Environmental And Engineering Geophysics

This advanced undergraduate textbook comprehensively describes principal geophysical surveying techniques for environmental and engineering problems.

Geophysical imaging methods provide solutions to a wide variety of environmental and engineering problems: protection of soil and groundwater from contamination; disposal of chemical and nuclear waste; geotechnical site testing; landslide and ground subsidence hazard detection; location of archaeological artifacts. This book comprehensively describes the theory, data acquisition and interpretation of all of the principal techniques of geophysical surveying: gravity, magnetic, seismic, self-potential, resistivity, induced polarization, electromagnetic, ground-probing radar, radioactivity, geothermal, and geophysical borehole logging. Each chapter is supported by a large number of richly illustrated case histories. This book will prove to be a valuable textbook for senior undergraduates and postgraduates in environmental and applied geophysics, a supplementary course book for students of geology, engineering geophysics, civil and mining engineering, and a reference work for professional earth scientists, engineers and town planners.

An Introduction to Applied and Environmental Geophysics, 2nd Edition, describes the rapidly developing field of near-surface geophysics. The book covers a range of applications including mineral, hydrocarbon and groundwater exploration, and emphasises the use of geophysics in civil engineering and in environmental investigations. Following on from the international popularity of the first edition, this new, revised, and much expanded edition contains additional case histories, and descriptions of geophysical techniques not previously included in such textbooks. The level of mathematics and physics is deliberately kept to a minimum but is described qualitatively within the text. Relevant mathematical expressions are separated into boxes to supplement the text. The book is profusely illustrated with many figures, photographs and line drawings, many never previously published. Key source literature is provided in an extensive reference section; a list of web addresses for key organisations is also given in an appendix as a valuable additional resource. Covers new techniques such as Magnetic Resonance Sounding, Controlled- Source EM, shear-wave seismic refraction, and airborne gravity and EM techniques Now includes radioactivity surveying and more discussions of down-hole geophysical methods; hydrographic and Sub-Bottom Profiling surveying; and UneXploded Ordnance detection Expanded to include more forensic, archaeological, glaciological, agricultural and bio-geophysical applications Includes more information on physio-chemical properties of geological, engineering and environmental materials Takes a fully global approach Companion website with additional resources available at www.wiley.com/go/reynolds/introduction2e Accessible core textbook for undergraduates as well as an ideal reference for industry professionals The second edition is ideal for students wanting a broad introduction to the subject and is also designed for practising civil and geotechnical engineers, geologists, archaeologists and environmental scientists who need an overview of modern geophysical methods relevant to their discipline. While the first edition was the first textbook to provide such a comprehensive coverage of environmental geophysics, the second edition is even more far ranging in terms of techniques, applications and case histories.

This book provides a general introduction to the most important methods of applied geophysics with a variety of case studies. These methods represent a primary tool for investigation of the subsurface and are applicable to a very wide range of problems. Applied geophysics is based on physics principles that collect and interpret data on subsurface conditions for practical purposes, including oil and gas exploration, mineral prospecting, geothermal exploration, groundwater exploration, engineering applications, archeological interests, and environmental concerns. The depth of investigation into applied geophysics is shallow, typically from the ground surface to several kilometers deep, where economic, cultural, engineering, or environmental concerns often arise. Applied geophysics uses almost all of the current geophysical methods, including electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, gravimetric, geothermal, seismic, seismoelectric, magnetotelluric, nuclear, and radioactive methods. In applied geophysics, geophysicists are usually required to have a good understanding of math and physics principles, knowledge of geology and computer skills, and hands-on experience of electronic instruments. A geophysicist's routine job includes survey designs, data acquisition, data processing, and data interpretation with detailed explanation of the study. Applied geophysics consists of three main subject and interest areas, which are exploration geophysics, engineering geophysics, and environmental geophysics.

This book focuses on essential theories, methods and techniques in the field of environmental and engineering geophysics that can contribute to resource detection and environmental protection. Geophysics has been playing an important role in exploring the earth, locating vital resources and promoting the development of society. This book covers a range of topics including the exploration of modern resources, such as ore deposits, coal mines, shale gas and geothermal power, and the monitoring of geological disasters, including the rock-soil body, ground deformation, mines, specific rock-soil engineering disasters, desertification of land and environmental abnormalities. This book not only offers a valuable resource for geophysical researchers; it also demonstrates how geophysics theories and methods can be practically implemented to protect our environment and promote the development of human society.

Applied geophysics were developed to explore the raw materials needed by civilization. Today it is used to investigate the extent and nature of buried contaminated waste and leachates. The book describes in detail, yet in a simple language, possibilities, advantages and shortcomings of geophysical methods. Case histories from the US and all over the world are discussed and richly illustrated, and cost estimates for geophysical surveys and criteria for the choice of methods and the compilation of tenders are provided. The book will enable engineers, scientists and lawyers to appraise the possibilities of geophysics in the assessment of environmental risks.

Borehole geophysics is frequently applied in hydrogeological environmental investigations where, for example, sites must be evaluated to determine the distribution of contaminants. It is a cost-effective method for obtaining information during several phases of such investigations. Written by one of world's leading experts in the field, A Practical Guide to Borehole Geophysics in Environmental Investigations explains the basic principles of the many tools and techniques used in borehole logging projects. Applications are presented in terms of broad project objectives, providing a hands-on guide to geophysical logging programs, including specific examples of how to obtain and interpret data that meet particular hydrogeologic objectives.

The fundamentals of methods in nuclear geophysics and their practical applications in engineering geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, agriculture and environmental science are discussed in this book. The methods and apparatus based on absorption and scattering of gamma and neutron radiation for determination of density and soil moisture in natural conditions are presented in Chapters 2, 3, and 4. The theoretical fundamentals and installations of the penetration logging techniques where gamma, gamma-gamma and neutron logging in combination with static penetration form common complexes for engineering geology and hydrogeology exploration without boring holes are described. The developed constructions and practical use penetration logging installations for applications on land and marine shelves are described in Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8. The physical fundamentals for the use of the natural stable and radioactive isotopes for study of the global hydrological cycle are provided. The experimental data, origin and distribution of cosmogenic and radiogenic isotopes in the oceans, atmospheric moisture, surface and underground waters are presented in Chapters 9, 10, and 11. The sources and conditions of the radioactive contamination of the natural waters are discussed in Chapters 12 and 13. This book will be of interest to scientists and researchers who use nuclear geophysics methods in engineering geology, hydrology, hydrogeology and hydrogeoecology. Lecturers, students, and postgraduates in these subjects will also find it useful.