Application of geophysical methods to evaluate hydrology and soil properties in urban areas

Abstract

Municipal activities continuously change soil properties and hydrology yet direct destructive sampling to monitor these changes is troublesome in urban areas. Electrical geophysical methods provide the means to investigate hydrological conditions and subsurface properties without soil disturbance. Methods of self-potential, electrical profiling, vertical electrical sounding, and non-contacting electromagnetic profiling were applied to urban soils in Astrakhan', Russia, and Kiev, Ukraine. Depth to the groundwater table, salinity of soils and groundwater, and soil profile organization were estimated with the methods. The methods ensure quick yet non-destructive estimation of soil and hydrological conditions in cities assisting with successful restoration and preservation of municipal constructions.