Multi Disciplinary Edu Global Quest (Quarterly), Volume 1, Issue 1, January-March 2012

QUICK ASSESSMENT OF GROUND WATER BY ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY SURVEY.

Mr. Aditya N Contractor Mr. Jignesh B Patel Dr. Sandip A Vasanwala INTRODUCTION Development in science and technology has helped us find new sophisticated, accurate and reliable methods. These methods can be classified into two heads: Surface methods and Subsurface methods. In surface investigations, ground water can be investigated by working on the earth surface. Sometimes these methods also provide quantity and quality of water. Latest methods of surface investigations are: 1) Electrical resistivity method. 2) Seismic Refraction method. 3) Gravity method. 4) Magnetic method. Amongst these methods, electrical resistivity method is the most economical, versatile, less time consuming and reliable method. Surface investigation is advisable to adopt before starting any big project to study ground water depth and characteristics. Detailed and comprehensive study of ground water and condition under which it occurs can only be made by sub-surface investigations. Ground water, its location, movement, quality and quantitative data can be obtained by lowering an instrument inside the earth and operating it from the surface. The problem of ineffective water distribution system can be easily and economically solved by Geophysical approach-Electrical Resistivity method which also is an alternative solution to drilling and boring the earth.

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Multi Disciplinary Edu Global Quest (Quarterly), Volume 1, Issue 1, January-March 2012 PRINCIPLE AND CONCEPT Every substance has physical property of electrical resistivity, depending upon this property all substance can be classified. In reverse if this property is known corresponding material can be predicted. Resistivity of soil vary over wide range depending upon the mineral content, density, porosity, pore size and shape, water content and quality of water, temperature. Resistivity is defined as the resistance in ohms between opposite faces of a unit cube of material (Elvis R. Sverko. 1999). If a material of resistance R has a cross sectional area A and length L then its resistivity can be expressed as

ohms - meter.

Where, R = Resistance of material (ohms-centimeter.), A = Cross-Sectional Area (squarecentimeter.), L = Length (centimeters.) Actual resistivities are determined from an apparent resistivity which is computed from measurements of current and potential differences between pair of electrodes placed on the ground surface. Procedure involves measuring a potential difference between two electrodes resulting from outer two current electrodes. If the ground beneath the electrodes were uniform everywhere then current travelling under the ground is like rays in all direction from electrode point as centre. These current rays and lines are drawn by joining equi-potential point on that line we get orthogonal network. By this method we can know the value of the apparent or effective resistivity only. The apparent resistivity in fact represents the resultant resistivity of underlying soil stratas. Thus, the measured current and potential differences yield an apparent resistivity over an unspecified depth. If the spacing between two electrodes is increased, a deeper penetration of the electrical field occurs and different apparent resistivity is obtained. This is show in Figure 1 as shown below,

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Multi Disciplinary Edu Global Quest (Quarterly), Volume 1, Issue 1, January-March 2012

The electrical resistivity methods are of the following two types: a) Electrical resistivity profiling method b) Electrical sounding method AIM OF EXPERIMENTAL STUDY Aim of this experimental study is to observe the water table, movement of water and sea water intrusion at Various stations at Costal area of the Surat city at Dumas region . Surat city is situated near river Tapti. At every 15 days interval, tidal waves from sea attack the village side. At every high tidal wave, highly saline water spreads over portable fresh water. This saline water pollutes not only Tapti water but it also pollutes the underground water of Surat city .Due to frequent coming of tidal waves, normal water table at some of the stations does not remain at constant level and fluctuate with the tidal waves. Due to this sea water intrusion on both the sides there is one particular zone which is always affected because of this phenomenon. Ultimate target of this study is to find this zone and give information to the concerned authority regarding this zone. This study can be divided into three parts: 1. Survey of an area and selection of points for taking observations. 2. Experiments at selected points. 3. Verifying the result obtained with electrical resistivity meter.

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Multi Disciplinary Edu Global Quest (Quarterly), Volume 1, Issue 1, January-March 2012 EXPERIMENTAL SETUP AND OBSERVATION Instrument used was Soil resistivity meter. Here we have used Wenners arrangement (Rex A Crouch, 2008). Before starting the experiment, instrument requires calibrations. Procedure of calibration of instrument is given in the booklet of the instrument. Different observations were taken by changing the spacing between the electrodes, from 1 meter to 10 meters. Six set of observations for electrical resistivity and Bore hole were taken at C.K.P.C.E.T., Hanuman Temple, Gandhighar Bhimpore, Langhar Circle, Kailash well Sultanabad, Ramji Mandir Kadifadiya areas in Dumas region of Surat district only typical result is illustrated in figure 2. DATA INTERPRETATION For the interpretation of results obtained by the resistivity meter, graph of depth versus resistivity is required. From the change in the nature of graph and from the value of the slope of the graph, strata beneath the surface can be obtained. Since the value of resistivity changes with the change in strata and water content graph of depth versus water content is also needed for more precise results. Beneath the earth there is no strata of soil which has conductivity as water. That is why water table is easy to interpret with the help of graph only. Due to less resistivity, when water strata come in effect of electrode spacing then sudden drop of resistivity occurs. Hence the interpretation of water table is very easy. As different soils have different values of resistivity and these values also vary with position, condition, water content and porosity, therefore interpreting the data for soil strata is very difficult. Resistivity of soil has very wide ranges. This requires any reference of soil strata within the area surveyed. By any bore hole or by any how if soil strata are available then it gives an idea that soil available in the area is of this type and has this much range. Bore log is plotted with the graph of depth versus resistivity. The data interpretation has been carried out by comparing various Indian Standards ( IS 157362007 and IS 1892-2002), literature (A.K.ARORA), manuals (ABEM, SWEDON). On the basis of comparison approximate average values of soil and different types of water has been shown in table 1 below.

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Multi Disciplinary Edu Global Quest (Quarterly), Volume 1, Issue 1, January-March 2012 TABLE 1 APPROXIMATE VALUES OF THE ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF SOIL AND WATER. MATERIALS. CLAY RESISTIVITY (Ohm-meters). 1-30 (saturated) 10-50 (saturated) 50-150 (partly-saturated) This increases with the in depth. >1000 (dry) 2-100 (saturated) This increases with the in depth. 20-50 (saturated or partly-saturated ) 50-500 (partly-saturated) This increases with the in depth. >105 (dry) 10-800 100-250 200-500 0.5-500 (saturated) SAND 150-1000 (partly-saturated) >104 (dry) 50-700 (saturated) 700-5000 >104 (dry) 1-100 10-100 100-300 0.15-0.2 0.2-1 2-100

SILT

ALLUVIUM SOIL SANDY CLAY & WET SILT SAND CLAYEY SAND AND SATURATED SAND

GRAVEL

GROUNDWATER(FRESH)

SEA WATER

Note: - Electrical resistivity range is taken in consideration with respect to the depth and on the basis of the value the range of the soil is taken from the approximate values available.

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Multi Disciplinary Edu Global Quest (Quarterly), Volume 1, Issue 1, January-March 2012 Depth from the G.L to 3 m is taken dry, from 3 to 6 m is taken partly saturated and from 6 m and below is taken saturated with the varying range of depth(N.Mohamad Nor, et al. 2008).

TABLE 2. LANGHAR CIRCLE DUMAS-BHIMPORE Depth in meters. Electrical Resistivity () in ohms-meters. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9.45 10 0 6.97434 12.94336 18.47256 24.12743 29.53097 34.68318 39.14424 43.22831 47.50088 50.89380 I.S. Soil Classification . SM-ML SM-ML CI ML-SM ML-SM ML-SM ML-SM ML-SM SP SP SP SP 2-100 2-100 1-30 10-50 10-50 10-50 10-50 10-50 0.5-500 0.5-500 0.5-500 0.5-500 Range of E.R. of the soils. Water content in %. 0 33.13 38.38 26.54 24.65 24.74 27.59 18.27 *G.W.T at a depth = 4.00 m. * Here due to water logging the range does not increase and with respect to soil available range is under approx. Values. Of E.R. Remarks.

Table showing differing soil strata with varying depth according to which the profiling of soil has been done. . RESULT AND DISCUSSION The graph plotted shows the values of Electrical Resistivity and Natural water content with respect to depth. The table represents the prediction of ground water table from the values obtained in graph.

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Multi Disciplinary Edu Global Quest (Quarterly), Volume 1, Issue 1, January-March 2012 GRAPH AND TABLE FOR DETERMINING THE GROUND WATER TABLE AND ITS DISCUSSION FIGURE 2 TABLE 3 PREDICTION OF THE GROUND WATER TABLE FROM THE ABOVE GRAPH. Actual G.W.T. G.W.T. by Electrical resistivity G.W.T. by Natural Moisture content Error in G.W.T by Electrical resistivity CONCLUSION From our discussion and experiment we have concluded following points. 1. Electrical Resistivity Method can be used to derive the water table without drilling. 2. Through this method we can detect that water is usable and it ranges from 10 to 100 ohms-meters ER reading. 3. By comparing the water quality at different stations it can be concluded that the water at C.K.P.C.E.T. is not drinkable and that the water found at Dumas region and its nearby Villages is only usable. 4. The flow of underwater can be determined by electrical resistivity for entire area using regular grid with respect to the mean sea level which can be made used by S.M.C. and other governing bodies. 5. The underground pipeline provision can consider whether to use steel pipelines or concrete pipelines on the basis of soil profile and underground water table quality. -4.00 m. 4.00 m. 4.00 m. 8.00 m.

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Multi Disciplinary Edu Global Quest (Quarterly), Volume 1, Issue 1, January-March 2012 6. It will also help the government bodies to provide the type of electrical lines, pipelines and sewage lines. 7. Comparison has been carried out with the standard taken into consideration and the actual range of the soil strata and ground water table in Indian conditions. RECOMMENDATION The survey by Electrical Resistivity of Surat District/City by SUDA/SMC will provide water level contours of ground for recharging and base water supply. REFERENCES 1. Elvis R. Sverko. (1999). GROUND MEASURING TECHNIQUES: ELECTRODE RESISTANCE TO REMOTE EARTH & SOIL RESISTIVITY. 2. Indian Standard (I.S.:1892:1979). CODE OF PRACTICE FOR SUBSURFACE INVESTIGATION FOR FOUNDATION. 3. Indian Standard (I.S.:15736:2007). GEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION BY GEOPHYSICAL METHOD (ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY) CODE OF PRACTICE. 4. Rex A. Crouch, (2008). ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY OF SOIL- SOIL RESISTIVITY FUNDAMENTALS AND THE SOIL RESISTIVITY METER. Pp 1-20. 5. N.Mohamad Nor, R. Rajab and K. Ramar (2008). VALIDATION OF THE CALCULATION AND MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES OF EARTH RESISTANCE VALUES. American Journal of Applied Sciences 5 (10): Pp. 1313-1317. 6. S. Sreedeep, A. C. Reshma and D. N. Singh., (2004) GENERALIZED RELATIONSHIP FOR DETERMINING SOIL ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY FROM ITS THERMAL RESISTIVITY.

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