Accuracy assessment of smart devices for Geoscience field mapping

Abstract

We present the measurement of fractures near the town of Beaufort West, South Africa. A field visit was conducted to examine the dip and azimuth of rock outcrops in and around the town. The locations of these various fractures were mapped and their orientation, which included the dip and strike of the rock surface, was measured using a geological compass (i.e., Brunton Truarc 15 Compass). The geological compass measurements were then compared to three mobile devices. These mobile devices, namely an iPad 2 and two smartphones (Samsung S8 and Huawei P10 Lite), all had the same application for standardization and the mobile device results were individually compared to the geological compass. The data stemming from the various mobile devices and the geological compass were then compared in terms of their variance. This statistical analysis was performed using the Correlated T-test method, as well as the Pearson Correlation Coefficient formula. To visually examine the main fracture orientations, the data obtained using the geological compass was plotted on a rose diagram. Results show that the relationship between the geological compass and the mobile device readings had little to no correlation, when using both the correlation and t-tests as combined determinants. This highlights the importance of ensuring measurement accuracy in the field as well as instrument calibration in situ.