Sinkhole collapse is one of the main limitations on the development of karst areas, especially where bedrock is covered by unconsolidated material. Studies of sinkhole formation have shown that sinkholes are likely to develop in cutter (enlarged joint) zones as a result of subterranean erosion by flowing groundwater. Electrical resistivity imaging or tomography (RESTOM) is well suited to mapping sinkholes because of the ability of the technique for detecting resistive features and discriminating subtle resistivity variations. Two-dimensional electrical resistivity tomography surveys were conducted at two sinkhole sites near Cheria city where limestone is covered by about 10 m of clayey soils. A Wenner transect was conducted between the two sinkholes. The electrode spacing was 2 m. The length of transect is about 80 m. The survey results suggest that RESTOM is an ideal geophysical tool to aid in the detection and monitoring of sinkholes and other subsurface cavities.
The Maghnia plain in western Algeria is filled by Plio-Quaternary and Miocene sediments that rest unconformably on a basement of Jurassic rocks. Electrical sounding (VES), magnetic data, well information, and hydrogeological data have been used to explore for groundwater potential in the Maghnia plain. The interpretation of Schlumberger sounding data was first calibrated with the lithology of available nearby wells. Four geoelectrical layers were identified within the study area. They are a thin near surface topsoil layer with variable resistivities, a moderate resistive aquifer (15-30 ohm-m), a resistive aquifer (40-70 ohm-m), and a conductive clay layer (1-10 ohm-m). Near Sidi Mbarek, the geoelectric section is reduced to three layers: a topsoil layer, a conductive layer corresponding to the Miocene marls, and a deep resistive layer that correlates with the Oxfordian sandstones. The interpretation of VES data and the enhancement techniques of magnetic data enabled the identification of a number of unmapped faults that occur near recharge zones close to adjacent mountains. This study enabled us to study the extension of the known Plio-Quaternary aquifer of the Maghnia plain and to explore the possible existence of a second deep groundwater aquifer in Oxfordian sandstones.
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