SITE CHARACTERIZATION

GTE 652 (SUSTAINABILITY IN GEO-ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING) – GROUP 1

 Group 1
MEMBERS:

DEAN CARLO LAMBINO

CLARICE CUCIO
DANIEL LAMBINO
DHANES CORPUZ
EVARESTO MALONES
Geo-Environmental Site Characterization
CONTENTS

1 Introduction (General Concept)

2 Importance of Site Characterization

3 Objectives of Site Characterization

“The key is not effort, but

finding the right thing to
achieve.”
Investigation Components, Methods
4 and Application
- Richard Koch
Understanding Site
Characterization
 Definition of
Site Characterization
Three-dimensional engineering
geologic description of the
surface and subsurface of the
location intended for
construction of engineered
works, for habitation, commerce,
resource development,
mitigation of natural hazards or
conduct of groundwater
protection, waste management
or environmental remediation.
Purpose
A site characterization is
conducted where a
hazardous substance has
been released, and there is
potential for the
contamination to reach
people or adversely affect
the natural ecology.
IMPORTANCE

Site characterization provide information about the

presence and distribution of target contaminants in relation to
the background environment, thereby facilitating cost-
effective
and efficient remediation.
Objectives of Site Characterization

1. Identify Sources and Release

Mechanisms

2. Evaluate Potential Contaminants

Concern

3. Characterize Physical Setting

4.Characterized Impacts on
Groundwater ,
Soil and Aquifer .
 SITE CHARACTERIZATION TASK:
Identify Sources and Release Mech.
Locate Potential Sources of Contamination, Review Spill Events

1 and Historical Releases , Evaluate Potential for Ongoing Release,

Potential Offsite Sources.

Evaluate Potential Contaminants

Study the contaminants and its potential adverse effects on
2 people's health, environment, ecology, soil and other mediums

Characterize Physical Setting

Soil Boring and Well Installation, Geology Characterization,,
3 Aquifer Characterization.

Characterized Impacts
Characterized and evaluate the Impacts in order to come up with
4 a recommended remediation.
Site Contamination
Scenarios
 Site Contamination Scenarios
Contaminated sites for which remediation schemes are usually
designed and implemented vary with respect to configuration,
contaminant releasing unit, site hydrology, contaminant source relative
to ground elevation, hydrogeological and geotechnical characteristics of
the host media, chemical characteristics, and concentration of
contaminants.
 Site Contamination Scenarios
Most common site-specific sources of contaminants:
• Solid waste management units
• Land treatment units
• Surface impoundments
• Waste piles
• Incinerators and other industrial installations
• Tanks and other containers
Site Contamination Scenarios
Site Contamination Scenarios
Site Contamination Scenarios
CHARACTERIZATON
TECHNIQUES

DANIELLE CHRISTOPHER A. LAMBINO

MSCE-GTE
GROUP - 1
 CHARACTERIZATON
TECHNIQUES

1.) Ground-Penetrating Radar Method

2.) Electromagnetic Resistivity Method

3.) Direct-Current Resistivity Method

4.) Seismic Methods

5.) Electrochemical and Electrooptical Sensing Methods

 Ground-Penetrating radar (GPR) uses electromagnetic
waves to penetrate the ground and define differences in
material properties, pore-water content and quality, soil
texture, and soil density

 Upon contact with materials of different properties, a

fraction of the wave energy is
reflected back to the antenna located on the ground,
where it is reflected
at contacts between beds of dissimilar properties.

 Provides continuous visual profile of shallow

subsurface, objects, structure and lithology.
 ADVANTAGES
 Great Areal Coverage
 High vertical resolution in suitable terrain
 Visual picture of data

VS
DISADVANTAGES
 Limited of depth of penetration
(a meter or less in wet, clayey soils; up to 25m in dry, sandy soils)

 Accessibility limited due to bulkiness of equipment and nature of

survey

 Limited use in wet weather

 ELECTROMAGNETIC RESISTIVITY
 This method defines subsurface resistivity contrasts due to lithology,
groundwater, and changes in ground water quality.

 This method is an effective means of defining contaminated zones

beneath covered areas such as structural foundation and paved areas,
because there is no requirement for the use of direct
contact electrodes

• A transmitter coil is held or fixed on or close to the ground surface

• An alternating current is applied to the terminals of the coil to
induce the flow of the current.

 This phenomenon generates an alternating magnetic field,

which in turn causes electric current to permeate the earth
 ELECTROMAGNETIC RESISTIVITY
ADVANTAGES
 Rapid areal coverage
 High depth of penetration possible (400 – 800 ft)
 High mobility
 Results can be approximated in the field

VS

DISADVANTAGES
 Susceptibility to natural and artificial electrical interference
 Limited use in wet weather
 Limited utility in urban areas
 Except for the means by which an electric current
is generated, the direct-current
(DC) resistivity method is similar to the
electromagnetic resistivity method
 In DC resistivity measurements, voltage is applied across a pair of
electrode that are embedded in the soil

 Directly, this causes an electric current to flow through the soil

 Seismic method determines lithological change in subsurface.
This method depend upon velocities of acoustical energy
in earth materials.

 Accordingly, they involve the generation of a short pulse of

seismic energy and the permanent recording of the arrival of seismic
pulse at distant locations, with time intervals after the pulse
instant determined to millisecond accuracy.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
 Relatively easy accessibility
 High depth of penetration dependent on
VS  Susceptibility to noise from urban development
 Operation restricted during wet weather.
source of vibration
 Rapid areal coverage
 Geophones are placed to detect incoming refracted waves

 Information from Geophones is processed

using the circuit shown
Electrochemical and Electrooptical Sensing Method

• Electrochemical and
electrooptical sensing
systems are the most
recently developed
approaches to detecting
contaminants in the
subsurface.
• The fluid of concern must
travel to sensing points
before detection can occur.
The closer the spacing
among the sensor, the
smaller is the probability
that the target fluid will
short circuit the sensors.
Investigation~Components,
Methods and Application
 END OF PRESENTATION
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Thank you!