Microgravimetric and GPR surveys for detection of unconsolidated zones in a levee

Abstract

Selected results of complex geophysical surveys carried out on the Vistula river flood levee in Cracow are herein presented. Two complementary geophysical methods were applied for detection of potential unconsolidated zones in the body of the levee, i.e. microgravimetry and ground-penetrating radar (GPR). The surveys were carried out in 2D mode, along a profile at the crown of the flood levee. Microgravimetric data reveal anomalies showing zones of decreased bulk density. These zones provide information about poor quality of the levee. The main anomaly was interpreted in a quantitative manner using gravity modelling. Non-standard GPR processing and visualization of radargrams were employed to better extract information concerning the distribution of unconsolidated zones. High resolution GPR surveys allow to outline such zones which was the basis for construction of the 2D model used in the gravimetric modelling. Integration of these two geophysical methods provided important information about the spatial variations of mass density in several unconsolidated zones within the body of the flood levee.

Keywords

• Microgravimetry
• GPR
• Levee
• Gravity modelling
• Unconsolidated zones