The use of Ground Penetrating Radar to Detects Stratigraphy and

Structure in a rock slope

Yuniarti Ulfa, Mardiana Samsuardi, Nur Fathin Mohd Jamel

School of Physics, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
E-mail: yuniartiulfa@usm.my

Ground penetrating radar (commonly called GPR) is a high resolution

electromagnetic waves technique that is designed primarily to investigate the shallow
subsurface of the earth, building materials, road and bridges (e.g. Mellet, 1995). The use of
GPR for shallow subsurface mapping studies has also increasing because it can detect
shallow underground discontinuity and heterogeinity (e.g Nascimento et al., 2004; Rashed et
al., 2002) and can assess the geological hazards associated with shallow ruptures in and near
fault zones (e.g. Toshioka et al., 1995; Rashed et al., 2002). The use of GPR to reveal the
shallow structures and subsurface strata in a road-cut rock slope can help road maintenance
and reduce the risk of road-cut collapse instead of visual inspection by road investigators
(Toshioka et al., 1995).
In this study, an integrated geological-geophysical characterization was done across
the vertical wall of silty shale interbedded with beds of greywacke (Burton, 1970; Ulfa et al.,
2012) in Baling, Kedah with the objective of investigating the shallow geological structures
and characterizing the stratigraphy features inside the rock. This site is part of the Semanggol
Formation which is Triassic in age (Burton, 1970), presents a very good outcrop. It is located
along the East-West highway route 67, Baling area, Kedah as a road-cut rock slope in a
vertical wall exists about 8 m high.
A measuring line was established horizontally along 66 m on the top of the vertical
wall. The following investigation was conducted:
(1) Geological survey: the wall surface was visually checked for joints, faults and fold
distribution, its direction, the presence of any materials contained within the fractures
and the sequence of the stratigraphic layer.
(2) GPR measurement: Two GPR profiles were done along the same line but using different
frequency values (500 and 250 MHz) to a depth of about 4 m. The GPR profiles were
obtained using the Sensors and Software® MALA Geoscience radar.
 Comparison of the measurement records obtained using each antenna resulted the
following interpretations (Figure 1a and 1b):
(1) From the radargram obtained with the 250 and 500 MHz were possible to identify the
sets of structures: joints, faults and stratigraphic layer in the form of fold.
(2) The maximum GPR penetration depth is about 1.2 m (16 ns) for the 500 MHz antenna
and about 2 m (39 ns) for the 250 MHz antenna. The deeper penetration depth is
obtained with the lower frequency antenna.
(3) The 250 MHz antenna gives the best results for both penetration depth and resolution
quality.

Figure 1─Processed radargram obtained using antenna frequencies of 500 and 250 MHz.
 Combined interpretation of GPR images and field structural geologic and stratigraphic
data revealed that the rock slope is composed of two sets of discontinuities: SW-dipping sub-
vertical faults trend in NW-SE direction and SE-dipping sub-vertical faults trend in NE-SW
direction; and sub-vertical joints parallel to the faults which are distributed along NW-SE and
NE-SW directions. Joints in the SW-dipping are relatively open containing clay and soil.
Fold features were also detected in the slope due to the interbedded of clay or shale
contain. However, by comparing with the visible condition at the rock surface, not all
features were recognized in the GPR record. Most dry discontinuities as observed on the wall
are not reflects EM waves. It was also confirmed that the electromagnetic waves were
strongly reflected by clay beds and faults or joints containing clay.

References
Burton, C.K., The geology and mineral resources of Baling Area, Kedah and Perak, the
Geological Survey of Malaysia District Memoar 12, 1970, 150 pp.

Mellet, J.S., Ground penetrating radar applications in engineering, environmental

management, and geology, Journal of Applied Geophysics 33, 1995, pp. 157-166.

Nascimento da Siva, C.C., de Medeiros, W.E., Jardim de Sa, E.F., Xavier Neto, P., Resistivity
and ground penetrating radar images of fractures in a crystalline aquifer: a case study in
Caicara farm−NE Brazil, Journal of Applied Geophysics 56, 2004, pp. 295-307.

Rashed, M., Kawamura, D., Nemoto, H., Miyata, T., Nakagawa, K., Ground penetrating
radar investigation across the Uemachi fault, Osaka, Japan, Journal of Applied
Geophysics 53, 2002, pp. 63-75.

Toshioka, T., Tsuchida, T., Sasahara, K., Application of GPR to detecting and mapping
cracks in rock slopes, Journal of Applied Geophysics 33, 1995, pp. 119-124.

Ulfa, Y., Mohd Hafiz Hafizzy, N.A., Muhammad Farhan, M.F., Structural characteristics of
the Semanggol Formation along the East-West highway route 67 Baling area, Kedah,
Malaysia, Buletin Eksplorium 33 no.2, 2012, pp. 83-94.