, including data on compression of individual strata from groups of extensometers and groundwater levels from observation wells, the relationship between the deformation and the groundwater level was analyzed. The results indicate that the deformation features of the hydrogeologic units are greatly related to hydrogeologic properties and groundwater-level variations. An identical hydrogeologic unit may exhibit different deformation features in different locations such as along the periphery and in the center of the cone of depression. In addition, in the same location, a hydrogeologic unit also exhibits different features in different periods because of different groundwater level variations. The delay phenomenon of the sandy aquifer is not specific but occurs widely.     

Sustainable development and utilization of groundwater resources considering land subsidence in Suzhou,China

Suzhou is located at the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in southeastern Jiangsu, China. It is part of the Su-Xi-Chang area including Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou. As one of the most developed areas in China, this region has suffered from severe land subsidence caused by extensive groundwater exploitation since 1980s. The land subsidence was controlled by prohibition of groundwater exploration in the past several years. However, the surface water pollution prompted a new task of how to sustainably utilize the groundwater resource, especially to satisfy the emergency demands of water supply. In this paper, we took Suzhou as a representative case to discuss how to develop groundwater resources while controlling the land subsidence. The relationship between the deformation and the groundwater level was analyzed, with focus on the deformation features after the period of groundwater exploitation ban. The results confirmed the conclusion by Shi et al. (2007, 2008a): even in the period of rising groundwater level, same units may manifest different deformation characteristics, such as elasticity, elasto-plasticity, and visco-elasto-plasticity, at different locations of the cone of depression. A land subsidence model that couples a 3-D groundwater model and a 1-D deformation model was developed to simulate the groundwater level and deformation. A high-resolution local grid (child model) for Suzhou was built based on the regional land subsidence model of Su-Xi-Chang area by Wu et al. (2009). The model was used for a number of predictive scenarios up to the year of 2012 to examine how to develop sustainable use of groundwater resources under the conditions of land subsidence control. Our results indicated that about 3.08 × 10⁷ m³/a groundwater could be provided as emergency and standby water source while meeting the land subsidence control target of 10 mm/a.     

北京亦庄轻轨工程场地水位下降引起地面沉降量的评估方法探讨

地下水大量抽取所引起的地面沉降,是工程建设场地地质灾害危险性评估中最重要的地面变形灾种之一.由于场地情况各异,目前的定量评估尚无通用模式.一种基于区域水位下降量和相应地面沉降量拟合反演区域骨架成分弹性储水因子和非弹性储水因子的最小二乘方法已经提出.利用该方法反演出北京亦庄轻轨工程建设场地的代表性骨架成分弹性储水因子和非弹性储水因子.在此基础上,采用有效应力法对该场地的地面沉降趋势进行了预测评估.结果表明:如果未来地下水抽取状况不能得到实质性的控制,该场地东南部区域2006-2015年可能新增高达70～126 mm的地面沉降.     

台湾浊水溪冲积扇地下水位变化及地面沉降对高铁之影响

浊水溪冲积扇是台湾水资源最为丰富但也是地面沉降最严重地区。近年来该区域的地面沉降因有可能威胁高铁行车安全而备受关注。本文整合历年累积的地下水位及地面沉降等相关监测数据,验证了地下水位变化与含水层补给之机制,探讨了地下水周期性波降条件下土层压缩特性以及高铁路堤与桩基础工程结构的沉降行为。认为对于设置桩基础的线型高架结构而言,区域性地下水位波降不致增加桥墩间的差异沉降,但桩基础若承受邻近局部的额外载重,则可能伴随地下水位波降产生持续性的差异沉降,其长期效应将对线型交通结构物的平整度及安全性造成负面影响。     

Characterization and mechanism of regional land subsidence in the Yellow River Delta, China

In this paper, we discuss historical and recent land subsidence in the Modern Yellow River Delta. Integrated analysis of leveling and relevant background data, including groundwater level, oil extraction, and geological structure, has revealed that land displacement is driven by natural and induced components acting at various depths. Since the 1950s, intense settlements occurred in the modern estuary delta lobes. Between 2002 and 2008, the subsidence center of Dongying and Guangrao exhibited a typical subsidence area with subsidence rates of 28.2 and 64.7 mm/years, respectively. Higher magnitudes are associated with groundwater withdrawals and oil–gas field exploitations, which induce the compaction of a deep clayey layer. There existed a significant linear positive correlation between groundwater level and elevation in the center of the deep groundwater depression cone. The major contributor of natural subsidence is tectonic movements, while moderate sinking due to the natural consolidation of the recent delta subsoil is still acting.     

Experimental research on macroscopic and mesoscopic evolution mechanism of land subsidence induced by groundwater exploitation

Natural Hazards - Land subsidence induced by groundwater exploitation is a typically multi-scale and multi-field coupling process. The adjustment process and action mechanism of soil mesostructure...     

Land subsidence caused by groundwater exploitation in the Hangzhou-Jiaxing-Huzhou Plain, China

Hangzhou-Jiaxing-Huzhou Plain in northern Zhejiang Province, located between the Yangtze and Qiantang Rivers, is one of the regions where economic development is most rapid in China. Geological and hydrogeological surveys reveal a multi-layered aquifer system beneath the plain, which includes Holocene phreatic water layers and Pleistocene confined aquifers. Based on the historical records of groundwater extraction, groundwater levels, and ground settlement from 1964 to 2000, it is shown that ground subsidence has resulted from the continuously increasing extraction of groundwater from deep confined aquifers, and that the evolution of land subsidence can be characterized by a multifractal model. Based on this model, a set of empirical power-law relations have been established between: the land subsidence velocity and the annual groundwater extraction; groundwater drawdown and the annual land subsidence velocity; and the amount of land subsidence and the associated area of land. A set of indices are proposed for evaluating dynamic evolution of groundwater exploitation and land subsidence for the Hang-Jia-Hu Plain, from which the critical degree of evolution of land subsidence in the near future can be estimated using data on groundwater exploitation and water level changes.

冲洪积平原地面沉降特征及主控因素——以北京平原为例

北京由于长期过量开采地下水,相继引发了一系列地质环境问题,其中地面沉降问题尤为突出。回顾了北京地面沉降发展历史,从平面和垂向上分析了地面沉降特征,在此基础上对北京冲洪积平原区沉降的主控因素进行了研究。结果表明:(1)平面上,沉降分为南、北2个大区,7个沉降中心。北区已由多个单独沉降中心区扩展成一个大区域,南区北扩明显;(2)垂向上,南区第一压缩层为沉降主贡献层,沉降占比42%,浅部地层沉降速率减小,深部地层沉降速率增加。土体变形特征为塑性变形,包含蠕变变形;北区第二压缩层为沉降主贡献层,沉降占比65%,浅部沉降量值很小且波动平缓,深部沉降量相对较大。土体变形特征为浅部以弹性变形为主,深部以塑性变形为主,包含蠕变变形;(3)沉降受构造作用及基底格架控制,北东方向受冲洪积扇上部单一砂卵砾石的地层条件控制扩展范围有限,沉降整体向北西、南东方向扩张;(4)地层结构决定沉降平面和垂向分布特征,尤其北部冲洪积与南部湖相沉积的差异,是产生深浅部地层沉降贡献率不同的重要因素;(5)地下水开采仍是沉降产生的主因,地下水漏斗的扩展和沉降中心的分布高度吻合,主要沉降层地下水位下降速率与沉降速率成正比。     

华北平原地下水位驱动下的地面沉降现状与研究展望

华北平原年地面沉降量大于50 mm的严重区面积超过全国总量的80%,防治形势严峻,需要开展有针对性的研究,为有效防控地面沉降提供科学依据。华北平原建立了较完善的地面沉降监测网络,基本掌握了地面沉降现状及演化规律,但受华北平原含水层系统影响因素复杂与时空变化大等因素制约,对地下水位变化驱动下的土层变形特征及其机制研究迄今仍比较薄弱,限制了对地面沉降发展趋势的科学研判和预测预警。在总结国内外地面沉降研究进展、基于高时空分辨率监测数据分析华北平原地面沉降现状和发展趋势的基础上,提出了地下水位变化影响下的地面沉降研究方向。目前,华北平原地面沉降出现减缓态势,天津、沧州、衡水等重点城市主城区地面沉降得到有效控制,但华北平原尤其是河北平原地面沉降总体上仍然处于较快发展阶段,主要原因是农业灌区地下水开采得不到有效控制。未来华北平原地面沉降研究应聚焦地面沉降机理和预测预警、地下水位回升驱动下的土层变形规律及其对环境的影响、地面沉降区地下水资源属性及地热开发与地面沉降关系等方面。     

Land subsidence due to groundwater withdrawal in Arak plain,Markazi province,Iran

With current trends of groundwater exploitation, the plains of Iran have been facing numerous problems, where subsidence is considered as the foremost obstacle. In the present study, the principle aim was to analyze the level of groundwater and induced subsidence effects in different regions of Arak plain from 2002 to 2008. Arak plain located in Meyghan Lake basin is subjected to subsidence process as a result of the declining groundwater levels. Monthly variations of groundwater levels were plotted using ArcGIS software. The results indicated declining water levels especially in Meyghan Lake than the Arak plains, resulting up to 36 m of drop in the groundwater levels of marginal areas in the plains during these years.