Forward Modeling Simulations to Validate Changes in Electrical Resistivity Tomography Monitoring Data for a Slope with Complex Geology
The electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method has been increasingly integrated with hydrogeological risk mitigation strategies to monitor the internal conditions and the stability of natural and artificial slopes. In this paper, we discuss a case study in which numerical simulations were essent...
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| author | Azadeh Hojat Luigi Zanzi Greta Tresoldi Meng Heng Loke |
| author_facet | Azadeh Hojat Luigi Zanzi Greta Tresoldi Meng Heng Loke |
| author_sort | Azadeh Hojat |
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| description | The electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method has been increasingly integrated with hydrogeological risk mitigation strategies to monitor the internal conditions and the stability of natural and artificial slopes. In this paper, we discuss a case study in which numerical simulations were essential to validate the interpretation of the resistivity images obtained from an ERT monitoring system installed on a critical slope in Italy. An initial analysis of the monitoring data after rainfall events in the study site showed that the resistivity values were decreased only in the central zone along the ERT line, but they were increased in the two sides of the profile. Opposite behaviors were observed during the drying processes following the rainfall events. Core samples show complex geology at the study site, which might justify uneven responses of the different subsurface bodies to meteorological events. However, we decided to investigate the possible inversion artifacts resulting from the individual inversion of the tomographic sections. Forward modeling simulations on simplified time-lapse models of the study site were performed to explore this problem and to compare the individual and time-lapse inversions. Synthetic tests confirmed the nature of these unexpected behaviors and assessed the absolute necessity of a time-lapse approach for a correct inversion of monitoring data in the presence of a complex geological model such as the one of this case study. By applying the time-lapse inversion approach to the real data, the inversion artifact problem was substantially solved, arriving after the proper calibration of the inversion parameters, mainly the time-lapse damping factor and the spatial and temporal roughness constraints, to a reduction in the inversion artifacts to less than 5%. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-284d8944362f494e88fb0836a4f8f8792025-01-24T13:34:15ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632025-01-011513310.3390/geosciences15010033Forward Modeling Simulations to Validate Changes in Electrical Resistivity Tomography Monitoring Data for a Slope with Complex GeologyAzadeh Hojat0Luigi Zanzi1Greta Tresoldi2Meng Heng Loke3Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Ambientale, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, ItalyLSI LASTEM, 20049 Settala, ItalyGeotomo Software Sdn Bhd, Gelugor 11700, MalaysiaThe electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method has been increasingly integrated with hydrogeological risk mitigation strategies to monitor the internal conditions and the stability of natural and artificial slopes. In this paper, we discuss a case study in which numerical simulations were essential to validate the interpretation of the resistivity images obtained from an ERT monitoring system installed on a critical slope in Italy. An initial analysis of the monitoring data after rainfall events in the study site showed that the resistivity values were decreased only in the central zone along the ERT line, but they were increased in the two sides of the profile. Opposite behaviors were observed during the drying processes following the rainfall events. Core samples show complex geology at the study site, which might justify uneven responses of the different subsurface bodies to meteorological events. However, we decided to investigate the possible inversion artifacts resulting from the individual inversion of the tomographic sections. Forward modeling simulations on simplified time-lapse models of the study site were performed to explore this problem and to compare the individual and time-lapse inversions. Synthetic tests confirmed the nature of these unexpected behaviors and assessed the absolute necessity of a time-lapse approach for a correct inversion of monitoring data in the presence of a complex geological model such as the one of this case study. By applying the time-lapse inversion approach to the real data, the inversion artifact problem was substantially solved, arriving after the proper calibration of the inversion parameters, mainly the time-lapse damping factor and the spatial and temporal roughness constraints, to a reduction in the inversion artifacts to less than 5%.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/15/1/33hydrogeological risk mitigationslope stabilityERT monitoringtime-lapse inversiontime-lapse damping factorwater content |
| spellingShingle | Azadeh Hojat Luigi Zanzi Greta Tresoldi Meng Heng Loke Forward Modeling Simulations to Validate Changes in Electrical Resistivity Tomography Monitoring Data for a Slope with Complex Geology Geosciences hydrogeological risk mitigation slope stability ERT monitoring time-lapse inversion time-lapse damping factor water content |
| title | Forward Modeling Simulations to Validate Changes in Electrical Resistivity Tomography Monitoring Data for a Slope with Complex Geology |
| title_full | Forward Modeling Simulations to Validate Changes in Electrical Resistivity Tomography Monitoring Data for a Slope with Complex Geology |
| title_fullStr | Forward Modeling Simulations to Validate Changes in Electrical Resistivity Tomography Monitoring Data for a Slope with Complex Geology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Forward Modeling Simulations to Validate Changes in Electrical Resistivity Tomography Monitoring Data for a Slope with Complex Geology |
| title_short | Forward Modeling Simulations to Validate Changes in Electrical Resistivity Tomography Monitoring Data for a Slope with Complex Geology |
| title_sort | forward modeling simulations to validate changes in electrical resistivity tomography monitoring data for a slope with complex geology |
| topic | hydrogeological risk mitigation slope stability ERT monitoring time-lapse inversion time-lapse damping factor water content |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/15/1/33 |
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