Simulating earth deformation evolution caused by groundwater pumping
through ordinary state-based Peridynamics method
L. Zhu, J. Li, H. Gong, M. Ye, X. Li
Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
Z. Dai
College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, China
P. Teatini
Dept. of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering,
University of Padova, Padova, Italy
Earth deformation including land subsidence and the related earth fissures caused by the over-exploitation of
groundwater resources is threatening countries all over the World. At present, the simulation of earth deformation
of aquifer system is mainly based on continuum and contact mechanics. These approaches lead to two
main challenges, i.e. the need of knowing the location of possible earth fissures in advance and using meshes that
must be adjusted during the rupture propagation. Here, ordinary state-based Peridynamics method is firstly
introduced to simulate the evolution of continuous and discontinuous earth deformation due to groundwater
withdrawal. A failure criteria accounting for shear and tensile strain simultaneously is proposed. The approach is
used to simulate the evolution of land subsidence and earth fissures in compressible sedimentary soils with
buried rigid ridges. Two case studies are reproduced: one is a test carried out in laboratory and the other one
concerns Guangming village, Yangtze River delta. In both cases, the presence of a shallow buried bedrock
crossing the alluvial deposits is responsible for the initiation and growth of earth fissure that a satisfactory
captured by the model. For the lab experiment, a 0.1 m deep fissure appearing above the rocky tip is computed.
In Guangming village area, results show that some small fissure groups were initiated. Then, three main earth
fissures developed rapidly with the maximum depth of 32.5 m. This study proposes a consistency modelling
framework to simulate continuum earth deformation and discontinuous fissures due to groundwater withdrawal
in specific geological settings, and supply a reliable scientific tool for early warning of this geo-hazard.
