Abstract

Electrical resistivity methods are generally used to explore buried sinkholes and to predict dropout, sinkholes is analysed. A sinkhole of known geology is used to illustrate the limitation of vertical electrical sounding technique. Approximated geological sections of the sinkhole are modelled to investigate the effectiveness of the resistivity imaging which is considered to be two-dimensional exploration approach. The current study demonstrates that the resistivity imaging method is able to constrain the subsurface geological information for engineers, and to decide if soil improvement is needed for these regions of e.g. karstic terrain. If appropriate array distances, comparable to diameter and the depth of sinkhole are selected, the stratigraphy and the structure of the sinkholes can be mapped effectively, and to assess the potential for the future sinkhole development is monitored easily.

Key words: Resistivity imaging, sinkholes.