SEGJ Technical Conference

Estimation of the water content change in an embankment using resistivity monitoring

Abstract From a viewpoint of prevention of a slope disaster, it is important to detect the time change of water content in the slope spatially. Resistivity monitoring using the geoelectrical method is considered to be effective in investigating a movement of water and moisture in the slope. In order to confirm it, we conducted the experiment of resistivity monitoring on the slope of an embankment. In this research, repeated geoelectrical surveys have been performed nearly every month for one year since February, 2011. The result of the repeated surveys shows a seasonal change in the resistivity structure of the embankment clearly. The resistivity becomes low in summer wet season and becomes high in winter dry season. The long-term change in resistivity is mainly due to the temperature change. The change in the temperature-compensated resistivity is inversely proportional to the change in the volumetric water content, indicating that a long-term change of water content in the embankment can be monitored by resistivity monitoring.