DC geoelectrics - Sounding

Method Type:
Electrical Methods
Assigned Problems:
+
Depth of Overburden-bedrock interface
Civil Engineering
+
Gravel, clay, limestone, salt exploration
Natural Resources
+
Groundwater table
Groundwater
+
Host sediments, hydogeological settings
Hazardous Waste
+
Ice thickness
Natural Hazards
+
Landslides
Natural Hazards
+
Permafrost and ice detection
Natural Hazards
+
Quality / Thickness of aquifer/aquitard
Groundwater
+
Quality and thickness (Natural resources)
Natural Resources
+
Quantity/ Thickness
Hazardous Waste
0
Aquifer pollution
Groundwater
0
Location of buried materials
Hazardous Waste
0
Porosity / Permeability
Groundwater
0
Soil / rock quality
Civil Engineering
0
Temporal variations
Groundwater
'+' = Technique applicable; '0' = Application possible/limited use.

Principle:
Electrical sounding provides a one-dimensional (1-D; assuming a horizontally stratified Earth)
vertical profile of the electrical resistivity distribution with depth.
Keywords:
Vertical electrical sounding (VES); 1-D resistivity profile; resistivity distribution; inversion; sounding
curves; 1-D resistivity-depth functions
Prerequisites:
- Target must be characterized by a resistivity contrast.
- Buried wires, metal pipes, metal fences may influence measurements.
- Urban areas may cause high noise levels (e.g. stray currents).
- Measurements during rain should be avoided.
- A thin high-/low resistivity top layer may obscure deeper targets.
- In some areas electrode coupling may be poor (e.g., asphalt, gravel, dry sand).
- Prohibited use: pronounced 2 - or 3 D dimensional subsurface geometry.
- Subsurface must be approximately horizontally layered (maximum dip of layers: 10).
Resolution:
Typical values of resolution are (Depth range / Target thickness): 0 - 10 m / 1 m to several m; 10 50 m / tens of m; > 50 m / several tens of meters. Maximum of about 6 layers can be resolved
reasonably.
Expected Results:
- Measured parameter: voltages [mV]. Depending on electrode configurations and currents
injected values may range from a few V to several V.
- Data analysis: inversion algorithms are employed to produce 1-D models from the measured
sounding curves. Layer suppression: relatively thin layers between two layers of moderate
resistivity may not contribute to the measured data and therefore remain hidden. Pitfalls: Nonuniqueness: many underground models may predict observed data equally well.
- Interpretation: resistivity-depth functions are associated with geological units.
Additional geological or geophysical surface data may be required for reliable interpretation. A
priori information (layer thickness and / or resistivity values) are helpful to constrain the models.

page 1

Combination with other Methods:

- Required additional information: rough estimates of target depths.
- Related add-on information: electromagnetic data; Electrical data; Knowledge of layer
thicknesses (e.g., borehole logs, seismic methods) and/or resistivity values (e.g., electrical
logs).
- Independent additional information: georadar data; seismics data
Operation Expense:
- Crew size: 1 key person, 1-2 assistants
- Acquisition speed: small arrays (< 250 m): 12 - 15 soundings per day; large arrays (> 250 m): 5
- 12 soundings per day.
- Processing: requires 1 - 2 days per acquisition day
- Equipment rental costs: low
Parameters to specify:
- Array type: Either the Schlumberger or, less effectively, the Wenner array is used for sounding,
since most commonly available interpretation methods and interpretation aids are based on
these arrays.
- Array size: Total length of array: 3 to 10 times the depth of investigation; typically more then six
times the depth of investigation.
- Array orientation: Should be parallel to the strike of geological structures.
- Array orientation: should be parallel to predominant direction of groundwater flow.
- Electrode position: should be logarithmically spaced. Six points per decade is the minimum
recommended number. Usually 8 points are used.
QC Documents:
- Documentation of accuracy of transmitted currents and voltages.
- Measurements of natural potentials and transition resistances between electrodes and ground.
- Measurements of reproducibility (measurements of reciprocal or redundant configurations).
- Optional: Map of buried cables, roads, crossed sounding (to assure the 1-D structure, otherwise
profiling or tomography is recommended).
Products:
- 1-D resistivity-depth functions
- Sounding curves
- Interpretation

page 2