The subsidence–distance relationship for land subsidence induced by groundwater abstraction

Land subsidence resulting from groundwater abstraction is a significant environmental and geological concern. The main objective of subsidence research is to predict land subsidence. In this paper, an equation for land subsidence caused by a single pumping well has been derived by applying the principles of elasticity, effective stress, and the linear elastic constitutive relationship of the aquifer matrix. Expanding upon this derivation, a subsidence–distance (S-R) relationship for multiple pumping wells has been developed using the principle of superposition. The S-R relationship was employed to fit analytical solutions, numerical solutions, and field monitoring data from third-party literature. The correlation coefficients for all cases consistently approached 100%, affirming the accuracy and reliability of the S-R relationship. Moreover, the S-R relationship serves as a valuable reference for forecasting land subsidence and responsibly planning groundwater-pumping schemes.