Doctoral Dissertations

Keywords and Phrases

Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT); Fractures; Joints; Karst; MASW

Abstract

"In recent years the electrical imaging techniques have been largely applied to geotechnical and environmental investigations. These techniques have proven to be the best geophysical methods for site investigations in karst terrain, particularly when the overburden soil is clay-dominated. Karst is terrain with a special landscape and distinctive hydrological system developed by dissolution of rocks, particularly carbonate rocks such as limestone and dolomite, made by enlarging fractures into underground conduits that can enlarge into caverns, and in some cases collapse to form sinkholes.

Bedding planes, joints, and faults are the principal structural guides for underground flow and dissolution in almost all karstified rocks. Despite the important role of fractures in karst development, the geometry of dissolution-enlarged fractures remain poorly unknown. These features are characterized by an strong contrast with the surrounding formations in terms of physical properties, such as electrical resistivity.

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) was used as the primary geophysical tool to image the subsurface in a karst terrain in Greene County, Missouri. Pattern, orientation and density of the joint sets were interpreted from ERT data in the investigation site. The Multi-channel Analysis of Surface Wave (MASW) method and coring were employed to validate the interpretation results.

Two sets of orthogonal visually prominent joints have been identified in the investigation site: north-south trending joint sets and west-east trending joint sets. However, most of the visually prominent joint sets are associated with either cultural features that concentrate runoff, natural surface drainage features or natural surface drainage"--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Anderson, Neil L. (Neil Lennart), 1954-

Committee Member(s)

Rogers, J. David
Maerz, Norbert H.
Liu, Kelly H.
Ge, Mao Chen

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Degree Name

Ph. D. in Geological Engineering

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Spring 2017

Pagination

ix, 116 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographic references (pages 112-115).

Rights

© 2017 Elnaz Siami-Irdemoosa, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 11119

Electronic OCLC #

992174553

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