Biolocation in hydrotechnical construction: Past, present, and future

Abstract

1. Biolocation as a nondestructive method of flaw detection of hydraulic structures and their earth foundations is of practical interest and can solve a number of problems of hydrotechnical, power, industrial, and civil construction along with other traditional geological and geophysical methods. 2. Areal biophysical profiling (biolocation) considerably reduces the cost of archaeological investigations in the flooding zone of reservoirs and without digs permits establishing the internal structure of an archeological object, and the use of resonators of various materials (ceramic, copper, iron, precious metals) permits obtaining information about the affinity of the archaeological memorial to a particular historical epoch and thereby establishing its historical significance and material value. 3. By means of biolocation we can establish vertical circulation of geoenergy in geopathogenic zones, determine the location of “dead” sections, and solve social problems with respect to neutralization of the harmful effect of geopathogenic zones on human health and on the environment. 4. Detection of geopathogenic zones permits a reliable prediction of karst and piping processes in earth masses of the foundations of buildings and structures and taking timely measures to neutralize them. 5. From the increased productivity of biocenoses and biological activity of substances and minerals we can establish centers of methane formation in the soil stratum and take a systems approach to the solution of problems related to the ecology of large cities and environmental protection, including at sites of hydrodevelopments and other power facilities.