GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATION OF SUB-SURFACE STRUCTURES ALONG PIPELINE ROAD, UGBOMORO, USING SEISMIC REFRACTION METHOD

ABSTRACT This project was done with the aim of using seismic refraction method to determine the difference in the soil and rock composition and also the geotechnical structure of the survey area around the pipeline close to Federal University of Petroleum, Effurun with a longitude and latitude of 0m N 05° 34'1.8.1 E 005 49'50.6 at 100m N 05° 34'1 7.9 E 005 49' 53.9 with an elevation of 3m. Seismic methods are applied primarily in order to determine homogeneous zones according to parameters of fragmentation, physical and chemical weathering and deformability of rock masses and cohesion-less soil. Applied seismic methods comprise sending impulses underground and registering the resulting refracted arrivals from subsurface interfaces on a number of receivers positioned on or near the surface. Times elapsed from sending to receiving seismic waves depend on depths of studied structures and propagation velocities of seismic waves along paths of their propagation from the source to the refractor (or reflector) to the receiver. This project work was carried out at two different locations, Two different traverses were carried out to give and present a detailed geotechnical design for foundations of the subsurface. The images derived from the two traverses are presentations of an optimum program of exploratory boring supplemented by results of deep seismic refraction studies. Results of geophysical investigations should be included in the data obtained by geological mapping, which will be in correlation with drilling results that complete the picture of geological structure of terrain and facilitate categorization of materials and rocks for the purpose of developing the engineering and hydrogeological profile as a base for designers in the project execution stage.