Application of Geophysics in

Engineering
Why use geophysics?
• Geophysical techniques offer the chance to overcome some of the
investigation techniques. (limited borehole data and limited access)
• Less expensive,
• less invasive and
• less time consuming.
• provide a large-scale characterisation of the physical properties under
undisturbed condition
Different Geophysical Methods and
Properties of Materials they Measure
 Applied geophysics
➢Passive methods:
Use naturally present sources/fields to investigate properties of the subsurface

Examples:
➢Gravity
➢Earth’s magnetic field
➢Earthquakes

➢Active methods:
Use man-made source to image structure of subsurface

Examples:
➢Dynamite, air guns, …
➢EM waves
➢Electrical currents
Geophysical Methods Applications
 Applied geophysics
➢Seismic methods: refraction and reflection seismics; VSP; seismic surveys

➢Gravity surveying: density contrasts; anomalies; gravimeters; corrections

➢Geomagnetic surveying: induced rock magnetism; anomalies

➢Electromagnetic surveying: EM fields; survey methods; ground penetrating radar (GPR)

➢Electrical surveying: resistivity; VES soundings;

➢Borehole petrophysics: well logging; core sampling;

➢Radiometrical surveying: radioactive decay; isotopes; dating;

➢Geothermal methods: heat flow; conduction;

 Gravity Survey

• Gravity measures spatial variations of the gravitational field due to

lateral variations in density.
Magnetic and Gravity Survey
• Magnetic and gravity surveys
are seldom sufficiently
responsive to small-scale
geological variations so that
they can be used to locate
individual petroleum
prospects. Although gravity
surveys can sometimes
locate reef and salt dome
traps, aeromagnetic
surveys can identify igneous
bodies
Magnetic and Gravity Survey
How many dimensions?
Seismic methods
Mainly measure
travel times and
amplitudes which
depend on density
and elastic moduli
Seismic methods
Mainly measure travel
times and amplitudes
which depend on
density and elastic
moduli
Seismic Refraction
Downhole Shear Wave Velocity Test
Resistivity Survey
• Electrical tomography, also referred as electrical
• imaging is a survey technique which aims to build up a
• picture of the electrical properties of the subsurface by
• passing an electrical current along many different
• paths and measuring the associated voltage [3]. From
• these measurements, the true resistivity of the
• subsurface can be estimated. The ground resistivity is
• related to various geological parameters such as
• mineral and fluid content, porosity and degree of water
• saturation in the rock. According to [4], igneous and
• metamorphic rocks typically have high resistivity
• values while clay has a significantly lower resistivity
• than sand
Ground penetrating
radar

measures travel
times of reflected
radar waves

velocity is controlled
by the dielectric
constant
When to use geophysical
methods?