Air Compressibility Effect on Bouwer and Rice Seepage Meter. Issue 6 (17th July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Peng, Xin; Zhan, Hongbin
• Is Part Of: Ground water. Volume 55:Issue 6(2017)
• Page Start: 899
• Page End: 905
• Publication Date: 2017-07-17
• Subjects: Groundwater -- Periodicals; Wells -- Periodicals; Eau souterraine -- Périodiques; Puits -- Périodiques; Grondwater; Eau souterraine; Puits; Electronic journals; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 551.49
• DOI: 10.1111/gwat.12550
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-467X

Abstract

Abstract: Measuring a disconnected streambed seepage flux using a seepage meter can give important streambed information and help understanding groundwater‐surface water interaction. In this study, we provide a correction for calculating the seepage flux rate with the consideration of air compressibility inside the manometer of the Bouwer and Rice seepage meter. We notice that the effect of air compressibility in the manometer is considerably larger when more air is included in the manometer. We find that the relative error from neglecting air compressibility can be constrained within 5% if the manometer of the Bouwer and Rice seepage meter is shorter than 0.8 m and the experiment is done in a suction mode in which air is pumped out from the manometer before the start of measurement. For manometers longer than 0.8 m, the relative error will be larger than 5%. It may be over 10% if the manometer height is longer than 1.5 m and the experiment is done in a no‐suction mode, in which air is not pumped out from the manometer before the start of measurement. Abstract : Article impact statement : This paper gives an air compressibility correction for the seepage flux calculation in the Bouwer and Rice seepage meter.