Characterisation of Fractures and Fracture Zones in a Carbonate Aquifer Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Pricking Probe Methodes

Sándor  Szalai; Lukács  Kuslits; Gábor  Facskó; Katalin  Gribovszki; János  Kalmár; László  Szarka; Attila  Kovács

doi:10.4236/gep.2018.64001

Sándor Szalai¹^*, Attila Kovács², Lukács Kuslits¹, Gábor Facskó¹, Katalin Gribovszki¹, János Kalmár¹, László Szarka¹

Abstract: Position, width and fragmentation level of fracture zones and position, sig-nificance and characteristic distance of fractures were aimed to determine in a carbonate aquifer. These are fundamental parameters, e.g. in hydrogeological modelling of aquifers, due to their role in subsurface water movements. The description of small scale fracture systems is however a challenging task. In the test area (Kádárta, Bakony Mts, Hungary), two methods proved to be applicable to get reasonable information about the fractures: Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Pricking-Probe (PriP). PriP is a simple mechanical tool which has been successfully applied in archaeological investigations. ERT results demonstrated its applicability in this small scale fracture study. PriP proved to be a good verification tool both for fracture zone mapping and detecting fractures, but in certain areas, it produced different results than the ERT. The applicability of this method has therefore to be tested yet, although its problems most probably origin from human activity which reorganises the near-surface debris distribution. In the test site, both methods displayed fracture zones including a very characteristic one and a number of individual fractures and determined their characteristic distance and significance. Both methods prove to be able to produce hydrogeologically important parameters even individually, but their simultaneous application is recommended to decrease the possible discrepancies.

Keywords: Karst, Fracture, Fracture Zone, Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Pricking Probe

Cite this paper: Szalai, S. , Kovács, A. , Kuslits, L. , Facskó, G. , Gribovszki, K. , Kalmár, J. and Szarka, L. (2018) Characterisation of Fractures and Fracture Zones in a Carbonate Aquifer Using Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Pricking Probe Methodes. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 6, 1-21. doi: 10.4236/gep.2018.64001.

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