Non-destructive DC resistivity surveying using flat-base electrodes

The application of flat-base electrodes to geoelectrical measurements is examined. This Study is motivated by the inability to apply geoelectrical techniques in environments where conventional spike electrodes cannot be inserted into the ground. The performance of flat-base electrodes is examined in various environments, using different measuring modes. It is shown that flat-base electrodes can be satisfactorily used in most cases, producing data that are almost identical to the measurements obtained using standard electrodes. Several case studies in various urban locations in Greece, where flat-base electrodes have been successfully employed, are also presented. The results indicate that flat-base electrodes provide the advantage of a fully non-destructive application and, therefore, the extension of geoelectrical methods to environments that, otherwise, Would not have been considered Suitable.