DETECTION OF IMPERMEABLE STRUCTURE IN SUBSURFACE USING SURFACE THERMAL IMAGES

Abstract

 As one of the methods to evaluate groundwater flow and geological structures that represent obstacles to the flow, a method using thermography images of the soil surface temperature was tested. A laboratory experiment was conducted using a flow tank filled with glass beads. Obstacle blocks were arranged in the bottom of the flow tank. The obstacle block layer (5 cm) was covered with the homogeneous glass beads layer. Tap water was heated to 60 °C and colored with food dye was used as a tracer. The experimental results showed that the distribution of the obstacles had an influence on the surface temperature difference. When there was a thinner cover, it was easier to determine the distribution of the obstacles and the groundwater flow path.