Modeling of land subsidence due to groundwater overexploitation using elastoplastic Mohr-Coulomb model in Arak plain, Iran

In this paper, the land subsidence across Arak plain, a relatively vast plain located in central Iran, caused by groundwater level drop is calculated using Mohr-Coulomb elastoplastic model. Also, a modified finite element model is applied via Plaxis2D commercial software for validation. Five borehole stations at given locations across the Arak plain are considered, namely Gavkhaneh, Ebrahimabad, Safarabad, Amanabad, and MojedabadKohneh, and the mentioned model is applied at each borehole. The acquired results show a subsidence average value of 26.6 cm for 17.85 m of groundwater level drop along 1991-2014. Also, the lowest aggregated subsidence value until 2014 is observed at Safarabad station being 0.2 cm, while its maximum value is observed at Gavkhaneh station being 88.75 cm. The acquired results reminds the necessity of groundwater resources management measures and supervision over exploitation amounts.