DC Resistivity Technique:

DC resistivity techniques, sometimes referred to as electrical resistivity, electrical resistivity imaging or vertical electric sounding, measure earth resistivity by driving a direct current (DC) signal into the ground and measuring the resulting potentials (voltages) created in the earth. From that data the electrical properties of the earth (the geoelectric section) can be derived and thereby the geologic properties inferred.

Common applications of the DC resistivity method include:delineation of
aggregate deposits for quarry

operations, measuring earth impedance or resistance for electrical grounding circuits or for cathodic protection, estimating depth to bedrock, to the water table, or to other geoelectric boundaries, and mapping and/or detecting other geologic features.

The figure above is a schematic diagram showing the basic principle of DC resistivity measurements. Two short metallic stakes (electrodes) are driven about 1 foot into the earth to apply the current to the ground. Two additional electrodes are used to measure the earth voltage (or electrical potential) generated by the current. Depth of investigation is a function of the electrode spacing. The greater the spacing between the outer current electrodes, the deeper the electrical currents will flow in the earth, hence the greater the depth of exploration. The depth of investigation is generally 20% to 40% of the outer electrode spacing, depending on the earth resistivity structure.

Instrument readings (current and voltage) are generally reduced to "apparent resistivity" values. The apparent resistivity is the resistivity of the homogeneous half-space which would produce the observed instrument response for a given electrode spacing. Apparent resistivity is a weighted average of soil resistivities over the depth of investigation. For soundings a log-log plot of apparent resistivity versus electrode separation is obtained. This is sometimes referred to as the "sounding curve."

The resistivity data is then used to create a hypothetical model of the earth and it's resistivity structure (geoelectric sections). Resistivity models are generally not unique; i.e., a large number of earth models can produce the same observed data or sounding curve. In general, resistivity methods determine the "conductance" of a given stratigraphic layer or unit. The conductance is the product of the resistivity and the thickness of a unit. Hence that layer could be thinner and more conductive or thicker and less conductive, and produce essentially the same results. Because of this constraints on the model, borehole data or assumed unit resistivities, can greatly enhance the interpretation.

The end product from a DC resistivity survey is generally a "geoelectric" cross section (model) showing thicknesses and resistivities of all the geoelectric units or layers. If borehole data or a conceptual geologic model is available, then a geologic identity can be assigned to the geoelectric units. A two-dimensional geoelectric section may be made up of a series of one-dimensional soundings joined together to form a two-dimensional section, or it may be a continual two-dimensional cross section. The type of section produced depends on the acquisition parameters and the type of processing applied to the data.