GPR study of bedding planes, fractures, and cavities in limestone

M. Pipan; L. Baradello; E. Forte; A. Prizzon

doi:10.1117/12.383499

Translator Disclaimer

27 April 2000 GPR study of bedding planes, fractures, and cavities in limestone

M. Pipan, L. Baradello, E. Forte, A. Prizzon

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4084, Eighth International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar; (2000) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.383499
Event: 8th International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar, 2000, Gold Coast, Australia

Abstract

We performed a multi-fold GPR study at a Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) outcrop in limestone layers of the Peri-Adriatic carbonatic platform (Italy). Primary objective of the study was imaging of the K-T contact and mapping of localized depth variations in a general framework of homoclinical limestone layers. A secondary objective was the study of faults, fractures and cavities of interest for engineering purposes. A combination of 2-D and 3-D multifold techniques was used to image and map structural and stratigraphic features. A 200 sqm grid was surveyed with 1 meter cross-line spacing and 5 cm in- line trace interval. The K-T contact is electromagnetically transparent, and it is actually deduced from paleontologic evidence. Due to the homoclinal trend, K-T topography is reconstructed from the bedding planes bounding the contact. Fractures antithetic to bedding planes are imaged by 2-D stack and migrated profiles. Part of the fractures can be considered small transtensional faults. The results obtained provide the first geophysical evidence of small-scale transtensive deformation in the area. Curvilinear radar reflector, intersecting the homoclinal bedding planes, are imaged in faulted zones and are possibly related to limestone buildups. A fractured rock volume develops into a cavity with average estimated section of a 4 sqm.

Citation Download Citation

M. Pipan, L. Baradello, E. Forte, and A. Prizzon "GPR study of bedding planes, fractures, and cavities in limestone", Proc. SPIE 4084, Eighth International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar, (27 April 2000); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.383499

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE