An Accuracy Test of “Schlumberger” Vertical Electrical Sounding Method in a Sandbox Modelling

Abstract

Summary In groundwater exploration, a geophysical method is needed to provide information and an overview of the subsurface conditions of the study area, and the most common practice for giving subsurface information is a geoelectric method or resistivity method. During the acquisition of groundwater exploration, Schlumberger Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) is the most preferred due to convenience and effectiveness. Schlumberger configuration will produce a subsurface profile vertically at an observation point and is the initial step to estimate the presence of aquifers in the groundwater exploration area. However, this method has several geological considerations leading to the inaccurate subsurface interpretation that the presence of dipping layers and subsurface structures such as fault are the main factors. Thus, the presence of that features can affect the modeling of resistivity values and subsurface thickness during interpretation process of the resistivity method. This then becomes the basis of the authors conducting a study that aims to determine the accuracy of the layer thickness produced by the VES resistivity method. However, the existence of subsurface structures is also difficult to predict if there are no supporting by surface data, hence the study modeling of subsurface conditions using a sandbox model will be carried out.