Advancing Hydraulic Characterization of Multilayered Aquifers Using a
Transient Inverse Approach for Constant Head Injection Tests
Abstract
Constant head injection (CHI) tests are a standard method for estimating
subsurface hydraulic properties, but traditional interpretations using
analytical solutions like Moye’s equation are limited by their inability
to capture transient dynamics and vertical heterogeneity. This study
introduces a novel transient inverse method that allows for the
estimation of layer-specific hydraulic conductivities (K) in
multilayered aquifers, accommodating realistic boundary conditions.
Using synthetic simulations with varying specific storage coefficients
(S_s) and observation times (t_rep), the method consistently produced
accurate K estimates and demonstrated robustness to S_s variations. In
contrast, Moye’s equation significantly underestimated K values,
highlighting the limitations of steady-state approaches. The proposed
method offers improved flexibility and accuracy for CHI test
interpretation, making it a valuable tool for more complex, real-world
aquifer systems.