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An integration of aeromagnetic and electrical resistivity methods in dam site

investigation

Article  in  Geophysics · March 1996

DOI: 10.1190/1.1443963

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Adebayo Olaniyi Aina M. O. Olorunfemi

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GEOPHYSICS, VOL. 61, NO. 2 (MARCH-APRIL 1996); P. 349-356, 6 FIGS., 2 TABLES.
An integration of aeromagnetic and electrical resistivity
methods in dam site investigation
‡
Adebayo Aina*, Martins O. Olorunfemi , and John S. Ojo*
ABSTRACT
Aeromagnetic map and electrical resistivity sounding
data obtained along eight traverses were examined at
two sites across the Katsina-Ala River. The principal
goals of this exercise were to define depths to the
bedrock, bedrock relief, geologic structures, define the
nature of the superficial deposit, and select probable
minor and major axes for hydroelectric power dams.
The aeromagnetic map shows that the basement rocks
trend roughly northeast-southwest, which correlates
with the strike of foliation measurements made on rock
outcrops along the river channel. A network of cross
cutting lineaments, suspected to be faults/fractures that
trend approximately northeast/southwest and northwest/
southeast, was also delineated from the magnetic map.
The depths to the bedrock estimated from resistivity
depth sounding data at site I generally vary from
1-53.1 m. Depths to the bedrock estimated at site II
range from 1.9-19.5 m. The superficial deposit varies
from clay to sandy clay, to clayey sand (with boulders in
places), and to sand and laterite. The bedrock relief is
relatively flat and gently undulates along most of the
traverses, with an overall dip towards the river channel.
Traverses E-F or I-J at site I and K-L at site II are
probable dam axes. These traverses are characterized by
relatively thin overburden thicknesses and rock heads
dipping toward the river channel, thereby reducing the
likelihood of water seepages from the flanks of the
proposed dam axes.
INTRODUCTION
A dam has been proposed across the Katsina-Ala River in
the Katsina-Ala Local Government of Benue State of Nigeria
to harness the potential of the river for electrical energy
generation and agricultural purposes. The proposed dam sites
Manuscript received by the Editor August 26, 1993; revised manuscript received May 23, 1995.
*Dept. of Physics, University of Lagos, Lagos Nigeria.
‡Dept. of Geology, Obafemi Awolowo University, ILE-IFE, Nigeria.
**Dept. of Applied Geophysics, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.
© 1996 Society of Exploration Geophysicists. All rights reserved.
349
(Figure 1) are located within the basement complex area. A
geophysical investigation of both localities has been carried
out.
The objectives of the site investigation are:
1) measure the thicknesses of the overburden or the depths
to the bedrock,
2) determine the nature of the superficial deposit, and
3) map all bedrock structures such as faults, fractures, rock
contacts, lineaments, joints, and any other lateral inho-
mogeneities that may be present in the area.
The above information is required for the design and
construction of the dam axis foundation, for the assessment of
the ease of excavation, and for the delineation of possible
seepage zones.
To achieve these objectives, our approach was to begin the
site investigation program with what Dobecki and Romig
(1985) referred to as sensible and cost-effective substitutes for
boreholes. An aeromagnetic map of the area around the
proposed axes was interpreted and the results used as a guide
for a ground dc electrical resistivity survey. Both the aeromag-
netic and electrical resistivity interpretations are presented
here.
GEOLOGY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY
The area investigated is slightly east of the eastern margin of
the Middle Benue Trough. The sites are underlain by the
crystalline basement complex rocks of Nigeria (Figure 1). The
lithological units vary from garnet-bearing granite gneiss be-
neath site I to schistose quartzite beneath site II. The strike of
foliation varies from N40°-45°E, while the dip directions range
from 40°-50°W in the east (site I) and from 50°-70°E in the
west (site II). The converging dip directions may be indicative
of a folded bedrock in a regional sense. This is consistent with
the observation that the basement in and around the Benue
350 Aina et al.
Trough may have been warped and folded along with the
sediments in the Benue Basin (Wright, 1981).
The bedrock occurs as low-lying outcrops along the riverbed
and occasionally in the upland. The superficial deposits at site
I vary from clay to sandy clay, to clayey sand/sand, to clayey
sand with boulders, and to laterite, which form a rock capping
with significant depth extent in places. Site II is overlain by
sun-baked clay and sandy clay horizons with laterite in places.
The eastern flank of site I is characterized by both relatively
flat and undulatory terrain. The western flank is relatively flat.
Both sides, however, generally slope toward the Katsina-Ala
River. The topographic elevation varies from about 116 m a.s.l.
(above sea level) at the river channel to 171 m a.s.l. at the high
land.
Site II is relatively flat and slopes gently toward the river.
The topographic elevation varies from about 105 m a.s.l. at the
river channel to 110 m a.s.l. at the upland. Both sides are
drained by the Katsina-Ala River and its tributaries.
The Katsina-Ala River flows in a direction approximately
normal to the general strike of the geology at both sites, which
is an indication that the course of the river is not structurally
controlled at these sites.
FIG. 1. Map of Katsina-Ala showing the proposed dam sites (I and II) and the general geology.
MATERIALS AND METHOD OF STUDY
Aeromagnetics
The aeromagnetic map (Figure 2) used for this study was
obtained from an airborne magnetic survey carried out over
the lower and upper Benue Valley area for, and on behalf of,
the Geological Survey Department of Nigeria by Fairey Sur-
veys Limited in 1975. The map represents the southeast
quadrant of Katsina-Ala sheet 272. The airborne data were
acquired at a constant flight height of 152 m above terrain. The
flight lines were flown in a 150°/330° azimuth at a 2-km interval,
while the tie lines were flown in a 60°/240° azimuth at a 20-km
spacing.
The interpretation of the magnetic map was both qualitative
and quantitative. The qualitative interpretation involved the
examination of the map for patterns and characteristics that
are typical of linear features (lineaments) such as faults and
fracture zones, lithological contacts, etc. The quantitative
interpretation of magnetic profiles along and across identified
lineaments was done using the Werner deconvolution tech-
 Aeromagnetic and Resistivity Methods 351

nique (Birch, 1984), modified for this low magnetic latitude by
taking the magnetization at the equator to be horizontal and
parallel to the normal terrestrial field, instead of vertical as in
the high magnetic latitudes.
DC resistivity
The electrical resistivity survey used the vertical electrical sounding
(VES) technique. A Schlumberger array was used with AB/2 (elec-
trode spacing) values varying from 1 to 100 m. The array length was
aligned parallel to the geologic strike at each sounding point. This
alignment will minimize dip-induced distortion of the sounding
curves and its attendant interpretation errors.
A total of five traverses-A-B, C-D, E-F (Axis III), G-H,
and I-J-trending approximately N40°E were established
across the Katsina-Ala at site I (Figure 3a). The traverse
length was 3130 m while the traverse-traverse separation

FIG. 2. Aeromagnetic map of the Katsina-Ala area. Indicated values are in nanotesla.
352 Aina et al.

was 100 m. Depth soundings were carried out at intervals of
200 m.
At site II (Figure 3b), three traverses, K-L, M-N (Axis V),
and O-P, trending approximately N20°E were established
across the river. The traverse length was 670 m and the
traverse-traverse separation was 100 m. Depth soundings were
carried out at 110 m intervals.
The depth sounding data are presented as sounding curves
in Figures 4a and b. The sounding curves vary from simple
two-layer models to more complicated five-layer models. Lat-
erites occur as rock-capping and as subsurface hardpan and
boulder-bearing topsoil in some parts of the surveyed area that
create data point scatter on some of the sounding curves.
The best smooth curves taken through the set of data points
were interpreted quantitatively by a method of partial curve
matching and the interpreted layer resistivities and thicknesses
were refined by a Marquardt-type inversion algorithm that
iteratively refines the input model in the generalized least-
squares sense (Verma and Pantulu, 1990).
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
Aeromagnetic map
The total magnetic intensity contour map (Figure 2) shows a
relatively strong east-northeast trend running through the
middle of the study area. Outcrops of granite gneiss observed

FIG. 3. (a) Location map for vertical electric soundings, site I. (b) Location map for vertical electric soundings, site II.

FIG. 4. (a) Typical depth sounding curves obtained from site I. (b) Typical depth sounding curves obtained from site II.
 Aeromagnetic and Resistivity Methods
along the river channel and bank confirm this trend. To the
north, a relatively small area of high-frequency aeromagnetic
anomalies indicate shallow magnetic structures that are prob-
ably caused by near-surface extentions of the granite gneiss.
Three major east/northeast-northeast trending faults tra-
verse the area. Wright (1981) observed that these systems of
east-northeast trending faults originated in the underlying
basement and probably control some of the folding in the
Benue Trough.
As noted previously, these two principal directions are
commonly observed throughout the Benue Trough and adja-
cent areas. Chukwu-Ike (1981) observed that the northwest
trending lineament sets that exist here were probably formed
complementary to the northeast trending lineaments but be-
came a tensional direction during the Santonian folding in the
trough. The east/northeast faults are cut by fractures in the
joint direction of the rock. In the area around the two
proposed dam axes (major axis III and minor axis V, Figures 1
and 3) several faults and fractures have been mapped. Werner
deconvolution analysis of magnetic profiles along and across
the mapped lineaments (Birch, 1984) shows that some of the
faults/fractures may extend to a depth of 2-3 km. This inter-
pretation is supported by the view that these systems of faults
are of basement origin (Wright, 1981) and are magnetic
because concentrated paramagnetic minerals associated with
groundwater flow within the fault zone (Dobecki and Romig,
1985; McIntyre, 1980).
All the faults and fractures delineated in the aeromagnetic
interpretation are well defined by the Werner deconvolution
solutions.
Geoelectric sections
The series of 1-D VES interpretation results are assembled
into geoelectric sections in Figures 5 and 6. Site I is character-
ized by up to five geoelectric layers, which can be classified into
three geologic layers (Figure 5a-5e). These include the topsoil,
the weathered (decomposed) layer, and the crystalline bed-
rock. The three layers were identified along the five traverses
with the exception of the very few locations where the topsoil
grades into the bedrock, or where the weathered layer is too
thin to be delineated.
The topsoil varies in thickness from 0.6-4.4 m with layer
resistivities of between 80 and 10 000 ohm-m. The composition
of this layer varies from clay to sandy clay, to clayey sand, to
boulder bearing clayey sand, to sand and laterite. The weath-
ered layer thicknesses and resistivities are 1.3-52.1 m and
18-1120 ohm-m, respectively. The horizon varies in composi-
tion from clay to sandy clay and clayey sand, which is lateritic
in places. The bedrock model resistivity values vary from
2340 ohm-m to infinity. The depth to the bedrock (or rock
head) varies from 1.0-53.1 m with a minimum average of 7.6 m
along traverse I-J and a maximum of 13.4 m along traverse
A-B. The overburden thickness is generally thin (1-12 m) on
the southwestern (or left) flank but thicker (1.5-52.1 m) on the
northeastern (or right) flank of the traverses. The bedrock
outcrops along the river channel. Table 1 shows the variations
in the depth to the bedrock along the traverses.
The bedrock relief is relatively flat on the left flank but rises
with the surface topography on the right flank. The right flank
353
is characterized by alternating basement highs and lows,
particularly along traverses A-B and C-D.
The bedrock relief slopes toward the river channel from
both flanks along traverses E-F, G-H, and I-J. Dam axes
constructed along any of these traverses will not lose reservoir
water through the banks of the dam axis because groundwater
will flow toward the river channel. On the contrary, the
bedrock relief dips away from the river along traverse A-B,
meaning that any dam axis constructed along this traverse will
lose reservoir water through the banks (Figure 5e).
Site II is also underlain by three geologic layers, topsoil, a
weathered layer, and bedrock (Figure 6a-6c). The topsoil
thickness is 0.5-1.4 m and has resistivity values varying from
140-1400 ohm-m. The horizon varies in composition from
sandy clay to clayey sand and laterite in places. The weathered
layer thicknesses and resistivities are 1.4-18.6 m and
8-144 ohm-m, respectively. This layer is composed of clay and
sandy clay. The bedrock resistivity values range from
950 ohm-m to infinity. The depth to the bedrock (or rockhead)
varies from 1.9-19.5 m, with a minimum average depth of
6.4 m along traverse K-L and a maximum of 9.6 m along
traverses M-N (Axis V) and O-P. Outcrops of the bedrock
were seen within the river channel along traverse K-L. Table 2
shows the variations in the depth to the bedrock along the
traverses.
The bedrock topography is relatively flat along traverse K-L
but slopes toward the river channel along traverses M-N and
O-P. This bedrock disposition will prevent loss of water
through the banks of the proposed dam axis.
CONCLUSIONS
Qualitative interpretation of the aeromagnetic map of the
Katsina-Ala River area has delineated a network of linea-
ments, suspected to be faults, and fracture zones whose trends
are generally northeast-southwest and northwest-southeast.
Quantitative interpretation of selected magnetic profiles con-
firmed some of these lineaments and suggested that some of
the features are deep seated.
Some of the inferred linear structures are located within,
and at the outskirt of, the proposed dam sites. Except for
localized basement depressions observed beneath VES 3 along
traverse A-B and beneath VES 22 along traverse G-H (both of
which could not be correlated across all the traverses) none of
the inferred linear features within the confines of the two sites
were resolved by the geoelectric measurements. This lack of
detection may occur because the linear features have insignif-
icant vertical displacement or are mere geomorphic expres-
sions of the crystalline basement.
The estimated depths to the bedrock from VES data vary
between 1-53.1 m at site I and between 1.9-19.5 m at site II.
The bedrock relief varies from relatively flat to gently undu-
lating with an overall dip toward the river channel from both
flanks of most of the traverses (E-F, G-H, I-J, K-L, M-N, and
O-P). The groundwater flow direction is toward the river
channel with little risk of loss of reservoir water through the
flanks of a dam axis constructed along any of the above
traverses.
Except for the relatively deep depths to the bedrock along
the traverses, traverses E-F or I-J at site I and traverse K-L at
354 Aina et al.

FIG. 5. Geoelectric sections along traverses (a) I-J, (b) G-H, (c) E-F, (d) C-D, and (e) A-B at site I.
 Aeromagnetic and Resistivity Methods 355

FIG. 6. Geoelectric sections along traverses (a) O-P, (b) M-N, and (c) K-L at site II.
356 Aina et al.

Table 1. Depth to bedrock (overburden thickness) determined along Traverses A-B, C-D, E-F (axis III), G-H, and I-J (site I).

Traverse E-F
Traverse A-B Traverse C-D (Axis III) Traverse G-H Traverse I-J
Depth to Depth to Depth to Depth to Depth to
V.E.S. bedrock V.E.S. bedrock V.E.S. bedrock V.E.S. bedrock V.E.S. bedrock
Stations (m) Stations (m) Stations (m) Stations (m) Stations (m)
36 12.0 45 2.3 46 9.5 55 3.7 56 6.9
37 8.2 44 6.8 47 4.4 54 8.4 57 5.7
38 9.6 43 1.0 48 6.2 53 2.9 58 7.4
39 5.5 42 12.5 49 10.0 52 5.2 59 5.4
40 3.9 41 12.0 50 2.1 51 7.9 60 3.9
* 2.0 * 3.0
River Channel
* 1.5
7 5.2 8 6.0 21 8.0 22 35.5 35 5.0
6 6.5 9 7.5 20 3.3 23 5.8 34 9.2
5 22.6 10 6.0 19 10.8 24 12.4 33 13.6
4 11.5 11 14.3 18 3.8 25 13.9 32 8.2
3 53.1 12 9.0 17 10.5 26 8.8 31 12.0
2 7.6 13 25.0 16 15.0 27 1.6 30 15.5
1 27.0 14 28.5 15 20.9 28 8.5 29 4.2
Mean 13.4 10.9 9.0 9.6 7.6
depth
*Depth to bedrock observation at bank of river channel.

Table 2. Depth to bedrock (overburden thickness) determined along Traverses K-L, M-N (axis V),
and O-P (site II).

Traverse K-L Traverse M-N (axis V) Traverse O-P

Depth to Depth to Depth to
V.E.S. bedrock V.E.S. bedrock V.E.S. bedrock
Stations (m) Stations (m) Stations (m)
65 7.7 64 4.7 61 12.7
66 2.9 63 9.8 62 11.5
* 3.0
River Channel
68 9.3 69 19.5 72 12.4
67 8.9 70 4.5 71 1.9
Mean 6.4 9.6 9.6
depth
*Depth to bedrock observation at bank of river channel.

site II are the preferable axes for a major and minor dam,
respectively.
In dam site investigation, the aeromagnetic method can be
effective for delineating linear structural features such as faults,
fracture zones, joint systems, and lithological boundaries;
whereas, the electrical resistivity method, which involves vertical
electrical sounding, provides information on overburden thick-
nesses, the geometry of the subsurface layers, and the structural
geometry of the bedrock. In a geological setting such as that
described here, integrating aeromagnetic and electrical resistivity
methods leads to improved interpretation at minimum cost.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We are grateful to Texaco Nigeria and Dr. Peter Morse for
support. Our special thanks to Mr. Tako Koning, Assistant
Managing Director, Texaco Nigeria for his encouragement for
the development of geosciences in Nigeria. We also thank
Phil Wannamaker and other reviewers whose suggestions have
been useful in improving the clarity of the paper.
REFERENCES
Birch, F. S., 1984, Bedrock depth estimates from ground magnetom-
eter profiles: Groundwater, 22, 427-432.
Chukwu-Ike, I. M., 1981, Marginal fracture systems of the Benue
Trough in Nigeria and their tectonic implications: Earth Evol. Sci.,
1, 104-109.
Dobecki, T. L., and Romig, P. R., 1985, Geotechnical and groundwater
geophysics: Geophysics, 50, 2621-2636.
McIntyre, J. I., 1980, Geological significance of magnetic patterns
related to magnetite in sediments and metasediments-A review:
Expl. Geophys., 11, 19-33.
Verma, S. K., and Pantulu, K. P., 1990, Software for the interpretation
of resistivity sounding data for groundwater exploration: National
Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, India.
Wright, J. B., 1981, Review of the origin and evolution of the Benue
Trough in Nigeria: Earth Evol. Sci., 1, 98-103.

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