Nondestructive testing of seepage in check dams using high-density electrical resistivity tomography based on laboratory test

Abstract

One of the most significant factors that endanger the safety of check dams is seepage. How to quickly identify the seepage location and pinpoint the seepage path in check dams is directly related to the effectiveness of soil and water conservation measures in the Chinese Loess Plateau. In this study, the improved Miller Soil Box was used to carry out laboratory test of remolded soil, and the effects of moisture content and compactness on soil resistivity were thoroughly examined. On this foundation, the nondestructive testing of seepage was conducted on the Dongmengou check dam based on the different configuration modes of high-density electrical resistivity tomography technology. The laboratory test demonstrates that the soil resistivity and the moisture content exhibit a decreasing power function, while the soil compactness has a negative correlation with the soil resistivity. The interpretation quality of the high-density electrical resistivity tomography technology is significantly improved by the laboratory test, allowing the field test to more precisely detect seepage inside the check dam. As a result, the high-density electrical resistivity tomography technology has good applicability and feasibility in the nondestructive testing of seepage in check dams, and offers a number of benefits, including non-destructiveness, high detection efficiencies and rich data information. It provides an efficient tool for the quick, widespread, and nondestructive detection of dam seepage.