ABSTRACT
In virtually all groundwater investigations, one needs to have an estimate of the transmissive nature of the subsurface material that is the focus of study. In hydro geology, the transmissive nature of the media is characterized by the parameter termed hydraulic conductivity or, in its fluid-independent form, intrinsic permeabil ity. A large number of experimental techniques have been developed over the years to provide estimates of the hydraulic conductivity of subsurface material. These techniques range from laboratory-based permeameter or grain-size analyses to largescale multi well pumping tests. In the last two decades, a field technique for the estimation of hydraulic conductivity in situ known as the slug test has become increasingly popular, especially among scientists and engineers working at sites of suspected groundwater contamination. It is no exaggeration to say that literally tens of thousands of slug tests are presently being performed each year in the United States alone. Despite the heavy utilization of this technique in environmental appli cations, relatively little has been written about the practical aspects of the method ology. Many articles can be found in the technical literature on theoretical models for the analysis of slug-test data; yet there has been relatively little published on how to actually apply the technique in practice. Given the prevalence of the technique and the economic magnitude of the decisions that may be based on its results, there is clearly a pressing need for a text to which the field investigator can refer for answers to questions concerning the design, performance, and analysis of slug tests. The purpose of this book is to fill that need.
