ICE - Monitoring subsurface groundwater flow

Geophysical surveys can play a crucial role in the investigation of such structures and phenomena as minimally invasive techniques can provide an array of information regarding the strength, composition, and distribution of materials at a high spatial resolution. However, to accurately study seepages, a high temporal resolution data set is often of significant use. The Self-Potential method is a minimally invasive and low-cost geophysical surveying technique well used in academia to investigate groundwater flow in numerous settings including embankment seepages and groundwater contamination. TerraDat UK Ltd, have developed SPiVolt, a system which monitors the Self-Potential field in near real-time. We will present a general overview of geophysics for the engineering sector before moving on to the results of two SPiVolt installations. The first showing seepage through the downstream shoulder of a Victorian-era embankment dam and the second shows how well a groundwater collection system is working to prevent flow through mine tailings.