Teaching and Research Field Site "Grundwasser" / Instrumentation for field tests

Teaching and Research FIELD Site „Grundwasser“ of TU Dresden (Pirna, Pratzschwitzer Str. 15)

The Teaching and Research field site "Grundwasser" of TU Dresden is currently undergoing an extensive modernization and upgrading process, financed by the investment program of TU Dresden for improving the infrastructure.

Planned equipment (in progress, in addition to the existing equipment)

• On-site laboratory container for conducting experiments / practical courses and for storage of measuring equipment     
• 250mm well for aquifer pumping tests incl. permanently installed high performance deep well pump     
• 250mm well for bank filtration incl. permanently installed deep well pump     
• 5 "groundwater observation well for the second aquifer (for comparison with the upper, first aquifer)
• 12 x 2 "direct-push groundwater observation wells
• tracer test field with multiple direct-push observation points
• walk-in soil sampling pitch
• area for conducting in-situ investigations
• exemplary borehole heat exchanger for thermal experiments including temperature sensors
• various water injection elements (incl. infiltration ditch, infiltration well, DP injection lances)     
• multi-parameter weather station
• water storage facilities for 4 x approx. 5 m³
• water pipe to the nearby Elbe River

Existing equipment on site:

• 11 x 1 "direct-push groundwater observation wells    
• 7 x 5 "groundwater observation wells in the first aquifer     
• 2 phalanxes with multi-level measurement points
• dug well for groundwater extraction
• intensive exploration of the subsurface via depth-oriented slug tests, sediment analyzes, direct-push injection logging and geoelectrics by the Department "Monitoring and Exploration Technologies" of the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research     
• Precipitation totalizator

Pumps, sensors and sampling equipment for field tests:

• Submersible and suction pumps in different sizes for sampling and pumping tests
• Field peristaltic pump for injection of marker substances     
• Multi-parameter sensor module for in-situ determination of guiding parameters
• mobile spectral fluorimeter for the measurement of fluorescent dyes (including uranin, eosin, sulphorhodamine B)
• Flow-through cell for representative groundwater sampling
•  transport vehicle of the Institute of Groundwater Management
• various packer systems for tracer tests
• various pressure and temperature measuring sensors with logging function
• various systems for sediment sampling in the vadose zone
• various electroless systems for groundwater sampling (e.g., bailers and foot valve pumps)    
• mobile gantry crane and tripod

Mobile computing facilities for the planning and evaluation of field test

•  field-compatible notebook for on-site reading and programming, e.g., of datalogger systems and probes

Used simulation software

• Groundwater Modeling System {GMS}
• Processing Modflow für Windows {PMWIN}
• Hydrus 2D/3D
• interpolation software Surfer

FocUS and current research areas     

• Determination of geohydraulic parameters for groundwater flow and transport (e.g., performing natural and forced hydraulic gradient tests) and geochemical parameters (e.g., pilot parameter acquisition via point and representative sampling)    
• Evaluation of single wells and wellfields for groundwater recharge (including infiltration experiments using 1 "and 2" direct push injection wells and experimental evaluation of well aging processes)
• Development and evaluation of innovative exploration methods (including tracer technologies using the stable isotopes oxygen-18 and deuterium (see stable isotope laboratory of IGW)
• Calculation of heat transport and storage processes in the subsurface, taking into account exchange processes, etc. with the atmosphere     
• (Further) development of analytical and numerical methods for the description of the conservative and reactive transport of solutes in groundwater

Projects

01/2016 until 12/2018 -  „Rain as a Groundwater Tracer “

• funded by German Research Foundation  {DFG}
• Partners: Department ‚Monitoring and Exploration Technologies" of UFZ, Department ‚Land and Water‘ of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation {CSIRO Australia}
• DFG Grants LI 727/24-1 and BU 3083/3-1
• Research Information System
• GEPRIS

06/2014 until 08/2016 – „Development of a simulation model-based prognosis system for the knowledge-based application of reactive mass and heat transport simulation models in the groundwater sector using the double-porosity approach“

• Research and development project funded by BMWI
• Partners : Großmann Ingenieur Consult GmbH {GICON}, Jungk Consult GmbH
• Grant KF3253801JA3
• Research Information System

04/2014 until 12/2014 – “Urban Water Resource Management UWRM”

• internal project of Center of Advanced Water Research {CAWR}
• Partners: Institute of Urban Water Management of TU Dresden; Department „Environmental Informatics {ENVINF}" of UFZ

RESPONSIBLE PERSON

Further contacts: Dipl.-Ing. Martin Binder, M.Sc. Felix Tritschler, M.Sc. Fritz Kalwa