Experimental Study on Electrode Method for Electrical Resistivity Survey to Detect Cavities under Road Pavements

There are two types of electrode methods for electrical resistivity survey (ERS): the pole electrode method (PEM) and flat electrode method (FEM). During the past few decades, most studies were conducted by using PEM for various purposes while only a few were conducted by using FEM. Laboratory and field experiments were performed in this study to investigate the advantage of FEM in detecting cavities under pavements. In the laboratory experiment, the results of PEM and FEM were compared graphically and statistically. A significant difference between the results of PEM and FEM was observed for concrete at an age of seven days, while there was no significant difference in the results for soil materials. Electrical resistivity could not be obtained from asphalt because it is an insulator. In a field experiment, four different cases were simulated: field ground with/without cavity and concrete pavement with/without cavity. The results of PEM and FEM for these cases were compared using 2D electrical resistivity contour images. It was observed that the distribution of electrical resistivity obtained using FEM was wider than that using PEM. Moreover, the locations of the cavities artificially made in the ground and under the pavement were accurately detected using both PEM and FEM.