Analysis of soil electrical resistivity and hydraulic conductivity relationship for characterisation of lithology inducing slope instability in residual soil

• Published in: International journal of geo-engineering 2023-12, Vol.14 (1), p.7-16, Article 7
• Main Authors: Olabode, Oladunjoye P., San, Lim H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boreholes; Civil Engineering; Conductivity; Correlation; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Electrical resistivity; Electrical resistivity tomography; Empirical analysis; Foundations; Geoengineering; Geology; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Hydraulic conductivity; Hydraulics; Hydrogeology; Landslides; Landslides & mudslides; Lithology; Mountains; Original Research; Residual soils; Shallow landslide; Slope instability; Slope stability; Soil analysis
• ISSN: 2198-2783; 2092-9196; 2198-2783
• DOI: 10.1186/s40703-023-00184-z

Slope instability occurrences as damaging shallow-landslides in the residual soil around mountains has been widely studied with geophysical, geotechnical and hydrogeological techniques but relating soil electrical resistivity to hydraulic conductivity for characterisation of lithology inducing of these landslides is not common. In this study, we used Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) data and Hydraulic Conductivity (HC) data obtained from soil samples collected within 1–4.5 m depth in the borehole to assess the characteristics of soil that can induce landslide in the study location. The HC data were derived empirically from Beyer, Kozeny-Carman and Slitcher formula which were validated with HC obtained from laboratory experiment. The Empirical Derived Hydraulic Conductivities (EDHC) were correlated with the soil resistivity. The result shows a strong correlation between soil resistivity and HC with regression values of R 2  = 0.9702, R 2  = 0.9153 and R 2  = 0.9232 for Beyer, Kozeny-Carman and Slitcher formula, respectively. The ERT model revealed a possible sliding surface between two contrasting resistive top material and underneath conductive materials at about 4 m depth. The HC assessment result corroborated the ERT model result because high and low-HC values were obtained in the borehole soil samples within 0–4 m and > 4 m depths from EDHC, respectively. The low-HC zone below 4 m depth was responsible for the occurrences of the shallow-landslides in the study. Key points Relationship between soil electrical resistivity and hydraulic conductivity were examined for assessment of lithology inducing shallow-landslide. Soil electrical resistivity delineated a boundary between two contrasting resistive and conductive lithologies at 4 m depth. Strong correlation ranged between R 2  = 0.9153 to 0.9702 were observed between soil resistivity and hydraulic conductivity for the soil samples examined. The conductive lithology with low hydraulic conductivity below 4 m depth was responsible for the occurrences of the shallow-landslides.