IAG/USP Test Site: A Near Surface Geophysics Teaching and Research Laboratory

Abstract

This work shows the construction project of the Geophysical Test Site (Sítio Controlado de Geofísica Rasa, SCGR-I) of the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics and Atmospheric Sciences (IAG), of the University of São Paulo (USP) and its impact on teaching and research in Geophysics. The IAG/USP test site (SCGR-I) has 1500 m2, being characterized by 7 studies lines with 30 m length in the NS direction. Targets, such as metallic pipes and tanks, plastic pipes and tanks, concrete tubes, ceramic pots, among others, with different geometries and physical properties were buried at depths from 0.5 to 2 m in relation to the surface. A metallic guide pipe of 3.8 cm diameter was buried at the 15 m position along the EW direction, crossing all 7 lines. Targets simulate objects found in archaeological studies, geotechnical and urban planning studies and environmental studies. In this work, comparative analyzes between real and synthetic GPR results on metallic and plastic tanks are shown, as well as EM38 results on metallic tanks. The SCGR-I proved to be an important tool for teaching and research related to the applications of geophysical methods for near surface investigations and could be a motivation to build more test sites.