POSSIBLE MECHANISM OF GROUND SURFACE DEFORMA-TION CAUSED BY GROUNDWATER LEVEL CHANGES

This paper concerns with the possible mechanism of ground surface deformation given rise by pumping of water at a constant rate Q from a pressurized water horizon through a single water well. The pumping of water causes a funnel-shaped region in which the pressure of the flowing water drops and as a consequence, the water-bearing horizon lowers. This is equivalent to apply a horizontal loading force to the layers overlying the water horizon. If the overlying layers are assumed to be elastic thin plates, we are able to calculate both the vertical and horizontal deformation of the ground surface and also the additional stresses, etc.