2D Electrical Resistivity Imaging of Bedrock Fissures in Ogbomoso, Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

2D electrical resistivity surveys were conducted around the site of the failed proposed Ogbomoso North Secretariat building with a view  to examining the trend of suspected bedrock fissures and assessing the vulnerability of structures in the vicinity to potential failure.  Electrical Resistivity Tomography data were acquired along ten traverses 80-200 m long each, using the dipole-dipole electrode  configuration with station interval of 5 m and expansion factor, n, varied from 1 to 6. The data were processed by using 2D resistivity  inversion technique in the DipproTM software package to generate 2D resistivity sections beneath the traverses. The 2D resistivity  sections delineated 2-19 m thick typically clay overburden underlain by bedrock with resistivity ranging from 103 to 59767 Ωm, and  anomalously low resistivity zones suspected to be fissures within the bedrock. The bedrock fissures are generally 5-20 m wide and occur  at depths ranging from 5 m to ˃25 m beneath the traverses. The fissures trend southward toward the roundabout and front of the  College of Health Sciences premises. The incessant road failures and groundwater seepages observed within the study area are  attributable to the network of bedrock fissure.