GEOPHYSICAL
INVESTIGATIONS
ELECTRICAL METHODS: THE RESISTIVITY METHOD
MERIDA, LEONITO JR
MOLITO, EDELYN
OSIO, JOHN DAVE
INTRODUCTION
Surface electrical resistivity surveying is based on the principle that the distribution
of electrical potential in the ground around a current-carrying electrode depends on
the electrical resistivities and distribution of the surrounding soils and rocks.
ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY METHOD IS USED
TO KNOW THE FOLLOWING:
• To determine the depth of groundwater table.
• To determine the depth to bedrock or overburden thickness.
• To determine map stratigraphy.
• To determine map clay aquitards.
• To determine the vertical extent of certain types of soil and groundwater
construction.
• To estimate landfill thickness.
ELECTRODE CONFIGURATION
• Wenner Array- is the simplest of arrays; in it,
the four electrodes—A, M, N, and B—are placed
in line and spaced equidistant from each other. It
is commonly used in profiling for lateral
exploration of the ground, like soil testing and
sometimes VES for vertical exploration of the
ground, like defining horizontal layers. The
logistic advantage of using the Wenner array when
profiling is you only have to move four electrodes
for each new measurement along the line.
• Schlumberger Array- is an array where four
electrodes are placed in line around a common
midpoint. It is the best method used for vertical
electrical sounding for practical reasons. It is
less labor-intensive than the Wenner array
because you only need to move the two
transmitting electrodes for each new reading,
whereas the Wenner requires moving all four
electrodes for each new measurement.
• Dipole-dipole Array- consisting of a current
electrode pair and a potential electrode pair, was
originally used for mineral exploration with
the induced polarization (IP) method.
• The Square Array is a special case of the
equatorial array, named because the
electrodes form the shape of a square and the
sides of the array are all equal length. This
array is used most frequently in determining
the anisotropy (i.e., resistivity in different
directions) of a geological formation.
• The Gradient Array is used to measure the
potential using a dipole M-N moving between
two fixed current electrodes A and B. The
array is used to map the electrical field caused
by the two fixed current electrodes. The
Schlumberger array is a variation of the
gradient array.
METHODS
• Vertical Electric Sounding- VES is one of the
more commonly used and cost-effective resistivity
survey methods. Current is moved through the
subsurface from one current electrode to the other
and the potential as the current moves is recorded.
From this information, resistivity values of various
layers is acquired, and layer thickness can be
identified.
• Electric profiling- electric profiling seeks to
determine resistivity variations on a horizontal
scale. Profiling can use the same electrode spacing
configurations as VES. Since changing the spacing
between electrodes only affects the depth at which
the survey can reach, the profiling method does not
involve manipulating electrode spacing. Instead,
the electrode spacing is kept constant and the entire
survey is moved along a line or a "profile" to
measure horizontal changes in resistivity.
• Electric Imaging- Electric imaging is able to
survey both vertical and horizontal changes in
resistivity. This method essentially combines the
other two methods. Electrode spacing is
increased and the survey is moved along a profile
in order to measure both vertical and horizontal
resistivity.
APPLICATION:
• Determine electrical characteristics of surrounding area
• Determine depth of water table
• Detect contaminant plumes
• Detect fracture zones and faults
• Determine extent of Karst features
• Detect areas of potentially unstable ground, e.g. mine shafts, sinkholes, voids
• Assist in dam stability analysis
• Determine overburden depth
• Locate buried mafic dikes
• Provide data for corrosion control design
• Determine lithology/structure
INSTRUMENTS AND EQUIPMENT
SuperSting Or MiniSting System PowerSting
PowerSting Transmitter Nodes Deep Ocean-Towed System
EarthImager 3D Or EarthImager 2D
Graphite Cables
