Determination of karstic activity by utilizing 2-dimensional electrical resistivity method

The region which is consisting of rocks which could not resist to abrasion and easily soluble is defined as karstic terrain, and it is characterized by surface collapse and small or large sized dissolution voids on rock surface. Formation and enlargement of those voids may cause dangerous situation during construction and infrastructure work. Therefore, it is important to determine the location and dimension of karstic features. Geophysical investigations are important in determining the geometries of geological subsurface structures. In order to determine near surface profile and characteristic of soil, surface geophysical methods are successfully applied. Electrical resistivity is the most important methods among the convenient and commonly used methods to determine near subsurface profile. Using this method, near surface profile cavernous and weathered zones can be determined easily. Within the scope of this thesis, near surface profiles were determined by utilizing 2D Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) at Akdeniz University campus and Masa Dağı region. Since the ground surface is covered by soil, the results obtained from 2D Electrical Resistivity analyses at Akdeniz University campus compared with seismic analyses and VES analyses. The analyses were applied in five different locations in the campus. Around Masa Dağı location, since topographic cross-section of the region is clearly seen, 2D Electrical Resistivity results were compared only with VES. Masa Dağı analyses were applied in two different locations and presences of subsurface cavities were determined using resistivity values. Keywords: 2D electricity resistivity, Vertical electrical sounding, Seismic method, Karstic terrain