Seismic Refraction Method for Groundwater

Exploration

Dr. A K Rastogi Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering I I T Bombay

Ground water is not available everywhere in the

subsurface region and therefore it is very important
first step in groundwater hydrology to identify the
existence of aquifer in a particular area.

It is only after the presence of an aquifer is

established, the scheme of groundwater withdrawals
can be planned,

Groundwater exploration can be divided into

two major groups involving geohydrological and
geophysical methods.
Geophysical Methods are indirect methods
which does not involve drilling
Seismic Refraction is a geophysical method

The following information can be derived from the

exploration using geophysical methods:
1.Depth of occurrence and thickness of aquifers.
2.Delineation of aquifer boundaries of very large
groundwater basin.
3.Determination of distinctly different water bearing
layers.

The seismic refraction method involves artificial generation of

elastic waves in the ground. Elastic waves travel with different
velocities in different subsurface formations (2.5-6.5 km/s in
the rocks, 1-2.5 km/s in sandy aquifers, and 0.31-0.61 km/s
in the non aquifer overburden.) These waves behave similar to
light waves while passing from one medium to another. When
acoustic impedance contrast
1V1 2V2, the elastic waves undergo changes in their
directions of onward travel due to reflection and refraction and
get returned to the earth surface due to refraction.

The shock waves are generally produced by exploding dynamite

(about 500 gm) in a hand augured backfilled hole of about one
meter depth. Sometimes, the method of hammering a thin
plate placed over ground surface is also used. On the
emergence of these waves after refraction from the subsurface
boundary, these are detected by a suitable device called as
geophones. These geophones are kept in a line at 5- 20 m
interval. On receiving the elastic wave, geophones transmit
electric signals. These signals are generally weak, and
therefore, amplified and then recorded. Thus, the time of origin
of shock waves and their first arrival on the surface either as
direct waves or refracted waves (in distant geophones) are
noted down in the seismic refraction.

Components of a
geophone

Principle of Seismic Refraction

Let A be a source on the ground surface and a seismic refractor
underlies at a depth H from the source. The seismic wave reaches
the point B which falls in other medium. If T is the total time for
the seismic wave to travel a distance APB from low velocity
medium V1 to higher velocity medium V2,

AP PB
T

V1 V2

h D x
H x

V1
V2
2

Differentiating with respect to x and making dT/dx = 0 gives

x
V1 H 2 x 2

Dx
V2 h D x
2

0 Or

sin i sin r
sin i V1

Or

V1
V2
sin r V2
For the seismic refraction to take place along the inter
face boundary, r = 90o, and if the corresponding angle of
incidence is ,

sin V1 / V2

t10
t8
t6

xD

t4
t2
x1

x4

x5

x6

x7

x9

x8

x10

Geophones

Shot
A

x2 x3

V1
V2

Time of First Arrival

in millisecond
2

2 H V2 V1
Ti
V1V2

1
V2

1
V1

x1 x2 x3

x4

x5

x6

x7

Shot Detector Distance in m

x8

x9

x10

Determination of Depth to Aquifer

(a) Intercept time method

TD x / V1

For direct waves

TR TAB TBC TCD

For refracted waves

AB BC CD

V1
V2
V1

2H
x 2H tan x
2H
2H tan .sin
TR

V1 cos
V2
V2 V1 cos
V1

x
2H

1 sin 2
V2 V1 cos

x 2H cos x 2H V2 V1
TR

V2
V1
V2
V1V2

The slope of this segment on the travel time curve is 1/V2 and
the intercept on the time axis is
2

2
1

2H V2 V
Ti
V1V2

Therefore, the depth to the formation is given as:

V1V2Ti
2

2 V2 V1

(b) Cross-over distance method

The cross-over distance method is another way of finding H.
Since the field data do not exhibit an exact straight line fit, it
is advisable to cross-check the results using other methods,
such as the cross-over distance method. As
both direct and
refracted waves arrive at the geophone together. At less than
this direct wave reaches first, at more than this refracted wave
reaches first. Hence, for
X= XD , TD = TR
2

X D X D 2H V2 V1

V1
V2
V1V2

1
Or H
2

V2 V1
XD

V2 V1

Exploration for Aquifer Thickness

TRR TEC TCA TAB TBD TDF

EC CA
AB BD
DF

V1
V2
V3
V2
V1
2EC
2CA
AB

V1
V2
V3

V1 sin 1 V2

;
sin 2
V2 sin 2 V3
V1
Z1
Z2
sin 1 , EC
, CA
V3
cos 1
cos 2

TRR

2 Z1
2Z2
x EG CH JD KF

V1 cos 1 V2 cos 2
V3

TRR

x 2Z1 cos 1 2Z2 cos 2

V3
V1
V2

Correction for Undulating Topography

Z
time corection
V1

Determination of the Sloping Aquifer Thickness

Principle of Reverse seismic profiling is used
A

E
B
C

According to this principle time for travel along ABCD is

equal to the time for travel along the path DCBA

Conclusions
Seismic Refraction method can be effectively used to
find the depth of occurrence of the aquifer.
It can find the thickness of the aquifer.
It can find the angle of slope of the sloping aquifer by
reverse seismic profiling.
It can take care of the undulating topography which
is normally present in many field situations.
It can not predict about the quality water quality.