A METHOD OF MEASURING EARTH RESISTIVITY

By Frank Wenner
When we start to make a project or installation of any electrical equipment, we must
deal with the grounding system. So, we need to calculate different parameters and one of the
most important of them is earth resistivity. There are many ways to calculate it, in this
material we are going to use Wenner Method.
This method consists in placing 4 rods in holes spaced in a straight line. The diameter
of the holes is not more than 10th percent of the distance between them, and all extend to
approximately the same depth, which is usually that s at which we are most concerned with
the resistivity. In the figure below, it is showed the way of rod placement. Only the bottom
of the rods are in contact with the ground.

Figure 1

The distance and the depth of the holes should be known because these two are the main
conditions to evaluate the resistivity of the soil.

4 πaR 4 πaR (1)

ρ= =
2a 2a n
1+ −
√ a2 +4 b2 √ 4 a2 + 4 b2

The n is a factor that depends on the ratio of the distance between rods a and the depth of the
holes b. When:
b=a  n = 1.187
b = 2a  n = 1.038
b = 4a  n = 1.003
In case b is large in comparison with a, we use this equation:
ρ=4 πaR (2)

In case b is small in comparison with a, we use this equation:

ρ=2 πaR (3)

Below is the schematic used to measure the resistance R between rods and soil.

Figure 2

The rod 1 and 4 are used as current terminals, the rod 2 and 3 are used as potential terminal.
We can use an ammeter to determine the current implemented by the primary winding
of the transformer. Changing the potentiometer on the slide wire we can balance the
galvanometer. In this way we can determine the voltage on the second winding of the
transformer.
Knowing these two parameters, allows us to determine the resistance R. This resistance can
be used in equation (1) to calculate the resistivity of the soil.
 Measurement is based on the Wheatstone bridge principle. Potentials between D and
B need to be equal, so the difference of the potentials will be zero and the galvanometer
would be on balance. The only parameter that can be changed is the resistance R2 which in
our schematic is represented by slide wire. In our schematic Rx is represented by the
resistance R.

R2∙ R3
R x=
R1 (4)

Figure 3

To have more accuracy in measurement we need to consider some other factors. For
example:

- Rod material (aluminum, cooper)

- Rod shape

- Resistance of wires used on measurement

- Resistance of junction between wires and rods

- Soil
1. Structure (homogeneous, not homogeneous)
2. Type (clay, sandy, silty, peaty, chalky, loamy)
3. Temperature
4. Moisture