Hydrogeology Journal

, Volume 26, Issue 3, pp 771–787 | Cite as

Pumping-induced stress and strain in aquifer systems in Wuxi, China

  • Yun Zhang
  • Jun Yu
  • Xulong Gong
  • Jichun Wu
  • Zhecheng Wang
Paper
First Online:
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Abstract

Excessive groundwater withdrawal from an aquifer system leads to three-dimensional displacement, causing changes in the states of stress and strain. Often, land subsidence and sometimes earth fissures ensue. Field investigation indicates that land subsidence and earth fissures in Wuxi, a city in eastern China, are mainly due to excessive groundwater withdrawal, and that they are temporally and spatially related to groundwater pumping. Groundwater withdrawal may cause tensile strain to develop in aquifer systems, but tensile strain does not definitely mean tensile stress. Where earth fissures are concerned, the stress state should be adopted in numerical simulations instead of the strain state and displacement. The numerical simulation undertaken for the Wuxi area shows that the zone of tensile strain occupies a large area on the ground surface; nevertheless, the zone of tensile stress is very limited. The zone of tensile stress often occurs near the ground surface, beneath which the depth to the bedrock surface is relatively small and has considerable variability. Earth fissures often initiate near the ground surface where tensile stress occurs. Tensile stress and earth fissures rarely develop at the centers of land subsidence bowls, where compressive stress is dominant.

Keywords

Numerical modeling Subsidence Earth fissure Stress and strain China 

Contraintes et déformations induits par pompage dans les systèmes aquifères du Wuxi, Chine

Résumé

Un prélèvement excessif d’eau souterraine à partir d’un système aquifère entraîne un déplacement tridimensionnel, provoquant des changements dans les états de contrainte et déformation. Souvent, des affaissements de terrain et parfois des fissures dans le sol s’ensuivent. Une enquête de terrain indique que les affaissements de terrain et les fissures dans le sol à Wuxi, une ville de l’est de la Chine, sont principalement dus à un prélèvement excessif d’eaux souterraines, et qu’ils sont liés spatio-temporellement au pompage d’eaux souterraines. L’extraction d’eaux souterraines peut entraîner le développement d’une déformation dans les systèmes aquifères, mais une déformation n’occasionne pas de manière définitive une contrainte. En ce qui concerne les fissures dans le sol, l’état de contrainte doit être intégré dans les simulations numériques à la place de l’état de déformation et de déplacement. La simulation numérique entreprise pour la zone de Wuxi montre que la zone de déformation occupe une grande surface à la surface du sol, mais la zone de contrainte en tension est très limitée. La zone de contrainte en tension se trouve souvent près de la surface du sol, en-dessous de laquelle la profondeur du substrat rocheux est relativement faible et présente une variabilité considérable. Les fissures dans le sol sont souvent initiées près de la surface du sol où se produit une contrainte en tension. La contrainte en tension et les fissures dans le sol se développent rarement aux centres des bassins de subsidence, où les contraintes en compression sont dominantes.

Esfuerzos y deformación inducidos por el bombeo en sistemas acuíferos en Wuxi, China

Resumen

La extracción excesiva de agua subterránea de un sistema acuífero conduce a un desplazamiento tridimensional, lo que provoca cambios en los estados de esfuerzo y deformación. A menudo se producen subsidencia y a veces fisuras en el terreno. La investigación de campo indica que la subsidencia y las fisuras en el terreno en Wuxi, una ciudad en el este de China, se deben principalmente a la extracción excesiva de agua subterránea, y que están relacionados temporal y espacialmente con el bombeo. La extracción de agua subterránea puede provocar que se desarrolle una fuerza de deformación en los sistemas de los acuíferos, pero la fuerza de deformación no significa definitivamente un esfuerzo. En lo que respecta a las fisuras en el terreno, el estado del esfuerzo debería adoptarse para las simulaciones numéricas en lugar del estado de deformación y el desplazamiento. La simulación numérica realizada para el área de Wuxi muestra que la zona de las fuerzas de deformación ocupa una gran área en la superficie del suelo, pero la zona de los esfuerzos es limitada. La zona de los esfuerzos a menudo se produce cerca de la superficie del suelo, debajo de la cual la profundidad de la superficie del basamento es relativamente pequeña y tiene una considerable variabilidad. Las fisuras del terreno a menudo se inician cerca de la superficie del suelo donde se produce la deformación. Los esfuerzos y las fisuras del terreno raramente se desarrollan en las depresiones donde la deformación es dominante.

中国无锡地区抽水引起的含水系统的应力和应变

摘要

过量开采含水系统中的地下水会引起地层三维位移,造成其应力和应变状态改变,随之产生地面沉降甚至地裂缝。现场调查表明位于中国东部的无锡市的地面沉降和地裂缝主要是由于过量开采地下水引起的,它们在时间和空间上都与地下水开采密切相关。地下水开采可使含水系统产生拉张应变,但拉张应变并不一定意味着拉张应力。在考虑地裂缝问题时,应采用数值计算所得的应力状态而不是应变状态或位移。针对无锡地区的数值计算结果表明地下水开采使得地表上拉应变占据了很大的面积,但拉应力所占的面积非常有限。含水系统中拉张应力通常出现于地表附近,其下基岩面埋深相对较浅且有较大起伏。地裂缝多起始于发生拉张应力的地表附近。地面沉降中心处主要为压应力,拉张应力和地裂缝很少发生于此。

Estresse e deformação induzidos por bombeamento em sistemas aquíferos em Wuxi, China

Resumo

A retirada excessiva de águas subterrâneas de sistemas aquíferos leva ao deslocamento tridimensional causando mudanças nos estados de estresse e tensão. Frequentemente, ocorrem subsidência de terrenos e, por vezes, fissuras de terra. Investigações de campo indicaram que as subsidências de terrenos e fissuras de terra em Wuxi, uma cidade no leste da China, são principalmente devido à retirada excessiva de águas subterrâneas, e que estão temporal e espacialmente relacionados ao bombeamento de águas subterrâneas. A retirada das águas subterrâneas pode fazer com que a deformação de tração se desenvolva em sistemas aquíferos, mas a deformação de tração não significava, definitivamente, estresse de tração. No que se refere às fissuras de terra, o estado de estresse deve ser adotado em simulações numéricas ao invés do estado de deformação e deslocamento. A simulação numérica realizada para a área de Wuxi mostra que a zona de deformação de tração ocupa uma grande área na superfície do terreno, mas a zona de estresse de tração é muito limitada. A zona de estresse de tração geralmente ocorre próxima a superfície do terreno, abaixo da qual a profundidade até a superfície do embasamento rochoso é relativamente pequena e tem uma variabilidade considerável. As fissuras de terra geralmente se iniciaram perto da superfície do terreno onde ocorre o estresse de tração. O estresse de tração e fissuras de terra raramente se desenvolvem nos centros de bacias de subsidência de terreno, onde o estresse compressivo é dominante.

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Notes

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the constructive comments and suggestions from Dr. Jean-Michel Lemieux, Dr. Devin Galloway, and two anonymous reviewers, which were very helpful in improving the quality of the manuscript.

Funding Information

This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (No. 41572250) and the Open Foundation of Key Laboratory of Earth Fissures Geological Disaster, Ministry of Land and Resources (Geological Survey of Jiangsu Province).

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2017

Authors and Affiliations

  • Yun Zhang
    • 1
  • Jun Yu
    • 2
  • Xulong Gong
    • 2
  • Jichun Wu
    • 1
  • Zhecheng Wang
    • 1
  1. 1.School of Earth Sciences and EngineeringNanjing UniversityNanjingChina
  2. 2.Key Laboratory of Earth Fissures Geological DisasterMinistry of Land and Resources (Geological Survey of Jiangsu Province)NanjingChina

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