Investigation of soil and weathering

grade of granite using Electrical

Resistivity Technique: Samples from
SEREMBAN
Name: Siti Nurwardah Bt Jamil
Matric No: SEG070047
Supervisor: Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Hj Ibrahim

SEG070047
Introduction
This research project is conducted as a partial
fulfillment for attaining a Bachelor’s Degree in
Science (Applied Geology) from the
department of Geology, University Malaya.


SEG070047
Objectives
Main objective is to establish electrical and
properties of soil with different porosity,
moisture and weathering grade.
In order to achieve this, the study would
involve:
1.Correlating resistivity values of electrical
imaging to the values obtained from the soil
samples taken from the slope
2.Investigating the variation of resistivity value
of the subsurface and relate it to weathering
grade
3.Analyzing how resistivity varies with moisture
content and resistivity
4.Inferring weathering profile in subsurface with
information from resistivity imaging
SEG070047
Study area
Where??
The study took place in cut slopes around
Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.
The slopes are located between the latitudes of
N2042’ to N2047’ and longitude of E102000’ to
E102059’



SEG070047
SEG070047
 General Geology
• The Seremban area is underlain by
igneous rocks of granitic composition.
• The Sedimentary rocks are
metamorphosed to varying degrees
consisting of schist, phyllite, slate.
• Quartzite occupy around 20 percent of
the area.
• A small portion, about 4 percent, is
covered by superficial deposits, which
contains tin in certain areas.


SEG070047
 GEO MAP

S h e e t 1 0 3 . ( M a la ysia n G e o lo g ica l A n n u a l
R e p o rt, 1 9 7 6 )
SEG070047
 Methodology
• Carried out in 3 major steps:
vLiterature Survey
vData Accumulation
vData Interpretation and report writing
v

SEG070047
W o rk
Flo w

SEG 070
047
 Sample collection
• 18 samples were collected from the
field.


SEG070047
Example of sample
collection

SEG070047
RESULTS

SEG070047
Resistivity value (kΩ) against
moisture content(%)

SEG070047
 Instruments

S R 2 -S o il Pro -C h e ck
re sistivity m e te r m o istu re m e te r
SEG070047
SEG070047
SEG070047
SEG070047
Combined data

SEG070047
• This experiments clearly shows that
resistivity value get lowered when
moisture is added.
• Hence, resistivity is inversely
proportional to moisture content.
• The percentage of volume of
moisture content is 5-53%,
resistivity range from 30 -4500 Ωm.
This corresponds to granitic soil of
weathering grade VI.
• The relationship of resistivity against
moisture content shows power
relation of y= ax-b where a ranges
from 114 to 517 while –b ranges
SEG070047
Geo-electrical image

SEG070047
 S lo p e 1

VI IV III II
V

SEG070047
 S lo p e 2

VI V IV III II

SEG070047
 Slope 3 and 4

• Wrong assemble of cable.

•


SEG070047
 Grain size analysis
• Important in determining the grain size
distribution of soil sample.
• Type of particle Size range (mm)
Clay Less than 0.002
Silt 0.06-0.002
Sand 2.0-0.06mm
Gravel More than 2.0mm
A fte r B u sch , 1 9 9 3

SEG070047
• The grain size analysis is still in
progress, only 12 of the 18 samples
had been sieve.
• The grain size analysis can only be
completed once all the data is
collected.
• Expected results of the grain size
around the study area is fine to
medium grain with significant
amount of clay minerals in some
area which could explain the lower
resistivity value
SEG070047
Petrography Study

SEG070047
Thin sections

SEG070047
• The petrography is still in progress .
• Early interpretation is the granite
have undergone a lot of strain. The
quartz are wavy and most minerals
are broken up.
• Hence, the bedrock of the study area
is not grade 1.

SEG070047
 Example of
photomicrograph

SEG070047
S a m p le B 3 p la n e p o la rize d
lig h t

SEG070047
B 2 cro ss n ico l

SEG070047
C 2 p la n e p o la rize d
lig h t
SEG070047
C 2 cro ss
n ico l

SEG070047
C 5 p la n e p o la rize d
lig h t

SEG070047
C 5 cro ss n ico l

SEG070047
 Discussion/conclusion
• Resistivity imaging can show different
weathering grades.
• Different weathering grades can exist on the
same slope.
• soil resistivity is inversely proportional to
moisture content.
• Percentage of volume of moisture content
from 5 to 53%, the resistivity range from
30 -4500 Ωm. This corresponds to granitic
soil of weathering grade VI
• The relationship of resistivity against
moisture content shows power relation of
y= ax-b where a ranges from 114 to 517
while –b ranges from 0.35 to 0.66.
SEG070047
Future work

SEG070047