Hydrogeology

Duration

Part A : 26h Th, 20h Pr, 1d FW
Part B : 10h Proj.

Number of credits

Lecturer

Part A : Alain Dassargues
Part B : Alain Dassargues

Coordinator

Alain Dassargues

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The fundamentals of hydrogeology and groundwater are proposed in this course: - Introduction - Definitions: groundwater resources advantages and drawbacks, relative importance in the world, in Belgium, in Walloon region. - Hydrological cycle and water balance of a basin, groundwater reserves. - Confined, water table and perched aquifers: definitions and examples, importance of a clear geological understanding when defining hydrogeological conditions. - Hydrogeological parameters and groundwater flow equations: hydrostatic, porosities, hydraulic conductivity and Darcy's law, intrinsic permeability, generalisation, application, limitations, measurements on field, piezometric maps, application examples, transmissivity, steady state groundwater flow in saturated conditions, specific storage coefficient, transient flow in confined and water table aquifers. - Pumping tests and recovery: assumptions, interpretation methods in steady state and transient state, superposition principle, anisotropy, leakance, applications. - Hydrochemical state of groundwater. - Processes and equations describing th contaminant transport in groundwater by advection, diffusion, dispersion, adsorption/desorption, decay, immobile water effect. - Introduction to the use of isotopes and interpretation of results.<br /><br /> This 'partim' of the course is made of the exercices to be solved individually by each student.
 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

At the end of the course, the student will have a strong basic knowledge about hydrogeology and groundwater flow problems. He will be able to: - understand and exploite theoretical and practical hydrogeological concepts; - calculate groundwater fluxes and flow directions; - interprete hydrogeological maps; - draw and interprete piezometric maps; - predict and detect local hydrogeological specificities of a study-site; - interprete pumping tests; - design on field measurement campaigns for groundwater quantity and quality; - interprete and report about hydrochemical groundwater quality data; - understand and interprete the main solute transport processes in groundwater. Exercices and practical courses are lead by an assistant helped by two student-instructors. They will help each student to develop his self-sufficient capacities on practical and real case studies. The not compulsory reading of reference books (in english) will allow additional documentation and understanding of scientific texts in this topic.<br /><br /> To develop his self-sufficient capacities on practical and real case studies.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

The course requires a good knowledge of general geology and basic knowledges of hydraulics and mathematical and vectorial analysis.<br /><br /> The course requires a good knowledge of general geology and basic knowledges of hydraulics and mathematical and vectorial analysis.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course is composed of "ex-cathedra" lectures and directed exercises sessions. The exercises sessions are organised in direct relation with the topics covered by the theory lectures. Usually, two hours of lecture are followed by an exercices session of two hours (except for the first half-day of the semester). In addition, and in function of the availability in the student time schedule, a one day on field (or two half-days) will be organised for on field measurements and for visiting water company exploitation installations. The dates will be fixed together with the students.<br /><br /> A few exercises mut be solved individually by the student and a short report is required. The deadline for this report is fixed together with the students.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face.<br /><br /> Home individual work.

Organisational adjustments related to the current health context

All classes (about theory) will be available as video recordings (mp4) on the eCampus platform.  Either it will be ppt commented with 'off voice' over and the visible pointer, or it will be recorded classes (podcasts).   If, and only if, the health context requires it, the modifications below may be applied.
A distance written or oral, open book but supervised exam will be organized. The exact modalities will be communicated to the students in due course.

Recommended or required readings

A pdf copy of all transparents and partail notes are made available on E-Campus.This is only a summary of what was said and shown during the lectures. The following reference book is highly adviced: - Dassargues, A. 2018. Hydrogeology: groundwater science and engineering, Taylor & Francis CRC Press, 472p. In this book, the student will find more details and examples than collected during the lectures. The pdf copy of the transparents will be available in French and in English.<br /><br /> Reference book : - Dassargues, A. 2018. Hydrogeology: groundwater science and engineering, Taylor & Francis CRC Press, 472p.

Assessment methods and criteria

Below you will find information on the evaluation methods planned for in-person and remote exams as well as those planned for hybrid sessions. Depending on how the health crisis evolves, the chosen method will be communicated to you no later than one month before the start of the exam session.

Any session :

- In-person

written exam ( open-ended questions )

- Remote

written exam ( open-ended questions )

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred in-person


Additional information:

If the COVID19 situation allows it:
A written exam is organised in January and in September sessions. With open questions, the evaluation is based mainly on understanding the concepts and processes, but it requires also memorisation. Indeed, a good knowledge and perfect command of the fundamentals are needed for preparing accurate and adequate answers. During the exercices sessions, different problems are submitted to the students for an individual resolution. A final report on these resolutions is required for the last exercises session of the semester. The evaluation of this exercises report provides 30% of the final exam mark.
If a remote exam must be organized:
A distance written or oral, open book but supervised exam will be organized with open questions. The exact modalities will (if applicable) be communicated to the students in due time.  

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

The course will be given during the 1st semester: Monday am.The schedule and location of the course should be checked on CELCAT.
In principle, the allocated room (TP64 B52) allows to respect the distance rules for a group of about 30 students (usual number for this course). If we are more, commented ppt will be available as mp4 files on eCampus.

Contacts

Alain Dassargues 04/3662376 Alain.Dassargues@uliege.be Tom Debouny (assistant): Tom.Debouny@uliege.be