Assessment and Selection of an Automated Electrical Resistivity Interpretation Procedure.

Abstract : The Defense Science Board and Joint Chiefs of Staff have identified ground-water supply development capability as a major technological shortfall. The goal of research and development under the Corps of Engineers Water Supply Program is to provide the military with the capability to detect new ground- water sources to support operations, aid in humanitarian relief programs, and as a part of nation assistance. The detection of ground-water sources will be achieved through an integrated, automatic data acquisition and interpretation capability for electrical resistivity and seismic refraction data. This report addresses the requirements for the resistivity data acquisition and interpretation capability. These requirements include (1) computer controlled, automatic data acquisition, (2) direct data input into the resistivity interpretation program, (3) automatic interpretation option, and (4) equivalence analysis capabilities. The data acquisition system will include a multi-conductor sounding cable and electrode switch box which provides a fast method for data collection. Several resistivity interpretation programs are evaluated based on the requirements stated above plus other desirable features. Both theoretical and actual field data are used to evaluate the performance of each interpretation program. The program RESIX PLUS, written by INTERPLEX Ltd., Golden, Colorado, performed well and satisfies the majority of requirements.