Structure of the Séchilienne unstable slope from large-scale three-dimensional electrical tomography using a Resistivity Distributed Automated System (R-DAS)

Abstract

SUMMARY This work presents a 3-D resistivity model of the Séchilienne unstable slope acquired with a network of portable resistivimeters in summer 2017. The instrumentation consisted in distributed measuring systems (IRIS Instruments FullWaver) to measure the spatial variations of electrical potential. 23 V-FullWaver receivers with two 50 m dipoles have been deployed over an area of circa 2 km2; the current was injected between a fixed remote electrode and a mobile electrode grounded successively at 30 locations. The data uncertainty has been evaluated in relation to the accuracy of electrodes positioning. The software package BERT (Boundless Electrical Resistivity Tomography) is used to invert the apparent resistivity and model the complex data set providing the first 3-D resistivity model of the slope. Stability tests and synthetic tests are realized to assess the interpretability of the inverted models. The 3-D resistivity model is interpreted up to a depth of 500 m; it allows identifying resistive and conductive anomalies related to the main geological and hydrogeological structures shaping the slope. The high fracturation of the rock in the most active zone of the landslide appears as a resistive anomaly where the highest resistivity values are located close to the faults. A major drain formed by a fault in the unaltered micaschist is identified through the discharge of a perched aquifer along the conductive zone producing an important conductive anomaly contrasting with the unaltered micaschist.