Analysis of soil electrical resistivity and hydraulic conductivity relationship for characterisation of lithology inducing slope instability in residual soil

Abstract

Key points Relationship between soil electrical resistivity and hydraulic conductivity were examined for assessment of lithology inducing shallow-landslide. Soil electrical resistivity delineated a boundary between two contrasting resistive and conductive lithologies at 4 m depth. Strong correlation ranged between R2 = 0.9153 to 0.9702 were observed between soil resistivity and hydraulic conductivity for the soil samples examined. The conductive lithology with low hydraulic conductivity below 4 m depth was responsible for the occurrences of the shallow-landslides.

Keywords

• Slope instability
• Shallow landslide
• Hydraulic conductivity
• Electrical resistivity tomography