1. Project Proposal
Building a Classifier for
Identifying Groundwater
Types in Sri Lanka
Mayooran Somasundaram (2008/CSC/19)
Department of Computer Science
University of Jaffna
21.03.2012

2. Abstract
Analyze the groundwater data of Sri Lanka
Build a classifier for identifying groundwater
types
Based on the data collected by C.B.Dissanayake
and S.V.R.Weerasooriya.
Extend this study to the data collected in the
Jaffna Peninsula.

3. Introduction
Many research activities have been mentioned
on rivers, lakes and the atmosphere.
Very few case studies have been reported from
developing countries.
The effect of the types of groundwater on human
health in Sri Lanka is most importance

4. Description of existing work
One of the existing studies is done by C.B.Dissanayake and
S.V.R.Weerasooriya (Department of Geology, University of
Peradeniya) in 1985.
The purpose of their study was to present a detailed chemical
classification of groundwater in Sri Lanka.

5. Description of existing work
They have collected groundwater samples all over
Sri Lanka except the Northern region.
Chemically analyzed the contents of the samples
and identified the following four main types
1. Calcium type (Ca)
2. Magnesium type (Mg)
3. Sodium/potassium type (Na/K)
4. Non-dominant cat ion type
Using Piper diagrams the collected data was
classified into above four types.

6. Piper diagram
The Piper diagram is a multiple tri-linear diagram for
graphic representation of the major chemical contents of
water, and effectively illustrates analytical data.

7. The water type is defined as constituting
more than 50% of the cation or anion.
The major chemical contents in aquatic
systems include Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, HCO3- , CO32-
, SO42-and Cl-.
The proportion of these eight chemically
significant contents provides the basis for
naming the water types.

8. Background of this study
It is hoped that this system would be a completely fulfilled
system to identifying water types in the whole Island.
It is also hoped that this classification will be helped to town
and country planners and those engaged in the
implementation of rural water supply schemes.
It will be able to identifying the new types.

9. Detail description of the
proposed study
Studying and understanding ground water types that
identified by C.B.Dissanayake and S.V.R.Weerasooriya.
The ground water data provided by C.B.Dissanayake and
S.V.R.Weerasooriya will be studied and preprocessed.
Understanding data mining techniques.
The data will be clustered using clustering methods.

10. Detail description of the
proposed study
Identified clusters will be verified for consistencies
with the types identified by C.B.Dissanayake and
S.V.R.Weerasooriya
If there are significant differences then the clusters
will be analyzed to find the reasons with the help of
domain experts.
Build a neural network classifier for predicting the
groundwater type.
Applying the classifier for the data collected in the
Jaffna peninsula.

11. Time Line for this study
Work Description Time period
Analyze the existing system 2 weeks
Collect the data and Preprocessed 2 weeks
Apply the Clustering methods and 4 weeks
identify the clusters
Build a neural network classifier 4 weeks
Applying the classifier 3 weeks

12. References
C.B.Dissanayake,S.V.R.Weerasooriya, 1985. A Geo-chemical Classification of
Groundwaterof Sri Lanka. Department of Geology, University of
Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
S. Carmelita Nishanthiny, M. Thushyanthy, T. Barathithasan, S. Saravanan, 2010.
Irrigation Water Quality Based on Hydro Chemical Analysis, Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
Department of Agric. Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jaffna, Sri
Lanka.

13. Thank you