# US 5,345,820 A · Method of and arrangement for determining geohydraulic permeability of ground regions through which ground water flows > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,345,820 A - Document ID: US5345820A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/029,823 - Filed: 1993-03-11 - Granted: 1994-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 1992-03-11 - Assignees: IEG Industrie-Engineering GmbH - Inventors: Bruno Bernhardt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5345820A ## CPC - E21B 49/008: {by injection test; by analysing pressure variations in an injection or production test, e.g. for estimating the skin factor (measuring pressure E21B47/06)} - G01N 33/24: Earth materials (G01N33/42 takes precedence) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A measurement of geohydraulic permeability of ground regions is performed by producing a negative pressure in a well shaft and a measuring of the resulting raise or lowering of the ground water level in the well shaft without pumping out of ground water from the shaft. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of determining geohydraulic permeability of ground regions through which ground water flows for dimensioning of a well providing ground water circulation, the method comprising the steps of producing a negative pressure of an adjustable magnitude above a ground water level in a well shaft in a ground region to be investigated; measuring a raise of the water level produced by the negative pressure in the well shaft per unit time and also measuring at least one of the negative pressure acting in the well shaft and lowering of the ground water level per unit time after elimination of the negative pressure to obtain respective measuring values; and determining a geohydraulic permeability of the ground level to be investigated from the obtained measuring values. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said measuring of the raising or lowering of the ground water level is performed during flowing of ground water from different directions into the well shaft per unit time, said determining includes determining anisotrophy of the geohydraulic permeability of the ground region from the measuring values during the flow of the ground water from different directions in the well shaft per unit time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said measuring of the raising or lowering of the ground water level during flow of the ground water is performed during flow of the ground water from a horizontal direction and from a vertical direction into the well shaft. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said measuring of the raising or lowering of the ground water level during flow of the ground water is performed by measuring during flow of the ground water from a horizontal direction at different depths. ### Claim 5 An arrangement for determining geohydraulic permeability of ground regions through which ground water flows for dimensioning wells for producing a ground water circulation, the arrangement comprising a locally water permeable shaft wall defining a well shaft which is air- and water-impermeably closed above a ground water level; means for producing a negative pressure in the well shaft above the ground water level in the shaft; and a measuring probe for measuring a change of the ground water level produced by the negative pressure per unit time in the well shaft and also for measuring the negative pressure acting in the well shaft to obtain respective measuring values so as to determine the geohydraulic permeability from the obtained measuring values. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said means for producing a negative pressure include a suction pump, a vacuum chamber and a valve, said means for producing negative pressure being located outside the well shaft and connected with the well shaft; and further comprising means for connecting said means for producing negative pressure with said well shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) An arrangement as defined in claim 6, wherein the connecting means includes a tube which connects said means for producing negative pressure with the well shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) An arrangement as defined in claim 5; and further comprising an evaluating device located outside the well shaft and connected with the measuring probe. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) An arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said shaft wall has a plurality of water permeable shaft wall portions which correspond to a plurality of horizontal regions of the well shaft and which are sealed relative to one another. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An arrangement as defined in claim 9; and further comprising means for sealing the water permeable shaft wall regions from one another. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) An arrangement as defined in claim 9; and further comprising a tube which overlaps at least one upper shaft region and extends through said means for sealing to the ground water level in the well shaft. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) An arrangement as defined in claim 5; and further comprising at least one upwardly open tube extending in ground and forming the well shaft for measuring a vertical geohydraulic permeability of the ground region to be investigated, said tube having an interior which does not have ground only in a region located above the ground water level. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An arrangement as defined in claim 12, wherein said at least one tube is introducible into the ground region to be investigated. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) An arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein the well shaft for measuring a vertical geohydraulic permeability of the ground region to be investigated is formed by two concentric tubes including an inner tube composed of a transparent flexible material and having a lower end, and an outer tube having a hardened, tipped end piece on which said lower end is arranged. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An arrangement as defined in claim 14, wherein said inner tube and said outer tube form a ventilatable free space therebetween. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) An arrangement as defined in claim 14, wherein said inner tube is composed of tube pieces which are welded together, said outer tube having an outer thread for boring into the ground. ### Claim 17 An arrangement for determining geohydraulic permeability of ground regions through which ground water flows for dimensioning wells for producing a ground water circulation, the arrangement comprising a locally water permeable shaft wall which defines a well shaft, which is air-and water-impermeably closed above a ground water level; means for producing a negative pressure in the well shaft; and a measuring probe for measuring change of the ground water level per unit time and the negative pressure acting in the shaft so as to determine the geohydraulic permeability from thusly measured values, said well shaft being formed by three concentric tubes including a central tube provided having a lower end provided with a cutting tool and an upper end connectable with a rotary drive, an inner tube which together with a bore core is removable from said central tube and an outer tube. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) An arrangement as defined in claim 17; and further comprising means for pumping rinsing water into a space between said tubes for washing out of ground released during boring.