Abstract
Abstract. Field and laboratory spectral induced polarization (SIP) measurements are integrated to characterize the hydrogeological conditions at the Schillerslage test site in Germany. The phase images are capable of monitoring thin peat layers within the sandy aquifers. However, the field results show limitations of decreasing resolution with depth. In comparison with the field inversion results, the SIP laboratory measurements show a certain shift in SIP response due to different compaction and sorting of the samples. The SIP data are analyzed to derive an empirical relationship for predicting the hydraulic conductivity (K). In particular, two significant but weak correlations between individual real resistivities (ρ') and relaxation times (τ), based on a Debye decomposition (DD) model, with measured K are found for the upper groundwater aquifer. The maximum relaxation time (τmax) and logarithmically weighted average relaxation time (τlw) show a better relation with K values than the median value τ50. A combined power law relation between individual ρ' and τ with K is developed with an expression of A · (ρ')B · (τlw)C, where A, B and C are determined using a least-squares fit between the measured and predicted K. The suggested approach with the calculated coefficients of the first aquifer is applied for the second. Results show good correlation with the measured K indicating that the derived relationship is superior to single phase angle models as Börner or Slater models.
Highlights
A key prerequisite for reliable prediction of groundwater movements is the hydraulic conductivity (K)
The goal of this study was to use spectral induced polarization (SIP) field and laboratory measurements to characterize the hydrogeological conditions of the Schillerslage test site in Germany
The SIP method provided a tool for imaging subsurface hydrogeological parameters of unconsolidated inhomogeneous sediments
Summary
A key prerequisite for reliable prediction of groundwater movements is the hydraulic conductivity (K). The pumping test, grain size or coring sleeve analyses have traditionally been the standard methods used to evaluate the hydraulic parameters of subsurface material for characterizing groundwater aquifers. These methods are expensive, slow and often unavailable due to disturbance during drilling to get the borehole samples. For these reasons, electrical methods are playing an increasingly important role in predicting the aquifer hydraulic’s parameters (e.g., Zisser et al, 2010a; and Khalil, 2012). Because the hydraulic parameters depend on the porosity and the geometry of the pore space, K cannot be uniquely determined by DC resistivity alone without further assumptions (Hördt et al, 2007)
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