Shape factors of cylindrical piezometers in uniform soil

This article presents the analytical solution of Laplace equation for the steady flow around open-ended cylindrical piezometers located in an infinite, isotropic, and incompressible saturated soil. Shape factors are obtained for piezometers with varying length-to-diameter ratios. Comparisons are made with published factors obtained by means of approximate analytical solutions, numerical approaches, and measurements in electric analog models. It is shown that some expressions that are currently used in practice are inadequate and should be abandoned.