Characteristics of aquifer system deformation in the Southern Yangtse Delta, China

Excessive groundwater pumpage has caused regional cones of depression and severe land subsidence in the Southern Yangtse Delta, China. The characteristics of aquifer system compaction are complex because of the difference in the types, compositions and structures of the soils that the hydrostratigraphic units are composed of, and in the histories of groundwater level change the hydrostratigraphic units have experienced. Based on the data measured from extensometer groups and observation wells, the characteristics of deformation for individual hydrostratigraphic units are analyzed. The results show that different hydrostratigraphic units have different kinds of deformation and that an identical unit may also present different deformation characteristics, such as elasticity, elasto-plasticity, and visco-elasto-plasticity, at different sites of the cone of depression or in different periods. If the groundwater level rises continuously and remains constant later, the aquifers and the aquitard units that consist of hard clay primarily exhibit elastic behaviour, but the aquitard units that consist of soft clay deform plastically and by creep and exhibit visco-elasto-plastic behaviour. If the groundwater level falls but is much higher than the previous lowest value, aquifers and aquitards consisting of hard clay exhibit elasto-plastic behaviour. If the groundwater level falls below the previous lowest value, aquifers and aquitards consisting of hard clay deform plastically and by creep and exhibit visco-elasto-plastic behaviour.