Engineering Geophysics
Engineering Geophysics caters to addressing varieties of subsurface investigations pertaining to civil and infrastructure projects. With the state-of-the-art facilities in Surface and borehole geophysical investigations, we use seismic, electrical and GPR survey techniques for defect mapping and stability evaluation. Because of its application in engineering judgment of site characteristics and post-failure investigations, engineering geophysical techniques are quite handy and indispensible. Our key areas of activities include :
- Site characterisation for subsurface structures
- Surface wave survey for compaction and subsidence studies
- Mapping bedrock topography, soil stratigraphy, hidden cavities, tunnels (mines), defects, and fractures planes
- Mapping old water-logged workings & barriers in coal mines
- Foundation evaluation of bridge pillars and structures using Cross-hole tomography
- Vibration effect studies and fatigue damage assessment
- Post-failure investigations for forensic analysis
- Active and passive seismic survey for settlement studies
Some of the key projects undertaken by us
- Detecting live buried landmine (UXO) using GPR.
- During an experimental survey at Naxal- prone area of Chattisgarh, we demonstrated the capability of GPR in detecting a buried non-metallic landmines, an area for which possible techniques are still being explored.
- Mapping of defect in foundation using 3-D seismic tomography is our key area of specialization. We have accomplished a number of such projects including the one involving mapping of sand lens at the axis of a barrage.
In order to access the extent of old workings in Zinc mines, we successfully located them by cross-hole GPR survey. To assess the threat potential of subsidence around the buried oil pipeline of IOCL, we used cross-hole seismic survey to identify the potential threat zones. During foundation evaluation exercise post-grouting of the Chenab bridge pier, we mapped series of weak zones within the load bearing area leading to further reinforcement.
