ENGE480-10S1 (C) Semester One 2010

Environmental and Engineering Geophysics

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 22 February 2010
End Date: Sunday, 27 June 2010
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 7 March 2010
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 23 May 2010

Description

The focus is on near-surface geophysics and its applications, which include mapping and monitoring of groundwater resources, engineering applications, mapping of structure and stratigraphy, and archeological and forensic work. The material covered in ENGE 480 should provide much of the background needed to begin to read, and ultimately contribute to, the geophysical technical literature.

The focus in ENGE480 is on near-surface geophysics and its applications, which include mapping and monitoring of groundwater resources, engineering applications, mapping of structure and stratigraphy, and archæological and forensic work. The material covered in ENGE480 should provide much of the background needed to begin to read, and ultimately contribute to, the geophysical technical literature. Near-surface geophysics complements ENGE478 (Applied Hydrogeology), GEOL473 (Structural Geology) and GEOL477 (Sediment Transportation and Deposition), and is intended to give students an advanced introduction to geophysical surveying for environmental and engineering applications. ENGE480 will be taught in the first semester, and a background equivalent to GEOL337 or ENCI472 is expected, although exceptions will be made with the permission of the instructor.

Course Content
The topic list is tentative. A lecture format is used to start, but a seminar discussion style is used later. A field project forms the core of the assessment.

Introduction: Course goals and structure; physical properties and geophysical responses; advantages and limitations of geophysical surveying; survey design.

Data Acquisition and Signal Processing: Basic principles of signal processing; sampling and aliasing; domains; transforms; filters; convolution and deconvolution; modelling and inversion.

Potential Field Methods: Advanced concepts in gravity and magnetic surveys; gradiometry; modelling; non-uniqueness - “equivalent stratum”; Euler deconvolution applications.

Electrical Methods: Advanced concepts - survey modes equivalence; tomography; induced polarisation; applications.

Electromagnetic Methods: Advanced concepts; frequency vs time-domain; equivalence; comparison of sensitivity between resistivity and EM; applications.

Seismic Refraction: Principles of refraction and reflection; survey modes; applications; relative merits of refraction vs reflection; applications.

Seismic and Radar Reflection: Seismic vs radar - similarities and differences; survey modes; processing; applications.

Borehole Logging: Advanced principles; processing and interpretation, including principal component analysis.

Case Histories: Examples for discussion, particularly from recent literature on applications of near-surface geophysical methods to engineering applications, shallow stratigraphic mapping, neotectonics, mapping and monitoring of groundwater resources and groundwater contamination, archæology, glaciology, and forensic studies. Examples will be geared to the interests of the students.

Learning Outcomes

  • Students successfully completing this course will:
  • Have a good theoretical grounding in applied geophysical techniques for environmental and engineering practice.
  • Have a clear understanding of field applications and limitations for the more commonly used methods.
  • Be able to design and conduct a field geophysical survey to maximise subsurface data by using non-invasive techniques.
  • Be familiar with up-to-date geophysical practices and research methods from a knowledge of current literature.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of Department.

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

David Nobes

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Assignments (weeks 2-7) 25% Assignments (weeks 2-7)
Technical review 14 May 2010 25% Technical review
Case history - class discussions 5% Case history - class discussions (Weeks 7-12)
Field project 04 Jun 2010 45% Field project


There is no final examination in ENGE480,

Textbooks / Resources

Course notes 'Environmental and Engineering Geophysics', David Nobes, 176 p. Recommended for purchase, available from the Copy Centre, James Hight Library.

Course links

Library portal

Notes

Field work will take place in the second week of the April lecture break.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $760.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Geological Sciences .

All ENGE480 Occurrences

  • ENGE480-10S1 (C) Semester One 2010
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