• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.39 no.4 s.179
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• pp.473-483
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• 2006

Although application of electrical methods in Korea began with observation of self potentials before World War II, the methods were developed slowly by the beginning of 1980's when a major burst of development activity took place. DC resistivity methods are applied in Korea more to geotechnical problems rather than to environmental ones unlike other developed countries. As with every other branch of technology, the evolving speed of the silicon chip and of streaming data to hard disk has revolutionized data collection and noise reduction processing. The last two decades saw major advances in data collection, processing, and interpretation of electrical data. Development of smooth-model two-dimensional (2D) resistivity inversion is one of the most visible changes to geophysical interpretation of the last 40 years and is now routinely applied to apparent resistivity data. The ability to represent resistivities in section rather than pseudosection view has revolutionized interpretation. Although calculation of sensitivities for general electromagnetic problems require numerous forward modelings, DC resistivity methods can enjoy computational efficiencies if sources and receivers occupy the same position, and previously intractable 3D inversion is now becoming available.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.187-194
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• 2003

A small-loop electromagnetic (EM) system using multiple frequencies has advantages in survey speed and cost despite of limitation on its depth of investigation. Therefore, small-loop EM surveys have been frequently used on various site investigations involving engineering and environmental problems. We have developed a subsurface imaging technique using small loop EM data. We used a one-dimensional (ID) inversion method to reconstruct a subsurface image from frequency EM sounding data. Tests using simulated data show that the method can reasonably recover the subsurface resistivity structure. Also, the method was tested on field data obtained with multiple frequency small loop EM system at a farm in Chunchon, Korea. The resistivity image obtained form field data compares favorably with the image from the dipole-dipole resistivity survey.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.60-68
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• 2007

Conventional analysis of spectral induced polarization (SIP) data consists of measuring impedances over a range of frequencies, followed by spectral analysis to estimate spectral parameters. For the quantitative and accurate estimation of subsurface SIP parameter distribution, however, a sophisticated and stable inversion technique is required. In this study, we have developed a two-step inversion approach to obtain the two-dimensional distribution of SIP parameters. In the first inversion step, all the SIP data measured over a range of frequencies are simultaneously inverted, adopting cross regularisation of model complex resistivities at each frequency. The cross regularisation makes it possible to enhance the noise characteristics of the inversion by imposing a strong assumption, that complex resistivities should show similar characteristics over a range of frequencies. In numerical experiments, we could verify that our inversion approach successfully reduced inversion artefacts. As a second step, we have also developed an inversion algorithm to obtain SIP parameters based on the Cole-Cole model, in which frequency-dependent complex resistivities from the first step are inverted to obtain a two-dimensional distribution of SIP parameters. In numerical tests, the SIP parameter images showed a fairly good match with the exact model, which suggests that SIP imaging can provide a very useful subsurface image to complement resistivity.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.181-184
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• 2002

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.2 s.52
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• pp.271-277
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• 2007

To find out the anomalous zone in cut slope composed of phyllite and shist, we performed resistivity tomography using a pole-dipole way. The electrical distribution that propagates from a current source in lower part of slope is measured by a potential electrode in upper part of slope. Apparent resistivity data are inverted with an iterative regularized inversion method to reconstruct 3D resistivity image. By comparing with the resistivity images in relation to each section, the images of anomalous zone correspond to their positions represented in cut slope. Therefore, the application of resistivity tomography in cut slope is useful to recognize the extension of anomalous zone.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.323-330
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• 2009

Electrical resistivity survey is applied for estimation of inferred fault and fractured zone in civil engineering and environment field. While 15 m diameter and 3 lines tunnels are excavated. It is recognized that core stone and fractured zone is existed in the weathered slope of the entrance to a tunnel. To make confirmation geological characteristics, dipole-dipole electric resistivity survey was carried out in weathered slope of the entrance to a tunnel. Core stone distribution and fracture zone characteristics are estimated by reverse analysis and 2D-resistivity structure using FDM.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.17 no.1 s.50
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• pp.49-55
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• 2007

Various away methods are required in the electrical resistivity survey in order to find anomalous zone reliably. Array methods are classified as several groups. Among these group, a curved survey along the fixed elevation is designed to increase the mobility of men and survey equipments at the rough terrain. Another method is performed at the survey using inclined, curved, and horizontal boreholes. A survey can also be conducted in an arbitrary location by measurements of potentials for a multi sources. The complex data acquired using various away methods are represented by a correct images reconstructed from the 3D inversion. The element division is applied to the region in which the boreholes are curved and inclined because of a spatial discrepancies between the coordinate of each electrode and the nodal point in a model. The resistivity images are obtained from a good agreement for the anomalous zones in open slope and in survey using an inclined borehole.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.236-249
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• 2002

We have extended the three-dimensional (3-D) resistivity imaging algorithm to cover the 3-D resistivity tomography problem, where resistivity data are acquired using electrodes installed in several boreholes as well as at the earth surface. The imaging algorithm consists of the 3-D finite element forward modeling and least-squares inversion scheme, where the ACB (Active Constraint Balancing) is adopted to enhance the resolving power of the inversion. Sensitivity analysis with numerical verifications shows that 3-D resistivity tomography is a very appealing method and can be used to get 3-D attitude of subsurface structures with very high-resolution. Moreover, we could accurately handle the topography effect, which could cause artifacts in the resistivity tomography. In the application of 3-D resistivity tomography to the real field data set acquired at the quarry mine, we could derive a very reasonable and accurate image of the subsurface.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.199-206
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• 2003

Characteristics of the static shift are discussed by comparing the three-dimensional MT inversion with/without static shift parameterization. The galvanic distortion by small-scale shallow feature often leads severe distortion in inverted resistivity structures. The new inversion algorithm is applied to four numerical data sets contaminated by different amount of static shift. In real field data interpretations, we generally do not have any a-priori information about how much the data contains the static shift. In this study, we developed an algorithm for finding both Lagrangian multiplier for smoothness and the trade-off parameter for static shift, simultaneously in 3-D MT inversion. Applications of this inversion routine for the numerical data sets showed quite reasonable estimation of static shift parameters without any a-priori information. The inversion scheme is successfully applied to all the four data sets, even when the static shift does not obey the Gaussian distribution. Allowing the static shift parameters have non-zero degree of freedom to the inversion, we could get more accurate block resistivities as well as static shifts in the data. When inversion does not consider the static shift as inversion parameters (conventional MT inversion), the block resistivities on the surface are modified considerably to match possible static shift. The inhomogeneous blocks on the surface can generate the static shift at low frequencies. By those mechanisms, the conventional 3-D MT inversion can reconstruct the resistivity structures to some extent in the deeper parts even when moderate static shifts are in the data. As frequency increased, however, the galvanic distortion is not frequency independent any more, and thus the conventional inversion failed to fit the apparent resistivity and phase, especially when strong static shift is added. Even in such case, however, reasonable estimation of block resistivity as well as static shift parameters were obtained by 3-D MT inversion with static shift parameterization.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1999.08a
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• pp.21-36
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• 1999

Recently resistivity survey is widely used for site investigations in the field of civil engineering. Since such application area requires accurate interpretation tools especially in the area of complicated geology and rough terrain topography, we developed a three-dimensional (3-D) resistivity inversion code, which can reconstruct real earth structures. Furthermore, the inversion code gives resolution-enhanced images by applying the ACB(Active Constraint Balancing) method. With the help of this inversion code, 3-D resistivity survey is now used as new techniques for site investigations in civil engineering problem. By imaging the 3-D resistivity distribution, we could get useful informations such as depth distribution of basement rock, distribution of weak zone, fractures and cavities which is crucial to civil engineers.