FACULTY OF ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Lab ELECTRICAL RESISITIVITY IMAGING

01 (ERI)
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GEOTECHNICAL INSTRUMENTATION
Lab Objectives

By the end of this lab, students should be able to:

1. Understand about the Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) and how to use it to
obtain subsurface image under the soil.
2. This will applied to installers, field engineers and technicians who need to
acquire subsurface image under the soil.

Student names Student ID Section Group

20

Due Date: Delivery Date:

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EXPERIMENT 2: ELECTRICAL RESISITIVITY IMAGING (ERI)

1.0 OBJECTIVES

At the end of the experiment, student shall be able to:

1. Understand about the Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) and how to use it to obtain
subsurface image under the soil.

2. This will applied to installers, field engineers and technicians who need to acquire
subsurface image under the soil.

2.0 INTRODUCTION

ABEM Terrameter LS is a state-of-the-art data acquisition system for self-potential

(SP), resistivity (RES) and time-domain induced polarization (IP). The instrument is
delivered with everything that is needed for multi-electrode geo-electrical imaging except
electrode cables and electrodes. The built-in GPS automatically logs the instrument position
during data acquisition; provided there is adequate GPS signal reception.

Electrical resistivity can be an efficient option to map the subsurface conditions when
you need a non-destructive investigation technique and/or want improved data coverage
compared to traditional, point-by-point, intrusive methods (such as drilling or digging). The
range of models and accessories in the ABEM Terrameter product range makes it suitable for
many applications and budgets. Measurements can be straightforward soundings (just
measuring resistivity against depth), 2D profiles or even 3D volumes. Data can be collected
on land, in water, or within boreholes and can be single “point in time” measurements or
repeated readings to fulfill a need for monitoring of changes in the subsurface.

Terrameter LS 2 is fully compatible with existing parts of the ABEM Lund Imaging
System like electrode cables, cable joints, cable jumpers, electrodes and electrode selectors
for expansion. Figure 1 shows a complete system except for the full number of electrodes and
cable jumpers.
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Figure 1: Geoelectrical imaging system with Terrameter LS 2

Common applications for resistivity include:

1. Bedrock depth / detection

2. Bedrock topography
3. Fracture and fault zone identification
4. Cavity detection and mapping
5. Ores / mineral deposits
6. Geology, soil types or bedrock type / change
7. Groundwater aquifers
8. Groundwater contamination
9. Saltwater intrusion
10. Waste / pollutant mapping
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3.0 MATERIALS
Terrameter ABEM LS 2, Electrodes, Transmitters, Connectors, Power Supply, Cables,
Battery

4.0 METHODOLOGY
Installation of Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI)

Preparations for Installation

1. Installation of Electrodes
a. Electrodes have the ability to conduct electricity that used to make contact
with non-metallic materials.
b. As for ERI, the existence of electrodes play an important part as electric
connector which pass the electric current to the ground after receive energy
from power supply.
c. The arrangement of these electrodes needs to be linear. Table 1 show the
summary of electrode spacing and Figure 2 show the electrodes used in this
study.

Table 1 Spacing between electrodes

Takeout Number Number of Spacing between
Cables
(Tn) Electrodes (En) Electrodes (m)
0.25
Cable 1 (C1) T1, T3, T5.......T21 E1-E11
0.25
Cable 2 (C2) T21-T41 E12-E31
0.25
Cable 3 (C3) T41-T61 E32-E51
Cable 4 (C4) T61, T63, T65….T71 E52-E61 0.25
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Figure 2 Electrodes

2. Cable Line Configurations

a. Normally in electrical resistivity imaging (ERI), a total of four cables will be
used. The maximum length for each cable is 100 m.
b. However, it is not a must to use all four cables when conducting ERI.
c. There are two groups of line configurations which consist of short (two cables)
and long (more than two cables) line.
d. Table 2 show the detail of resistivity line configurations. This study uses all
four cables. Figure 3 shows the cable used in this study.

Table 2 ERI line configurations

Spread Line Number of Takeout Connection
Image Resolution
Configuration Cables with Transmitters
Cable 1: Red

Cable 2: Red and Blue

4 High
Long
Cable 3: Red and Blue

Cable 4: Red
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Figure 3 Cable

3. Setup connectors

a. The main function of connectors in this ERI work is to connect the resistivity
cable.
b. As for this study, a total of two connectors will be used to connect all four
cables. One connector will connect cable 1 (C1) to cable 2 (C2) while another
connector will connect cable 3 (C3) and cable 4 (C4).
c. It is important to notice that these two connectors have a groove mark on each
one of it. This groove functioned to guide on how to point the direction of
connector during the arrangement of electrical resistivity imaging (ERI)
survey.
d. The groove side must be pointed to the terrameter which located at the center
of ERI arrangement. Table 3 show the direction of grooves on connectors.
e. Figure 4 show the image of the connectors.

Figure 4 Connectors
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Table 3 Arrangement of connectors during ERI survey

Groove Number Connection Cable Direction of Groove

Cable 1 (C1) to
Right
Cable 2 (C2)

Cable 3 (C3) to
Left
Cable 4 (C4)

4. Installation of Electrodes

a. In order to connect the takeout resistivity cables to the electrodes, transmitters

(jumper cables) are used.
b. When conducting ERI, transmitters are important as it helps to transmit
current from resistivity cable to the electrode that was buried into the ground.
Figure 5 shows the transmitter used.
c. There are 64 transmitters used when conducting ERI at study area. Table 4
summarizes the number of transmitter used.

Figure 5 Transmitters
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Table 4 Summary of transmitter used

Number of Transmitters
Cables Takeout Number (Tn)
(En)
11
Cable 1 (C1) T1, T3, T5.......T21
21
Cable 2 (C2) T21-T41
21
Cable 3 (C3) T41-T61
Cable 4 (C4) T61, T63, T65….T81 11

5. Installation of Electrodes

a. There are 12 measurement channels exist in ABEM Terrameter LS 2 which

help for high productivity and efficiency in the field.
b. With the built-in electrode, it allows connection up to maximum number of
electrodes which is 81 that give higher depth capabilities and high image
resolution.
c. This terrameter is a standalone solution consists of measurement channels,
electrode selector, high power current transmitter, graphical and full computer
user interface.
d. Figure 6 shows the terrameter model ABEM LS 2 used in this study.

Figure 6 ABEM Terrameter LS 2

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Performing Data Acquisition

1. Installation of Electrodes

a. Data acquisition is controlled within the “Measure” Menu Item, under which
there are eight Views: “Progress”, “Resistivity Results”, “Pseudo Section”,
“Electrodes”, “Electrode Positions”, “VES Curve”, “Borehole Log Curve”,
and “Borehole Log”.
b. Figure 7 show the navigation menu

Figure 7 Navigation menu: Measure Menu Item: Progress Sub Item marked

2. Starting the Measurement

a. Navigate to the “Measure/Progress” View

b. If the top row says <EMERGENCY STOP> turn the safety switch clockwise
to release it
c. Move the highlight to the <Start Measuring> row
d. Press <Ok>
e. Figure 8 show the measuring command on measuring progress view
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Figure 8 Start measuring command on measuring progress view

3. Starting the Measurement

a. The first step in the data acquisition is the electrode contact test.
b. If any electrodes have too high contact resistance or are not connected
properly an error message will be issued, and the operator prompted to check
and improve the contact before the electrodes are re-checked.
c. The cable array is outlined on the “Measure/Electrodes” View in a table
showing the position of the electrodes on each cable and their status (Figure
9).

Figure 9 Electrode contact status view

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4. Progress and Data Viewing Options

a. The measuring progress is shown on the “Measure/Progress” View (Figure

10).
b. The top of the “Measure/Progress” View shows the coordinate location of the
cable spread, and which of the cables that still remain to be used by the
protocol on the present measurement station.
c. If all measurements for the cable have been completed it is removed from the
list, so that only cables with remaining measurements on the current station
are listed on that line.

Figure 10 Progress view

d. When the measurement is ready the Status Bar will show “Measuring done!”
and the stop-measuring row will be replaced with a “No data points to
measure” statement (Figure 11).
e. The data can be viewed on-line in the form of a table on the
“Measure/Resistivity Results” View (Figure 12).
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Figure 11 Progress view

Figure 12 Resistivity results view

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5.0 RESULTS

1. Data Viewing Options

a. Another way to display the data on-line is in the form of a pseudo section as
can be seen on the “Measure/Pseudo Section” View (Figure 13).

Figure 13 Pseudo section view