Design of electrical resistivity instrument and data analysis for geophysical investigations

Electrical resistivity measurements are a method used in geophysical research to analyze underground layers and to investigate underground structures. In electrical resistivity measurements, current is applied to the ground with metal electrodes. The potential difference is measured at different depths by using voltage electrodes and changing their locations. The data are analyzed and 2 and 3-dimensional underground tomography is obtained. Resistivity measurement devices used in direct current are generally of foreign origin and are expensive systems. The most important problems are the driving of the electrodes into the ground, manual displacement of the cables for measurements, difficulties in laying and collecting the cables, and these difficulties affect the measurement accuracy. The design of practical systems with multi-electrode and multi-channel, intelligent switching, precise and accurate measurements, and instant communication systems that will eliminate the hassle of wiring and relocation will eliminate the problems mentioned in the data collection section of the electrical resistivity tomography method. For this purpose, in this study, a microcontroller-based system with 8 electrodes will be designed that can automatically perform measurements on the line profile, change measurement procedures, and make precise and accurate measurements with 16-bit Analog Digital Converter (ADC) resolution. Measurements on a single line will be measured with a single circuit using a smart switching system at a time, and the measurement geometry will be determined by the switching system.