Combining Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Microseismic monitoring to containment barriers in near-surface soils

This PhD project aims to develop a geophysical imaging tool to detect the three-dimensional shape of grout barriers injected into near surface soils. Over the past 10 years, researchers at Strathclyde, in partnership with the Construction Company, BAM Nuttall, have been developing new grouting technologies for ground improvement and for containment of toxic and radioactive wastes. Injected grout barriers have financial and environmental advantages, in particularly they do not require physical excavation of contaminated soils. However, their physical extent once injected, is extremely difficult to establish, making it hard to demonstrate success. An ideal solution would be to develop a peophysical tool that can detect the 3D shape of the grouted soil volume within the subsurface. At present, no commercial technology is available that can achieve this.

The aim of this PhD is to develop a prototype non-invasive subsurface grout detection and imaging system. Since grouting will change both the electrical properties of the soil and its mechanical properties the project will focus on combining two existing geophysical techniques: Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and small-scale microseismic monitoring. Fieldwork will be conducted in Sydney, Australia, and the PhD student will have the opportunity to travel to, and collaborate with, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, ANSTO. The PhD will be supervised by Prof Becky Lunn and Dr Stella Pytharouli at the University of Strathclyde and Dr Oliver Kuras at the British Geological Survey. During the PhD, the student will also be seconded both to Dr Kuras’ laboratory at BGS Keyworth to gain skills in ERT, and to BAM Nuttall’s to gain valuable industrial experience. Travel and subsistence for these secondments will be covered.