The use of non-invasive ERT method to diagnose karst in roadengineering in the Lublin Upland (Poland)

Abstract

Appropriate design in linear construction depends on many factors, including detailed geological conditions. One of the biggest problems are unrecognized erosion forms, in particular karst ones, which have a huge impact on the design and subsequent operation of roads. For this purpose, in addition to conventional methods such as drilling or geotechnical probing, which are point-based, non-invasive spatial geophysical methods are used. This article presents an example of the use of geoelectrical surveys, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) for the recognition of karst zones for linear investments. The article describes ERT investigations, which to some extent allows to identify dangerous karst phenomena occurring in the Lublin Upland (Poland), which are of great importance at the design stage of roads and in their further safe operation. Non-invasive geophysical research has been verified and confirmed by traditional geotechnical research, which confirms the effectiveness of their use. The Electrical Resistivity Tomography was used as a method providing a broader spectrum of knowledge on the spatial arrangement of soil layers in the subgrade of the planned road investments. It also enabled a more accurate, more detailed interpretation of geotechnical studies. The described geophysical investigations opens wide possibilities for their application to researchers. In the future, non-invasive methods have a chance to become as reliable as geotechnical methods, but this requires a lot of research to improve the effectiveness and accuracy of the interpretation of the obtained results.