USES OF GEOPHYSICS IN SUBSURFACE SURVEYING

TWO MAJOR METHODS OF GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYING USED TODAY FOR SHALLOW ENGINEERING WORK WAS DESCRIBED. THESE ARE THE EARTH RESISTIVITY METHOD AND THE REFRACTION SEISMIC METHOD. EXAMPLES OF SURVEYING ARE GIVEN. IT IS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT IN MANY INSTANCES ALL GEOPHYSICAL METHODS HAVE LIMITATIONS AND IT IS NECESSARY TO USE MORE THAN ONE METHOD TO OBTAIN THE DESIRED RESULTS. A COMBINATION OF RESISTIVITY AND SEISMIC METHODS WILL GIVE MORE COMPLETE RESULTS AS IN THE CASE OF THE SURVEY IN I-194 ROADWAY CUT SECTION, BATTLE CREEK, WHERE EARTH RESISTIVITY IS USED TO OUTLINE THE UNCONSOLIDATED OVER-BURDEN WHILE THE REFRACTION SEISMIC METHOD IS USED TO OUTLINE SANDSTONE BEDROCK. THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF STATE HIGHWAYS MADE EXTENSIVE USE OF GEOPHYSICS TO OBTAIN DETAILED SUBSURFACE INFORMATION AT CRITICAL LOCATIONS. THE RESISTIVITY AND SEISMIC SURVEYS, COMBINED WITH BORINGS AND LABORATORY TESTING, YIELD A COMPLETE REPORT THAT CAN BE USED FOR LAND EVALUATION AND APPRAISAL, ENGINEERING DESIGN, CONTRACTOR BEDDING, CONSTRUCTION AND AS A PERMANENT SUBSURFACE RECORD SHOULD LITIGATIONS OR OTHER PROBLEMS ARISE AFTER CONSTRUCTION.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 2, No 5, 79-90, 4 FIG, 6 REF
• Authors:
  • Malott, D F
• Publication Date: 0

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Highway Focus

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Appraisals; Geological surveying; Geophysical prospecting; Geophysics; Methodology; Refraction; Resistivity method; Seismicity; Surveying
• Uncontrolled Terms: Seismic refraction
• Old TRIS Terms: Geophysical explorations; Land appraisal; Shallow seismic refraction method; Subsurface explorations
• Subject Areas: Finance; Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00229939
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 16 1971 12:00AM