Electrical Resistivity Imaging for Identifying Critical Sulfate Concentration Zones Along Highways

Assessing sulfate concentration levels and their distributions within road alignments is crucial for the design of highway projects. Sulfate minerals in soils react with calcium-based additives, leading to sulfate-induced heaving pavement failures. However, a reasonable assessment extent using current practices, such as conventional laboratory-based methods, still challenging because spatial heterogeneity seasonal fluctuations. This study aims assess application electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) determine concentration. Finite element least-squares optimization were used process data generate subsurface inverted profiles. Fourteen ERI surveys carried out two sites potentially high risk help critical zones. Laboratory tests (sulfate moisture content tests) conducted on ten samples collected from field validate findings. The results showed that resistivities zones are significantly lower than typical ranges earth materials abundance salt ions pore water, which facilitates flow electric current. findings this consistent laboratory test determining levels. successfully provides rapid continuous alignments. will engineers where alternative designs needed.