Joint interpretation of magnetotelluric, seismic, and well-log data in Hontomín (Spain)

Acknowledgements. This work is dedicated to the memory of Andrés Pérez-Estaún, brilliant scientist, colleague, and friend. The authors sincerely thank Ian Ferguson and an anonymous reviewer for their useful comments on the manuscript. Xènia Ogaya is currently supported in the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies by a Science Foundation Ireland grant IRECCSEM (SFI grant 12/IP/1313). Juan Alcalde is funded by NERC grant NE/M007251/1, on interpretational uncertainty. Juanjo Ledo, Pilar Queralt and Alex Marcuello thank Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and EU Feder Funds through grant CGL2014- 54118-C2-1-R. Funding for this Project has been partially provided by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade, through the CIUDEN-CSIC-Inst. Jaume Almera agreement (ALM-09-027: Characterization, Development and Validation of Seismic Techniques applied to CO2 Geological Storage Sites), the CIUDEN-Fundació Bosch i Gimpera agreement (ALM-09-009 Development and Adaptation of Electromagnetic techniques: Characterisation of Storage Sites) and the project PIERCO2 (Progress In Electromagnetic Research for CO2 geological reservoirs CGL2009-07604). The CIUDEN project is co-financed by the European Union through the Technological Development Plant of Compostilla OXYCFB300 Project (European Energy Programme for Recovery).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Effect of operating temperature on direct recycling aluminium chips (AA6061) in hot press forging process

A method of solid-state recycling aluminum alloy using hot press forging process was studied as well as the possibility of the recycled chip to be used as secondary resources. This paper presents the results of recycled AA6061 aluminium alloy chip using different operating temperature for hot press forging process. Mechanical properties and microstructure of the recycled specimens and as-received (reference) specimen were investigated. The recycled specimens exhibit a good potential in the strength properties. The result for yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) at the minimum temperature 430˚C is 25.8 MPa and 27.13 MPa. For the maximum operating temperature 520˚C YS and UTS are 107.0MPa and 117.53 MPa. Analysis for different operating temperatures shows that the higher temperatures giving better result on mechanical properties and finer microstructure. The strength of recycled specimen increases due to the grain refinement strengthening whereas particle dispersion strengthening has minor effects. In this study, the recycled AA6061 chip shows the good potential in strengthening as the comparison of using only 17.5% of suggested pressure (70.0/400.0) MPa, the UTS exhibit 35.8% (117.58/327.69) MPa. This shows a remarkable potential of direct recycling by using hot press forging process

Profiles of Problematic Soils and Spatial Distribution: Implication on Foundation Construction in Parts of Kosofe Lagos, Southwestern Nigeria.

Geotechnical data were complemented with geophysical investigation and employed to delineate problematic soils in parts of Kosofe Lagos, Southwestern Nigeria. The study area was chosen because of known issues regarding cracks in buildings and differential settlement of infrastructures founded on soils in the area. The aim is to generate profiles and maps of the spatial distribution of the subsurface soils to aid in foundation planning. Forty eight borehole logs and nine Vertical Electrical Soundings were compiled to delineate the different subsurface lithology which include peat, clay and sand. The results showed that the peat layer has maximum thickness of about 18.25 m but absent in some boreholes. This is underlain by clay unit with thickness ranging between 2.50-28.50 m. Sand unit constitute the third layer delineated with maximum thickness of 14 m. There is a general thickening of peat soils in the northern parts, especially around the streams in the area, which is instructive on the role of stream in the formation of the peat. The clay on the other hand is thickest around the northeastern and southeastern parts. The soil profiles generated reveal that the area is underlain by thick peat and clay having significant lateral, vertical variation and rapidly changing lithological facie over short distances. The extensive occurrence of these poor engineering soils calls for adequate engineering precaution in designs of building foundation

Effectiveness of 3D Geoelectrical Resistivity Imaging using Parallel 2D Profiles

Acquisition geometry for 3D geoelectrical resistivity imaging in which apparent resistivity data of a set of parallel 2D profiles are collated to 3D dataset was evaluated. A set of parallel 2D apparent resistivity data was generated over two model structures. The models, horst and trough, simulate the geological environment of a weathered profile and refuse dump site in a crystalline basement complex respectively. The apparent resistivity data were generated for Wenner–alpha, Wenner–beta, Wenner–Schlumberger, dipole–dipole, pole–dipole and pole–pole arrays with minimum electrode separation, a (a = 2, 4, 5 and 10 m) and inter-line spacing, L (L = a, 2a, 2.5a, 4a, 5a and 10a). The 2D apparent resistivity data for each of the arrays were collated to 3D dataset and inverted using a full 3D inversion code. The 3D imaging capability and resolution of the arrays for the set of parallel 2D profiles are presented. Grid orientation effects are observed in the inversion images produced. Inter-line spacing of not greater than four times the minimum electrode separation gives reasonable inverse models. The resolution of the inverse models can be greatly improved if the 3D dataset is built by collating sets of orthogonal 2D profile

Geophysical assessment of subsurface conditions at proposed building sites: implications for foundation failure and building collapse

Building collapse has been a recurrent environmental hazard in Nigeria in the last two decades. This is a corollary of inadequate foundation investigation prior to construction, poor government policies, and general lack of awareness on the importance of geophysical and geotechnical investigations. In this study, geological mapping and detailed geophysical investigation using Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) and Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) were carried out to understand the suitability of proposed building sites at the main campus of the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Nigeria for construction. Both Wenner array and dipole-dipole were used for profiling and Schlumberger for sounding. Four transverses and VES were used in each of the three areas investigated. Our results show that the subsurface of the study areas is underlain by Precambrian basement rock of Nigeria. Rocks in the study area include banded gneiss, porphyroblastic gneiss, biotite-hornblende granite and quartzite schist. The sounding stations across the three areas and 2D resistivity imaging revealed three principal geoelectric layers, the topsoil, the weathered layer and the fractured/fresh basement with varied resistivity values for each layers. At the VES stations, the three geoelectric layers have resistivity values of 62 to 1182 Ωm, 3.2 to 1360Ωm and 87 to 4680 Ωm. On the 2D resistivity imaging profiles, the resistivity of the three layers varies from 2 to 1182 Ωm, 30to 1360 Ωm, and 40 to 2904 Ωm for the topsoil, the weathered basement, and fractured/fresh bedrock. Our work demonstrates that some of the proposed sites are structurally incompetent for engineering or foundation purposes. Excavation of the topsoil and reinforcement are required to sustain the proposed structures

Geoelectrical Characterization for Liquefaction at Coastal Zone in South Aceh

The paper presents a case study of liquefaction investigation, carried out in an area of the South Aceh coast. The zone lies on low flat plain at Tanjung Harapan Village, west coast of Aceh. The process of site investigation is controlled by: occurrence of groundwater, nature of bedrock, and presence of clays. Prediction of liquefaction zones in high seismicity regions will be a great help to mitigate hazards. Geoelectric resistivity using a combination both vertical electrical sounding and horizontal resistivity images of Wenner-Schlumberger configuration have been carried out and can be of help to delineate the liquefaction zones. With this backdrop, it believe that in conjunction with soil and sediment characteristics indicating high susceptibility to liquefaction, and resistivity anomalies will provide vital information to predict and identify the liquefaction zones. Results of this study revealed the surface layer consists of loose sediments, sandy clay, and silty sandy layer are potentially liquefied during earthquake. The 2-D model sections at 10 m electrode spacing were described, together with subsurface structures can be used to predict the resistivity values at a approximately 48 m dept

Heat as a proxy to image dynamic processes with 4D electrical resistivity tomography

Since salt cannot always be used as a geophysical tracer (because it may pollute the aquifer with the mass that is necessary to induce a geophysical contrast), and since in many contaminated aquifer salts (e.g., chloride) already constitute the main contaminants, another geophysical tracer is needed to force a contrast in the subsurface that can be detected from surface geophysical measurements. In this context, we used heat as a proxy to image and monitor groundwater flow and solute transport in a shallow alluvial aquifer (< 10 m deep) with the help of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). The goal of our study is to demonstrate the feasibility of such methodology in the context of the validation of the efficiency of a hydraulic barrier that confines a chloride contamination to its source. To do so, we combined a heat tracer push/pull test with time-lapse 3D ERT and classical hydrogeological measurements in wells and piezometers. Our results show that heat can be an excellent salt substitution tracer for geophysical monitoring studies, both qualitatively and semi-quantitatively. Our methodology, based on 3D surface ERT, allows to visually prove that a hydraulic barrier works efficiently and could be used as an assessment of such installations

Predicting the movements of permanently installed electrodes on an active landslide using time-lapse geoelectrical resistivity data only

If electrodes move during geoelectrical resistivity monitoring and their new positions are not incorporated in the inversion, then the resulting tomographic images exhibit artefacts that can obscure genuine time-lapse resistivity changes in the subsurface. The effects of electrode movements on time-lapse resistivity tomography are investigated using a simple analytical model and real data. The correspondence between the model and the data is sufficiently good to be able to predict the effects of electrode movements with reasonable accuracy. For the linear electrode arrays and 2D inversions under consideration, the data are much more sensitive to longitudinal than transverse or vertical movements. Consequently the model can be used to invert the longitudinal offsets of the electrodes from their known baseline positions using only the time-lapse ratios of the apparent resistivity data. The example datasets are taken from a permanently installed electrode array on an active lobe of a landslide. Using two sets with different levels of noise and subsurface resistivity changes, it is found that the electrode positions can be recovered to an accuracy of 4 % of the baseline electrode spacing. This is sufficient to correct the artefacts in the resistivity images, and provides for the possibility of monitoring the movement of the landslide and its internal hydraulic processes simultaneously using electrical resistivity tomography only

GEOELECTRICAL INVESTIGATIONS FOR GROUNDWATER EXPLORATION IN CRYSTALLINE BASEMENT TERRAIN, SW NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR GROUNDWATER RESOURCES SUSTAINABILITY

This research involves the subsurface geological characterization for groundwater potential assessment within the campus of the Polytechnic of Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria. The study is directed towards groundwater resources exploration, development and management in the campus. Five 2D resistivity imaging traverses were conducted using Wenner array in addition to five VES surveys using Schlumberger array that provide layering information and geoelectrical parameters. Three geologic layers delineated from the 2D resistivity inversion models include predominantly clayey sand/ sandy clay top soil (overburden), partly weathered or fractured basement and fresh basement. Their inverse model resistivity values ranges 6.68 – 98.6 m , 68.0 – 929 2252 m and m with bottom depths ranges 3.8 – 6.4 m and 6.4 – 10 m respectively. 1D model inversion from VES results also delineate three lithologies classifying both topsoil and some part of the partly weathered basement as overburden with resistivity and thickness range 483 – 1746.9 m , 1.1 – 1.8 m; partly weathered or fractured basement 60.3 – 93.5 m , 8.4 -12.9 m and fresh basement 984.6 – 2078.9 m . The saturated portion of the partly weathered or fractured basement at depth will favour groundwater exploration and development in this area, while the relatively shallow overburden thickness would serve as the protective layer and recharge for the fractures

SUBSOIL CHARACTERIZATION USING GEOELECTRICAL AND GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS: IMPLICATIONS FOR FOUNDATION STUDIES

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) has been combined with geotechnical techniques such as cone penetrating tests, standard penetrating test and laboratory tests for detailed characterization of near-surface strata. This approach can be very helpful in conducting preliminary investigations towards a robust foundation design at a building construction site. Two ERT lines were conducted for 2D geoelectrical resistivity measurements using Wenner array configuration in combination with four cone penetrating data. Through the inversion of ERT data, two geoelectrical layers were interpreted to be loose silty sand and compacted clayey sand lithological units with the resistivity values ranging 50 - 280 ohmm and 10 - 74 ohmm respectively. A water-saturated portion with resistivity values <=3 ohmm due to lagoon-water incursion was equally observed at the base of the second clayey sand layer in ERT line T2. The average cone penetrometer (CPT) value of about 110 kg/cm2 (11 MPa) with an average SPT ‘N’ value of 25 was measured between 6.75 - 30.0 m, indicating that the geomaterials within this depths range are of good geotechnical properties. Laboratory tests conducted on the representative soil samples at 3.75 m depth gives a moisture content (MC) of 66%. This is attributed to the clay contents within the soil samples. The Liquid Limit (WL), Plastic Limit (WP) and Plasticity Index (PI) tests of the soil samples gives 84%, 30% and 54% respectively. The results of the proposed approach, encompassing both geophysical and geotechnical methods has helped to steer the choice of the foundation for the investigated building towards a pile-type foundation rather than a shallow one. The pile foundation will cause the higher loadings to transmit the loads to a stable soil layer within the subsurface