Abstract Sinkholes and sinkhole-related features in West-Central Florida (WCF) are commonly identified using geotechnical investigations such as standard penetration test (SPT) borings and geophysical methods such as ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). Geophysical investigation results can be used to locate drilling and field testing sites while geotechnical investigation can be used to ground truth geophysical results. Both methods can yield complementary information. Geotechnical investigations give important information about the type of soil, groundwater level and presence of low-density soils or voids at the test location, while geophysical investigations like GPR surveys have better spatial coverage and can resolve shallow stratigraphic indicators of subsidence. In GPR profiles collected at 103 residential sites in covered-karst terrain in WCF, sinkhole-related anomalies are identified using GPR and SPT methods. We analyze the degree to which the shallow features imaged in GPR correlate spatially with the N-values (blow counts) derived from SPTs at the 103 residential sites. GPR anomalies indicating sinkhole activity are defined as zones where subsurface layers show local downwarping, discontinuities, or sudden increases in amplitude or penetration of the GPR signal. "Low SPT values" indicating sinkhole activity are defined using an optimization code that searched for threshold SPT value showing optimum correlation between GPR and SPT for different optimal depth ranges. We also compared these criteria with other commonly used geotechnical criteria such as weight of rod and weight of hammer conditions. Geotechnical results were also used to filter the data based on site characteristics such as presence of shallow clay layers to study the effectiveness of GPR at different zones. Subsets of the dataset are further analyzed based on geotechnical results such as clay thickness, bedrock depth, groundwater conditions and other geological factors such as geomorphology, lithology, engineering soil type, soil thickness and prevalent sinkhole type. Results are used to examine (1) which SPT indicators show the strongest correlations with GPR anomalies, (2) the degree to which GPR surveys improve the placement of SPT borings, and (3) what these results indicate about the structure of sinkholes at these sites. For the entire data set, we find a statistically significant correlation between GPR anomalies and low SPT N-values with a confidence level of 90%. Logistic regression analysis shows that the strongest correlations are between GPR anomalies and SPT values measured in the depth range of 0-4.5 m. The probability of observing a GPR anomaly on a site will decrease by up to 84% as the minimum SPT value increases from 0 to 20 in the general study area. Boreholes drilled on GPR anomalies are statistically significantly more likely to show zones of anomalously low SPT values than boreholes drilled off GPR anomalies. We also find that the optimum SPT criteria result in better correlation with GPR than other simple commonly used geotechnical criteria such as weight of rod and weight of hammer. Better correlations were found when sites with poor GPR penetrations are filtered out from the dataset. The odds ratio showed similar result while the result varied with the depth range, statistics and threshold SPT value (low N- value with optimum correlation), with a maximum observed odds ratio of 3. Several statistical results suggest that raveling zones that connect voids to the surface may be inclined, so that shallow GPR anomalies are laterally offset from deeper zones of low N-values. Compared to the general study area, we found locally stronger correlation in some sub-regions. For example, the odds ratio found for tertiary hawthorn subgroup were 25 times higher than the odds ratio found for the general study area (WCF).

Irthing Road is situated 20 kilometres north of the small town of Lumsden in Northern Southland, New Zealand. Irthing Road is accessed from State Highway 97 and leads north-west for 7 kilometres up the Irthing Creek Valley. The research site is situated 4.4 kilometres from the Irthing Road - State Highway 97 intersection and the area is at 300 metres elevation above sea level on gently south sloping Quaternary alluvial deposits. The study was initiated by Environment Southland and Southern Geophysical Ltd with the intention of investigating the potential uses of near surface geophysics in the mapping of shallow groundwater contamination, specifically agriculturally sourced nitrates and leachates. The changes in land use and the introduction of high density grazing of dairy cattle on free draining soils in Southland has created cause for concern around the ease at which large volumes of contaminants could potentially gain access to the shallow groundwater system. The investigation of the Irthing Road field site included: (1) background research into historical land use changes that may have affected the area 2) a study of the Lumsden area geological and hydrogeological setting 3) six trips to the field site throughout the year to collect near surface geophysical data using a Geonics Ltd EM31-MK2, Dualem Inc. DUAL-EM 421s, and Sensors & Software pulseEKKO Pro GPR system; 4) ground- water testing conducted by Environment Southland; 5) an evaluation of the geophysical and groundwater data sets to identify whether leachate concentrations were high enough to register an anomalous response 6) the identification of how the groundwater system at the Irthing Road field site behaves 7) a conclusion as to the effectiveness of all three near surface geophysical techniques in this application. The major conclusions that emerged from this study are: (1) the groundwater system is transporting a large volume of water beneath the site and this leads to such effi- cient removal of contaminants that the concentrations are not high enough to register a response in the geophysical data 2) the groundwater system is highly sensitive to rain- fall and this is a contributing factor to the variation within the geophysical data 3) the Geonics Ltd EM31-MK2 and Sensors & Software pulseEKKO Pro GPR system returned highly consistent results and have great potential in further contaminated groundwater applications 4) Environment Southlands' DUAL-EM 421s needs more consistency, how- ever the device has a lot of potential once reliability can be ensured 5) further research is needed to determine the contamination ow paths and destinations at a larger, regional scale.

[pt] O método GPR Ground Penetrating Radar foi empregado nesta pesquisa visando estimar suas potencialidades como uma metodologia viável para os estudos geológicos, geotécnicos e ambientais em condições brasileiras.Para o alcance deste objetivo foram realizados ensaios em campo procurando avaliar a capacidade deste método na detecção das alterações provenientes da ação intempérica na formação do solo residual, ou seja, estimar a profundidade e espessura dos horizontes pedológicos, e o topo rochoso em um perfil geotécnio. Foram também realizados ensaios em laboratório onde fez-se o monitoramento do efeito da contaminação por hidrocarbonetos em blocos indeformados de solo residual, tanto em condições não saturadas, quanto na zona de saturação, procurando avaliar a aplicabilidade do método GPR na detecção deste tipo de contaminante.Os resultados obtidos permitiram imagear com boa resolução os contrastes bruscos, como o topo da rocha sã e blocos inclusos no solo, mas não a detecção nítida dos horizontes no perfil; e pela análise do monitoramento da contaminação, ainda é recente afirmar que o método GPR possa ser empregado com grande eficiência na detecção de contaminantes orgânicos em solo residual. / [en] The GPR method Ground Penetration Radar was used in this work, aiming at estimating its potentialities as a viable methodology to geological, geotechnical and environmental studies of Brazilian soil-rock conditions.In order to reach this objective, in situ tests have been carried out to evaluate the capability of the method in the detection of characteristics of weathering profiles in residual soils. In this case, the aim was to estimate the depth and width of pedological horizons and the bedrock in a geotechnical profile. Laboratory tests were also carried out in blocks of undisturbed residual soil of gnaissic origin. In these blocks, the effects of contamination by petroleum hydrocarbons were monitored. Both the unsaturated and the vadose zones have been monitored. The main objective in relation to the GPR was to evaluate the applicability of the method in the detection of such contaminants.The results obtained allowed to image gross contacts with good resolution such as soil-intact bedrock contacts and blocks inside soils. However, the clear detection of profile horizons were not well imaged. Regarding the contamination monitoring, it is early to affirm that the GPR method might be employed efficiently in the detection of organic contaminants in residual soils.

Na Planície Costeira Sul de Santa Catarina, entre o rio Mampituba e o norte da lagoa do Sombrio encontram-se depósitos costeiros gerados por transgressões e regressões da linha de costa durante o Quaternário. A área de estudo situa-se em um suave embaiamento costeiro onde a barreira holocênica apresenta um comportamento progradacional. Contudo, dados de subsuperfície adquiridos através do método geofísico do GPR na porção mais interna deste setor, revelaram a presença de refletores inclinados no sentido do continente, evidenciando a fase retrogradacional da barreira holocênica. Estes refletores são interpretados como estratos sedimentares formados em ambiente subaquoso, correspondente à margem lagunar que progradou no sentido do continente. A inversão dos refletores no sentido do oceano corresponde à fase progradacional, sendo estes interpretados como estratos formados no pós-praia (backshore) e na zona de estirâncio (foreshore). As diferentes fácies reconhecidas em subsuperficie com o GPR foram caracterizadas com o auxilio de dois furos de sondagens SPT (Standard Penetration Test). Os dados obtidos nos testemunhos permitiram diferenciar aspectos como textura, cor, conteúdo fossilífero, teor de matéria orgânica e forma dos grãos. Os depósitos sedimentares relacionados à fase retrogradacional são representados por areias finas a muito finas, com a presença de até 34% de lama. Por outro lado, os depósitos relacionados à fase progradacional são compostos por areias finas sem contribuição significativa de lama. Por fim, a datação por radiocarbono de um fragmento de madeira, localizado na fácies interpretada como a margem lagunar, revelou que esta foi depositada há cerca de 8 ka AP, em um nível relativo do mar aproximadamente 7 m abaixo do atual. Esta margem, que progradou no sentido do continente, corresponde à fase retrogradacional (transgressiva) da barreira holocênica. / In the Southern Santa Catarina Coastal Plain, between Mampituba river and the northern Sombrio lagoon, are present coastal deposits generated by shoreline transgressions and regressions during the Quaternary. The study area is situated on a gentle coastal embayment where the holocenic barrier has a progradational behavior. However, subsurface data acquired through the GPR in the innermost portion of this sector, revealed the presence of reflectors inclined landward, evidencing the retrogradational phase of the holocenic barrier. These reflectors are interpreted as sedimentary strata formed in subaqueous environment, corresponding to the margin lagoon which prograded landward. The reversal of reflectors basinward corresponds to the progradational phase, which is interpreted as backshore and foreshore strata. The facies recognized in subsurface with GPR were characterized with the aid of two SPT (Standard Penetration Test) drill holes. The core data allowed differentiate aspects such as texture, color, grain shape, fossil and organic matter content. Sedimentary deposits related to the retrogradational phase are represented by fine to very fine sand, with the presence of until 34% of mud. On the other hand, progradational deposits are composed of fine sand without significant mud content. Finally, the radiocarbon dating of a wood fragment, located in lagoon margin facies, showed that it was deposited at about 8 ka BP, in a mean sea level of around 7 m below the current level. This margin, which prograded landwards, corresponds to the retrogradational phase of the holocenic barrier (transgressive).

O sistema costeiro holocênico, estabelecido na porção emersa da Bacia de Pelotas – extremo sul da Margem Continental Brasileira –, possui setores contemporâneos com padrões de empilhamento opostos. As barreiras regressivas (progradacionais) ocorrem em embaiamentos da linha de costa, enquanto, as barreiras de natureza transgressiva (retrogradacionais) situam-se nas projeções costeiras. No embaiamento norte da Bacia de Pelotas, somente na barreira regressiva de Passo de Torres – situada entre o rio Mampituba e o extremo sul da lagoa do Caverá – se fazem presentes alinhamentos de cordões de dunas frontais (foredune ridges) bem desenvolvidos. No restante do embaiamento, lençóis de areias transgressivos (transgressive sand sheets), formados pela erosão parcial ou total dos cordões frontais, cobrem a morfologia das barreiras. Observa-se também que em certo ponto da progradação da barreira de Passo de Torres, o sistema eólico se desestabilizou e na sua morfologia lençóis de areias transgressivos cobrem os cordões frontais, igualmente como ocorre nas demais barreiras do embaiamento norte da Bacia de Pelotas. Desta forma, duas questões surgem: Por que unicamente na barreira de Passo de Torres, alinhamentos de cordões de dunas frontais ficaram preservados, enquanto que, nas demais barreiras do embaiamento os mesmos foram erodidos? E, além disso, por que em determinado momento da progradação da barreira, ocorreu uma desestabilização do sistema eólico (erosão) e os lençóis de areias transgressivos passam a dominar a morfologia da mesma? As hipóteses analisadas neste trabalho referem-se à influência do rio Mampituba, a mudanças climáticas e a herança geológica da topografia antecedente, ou seja, do substrato pleistocênico. Constatou-se que uma ação combinada destes fatores pode elucidar tais questões. Ressalta-se que uma inversão do comportamento do nível relativo do mar (uma elevação em torno de 2000 anos antes do presente) também foi analisada na tentativa de esclarecer o comportamento diferenciado da barreira de Passo de Torres. As hipóteses consideradas neste estudo foram avaliadas com base em análises geomorfológicas, estratigráficas, geocronológicas e batimétricas, através do emprego do sensoriamento remoto, de sistemas de posicionamento, do método geofísico do georradar, de sondagens (as quais se obtiveram materiais para datação) e cartas náuticas da Diretoria de Hidrografia e Navegação (DHN). / The Holocene coastal system established in the onshore portion of the Pelotas Basin – the southern end of the Brazilian Continental Margin – has contemporary sectors with opposite stacking patterns. Regressive barriers (progradational) occur in shoreline embayments, while the transgressive barriers (retrogradational) are located in coastal projections. In the north embayment of the Pelotas Basin, only in the Passo de Torres regressive barrier – located between the Mampituba river and the southern end of the Caverá lagoon – there are alignments of well-developed foredune ridges. In other parts of the embayment, transgressive sand sheets, formed by partial or total erosion of the foredune ridges, cover the morphology of the barriers. It is also possible to observe that at a certain moment in the Holocene progradation of the Passo de Torres barrier, the aeolian system has been destabilized and in its morphology transgressive sand sheets cover the foredune ridges, the same that occurs in other barriers of the Pelotas Basin northern embayment. Thus, two questions arise: Why only in the Passo de Torres barrier, foredune ridges were preserved, while in the other barriers of the northern embayment they have been eroded? Furthermore, why at some point in barrier progradation, occurred destabilization of the aeolian system (erosion) and transgressive sand sheets start to dominate the barrier morphology? The hypotheses analyzed in this work are related to the influence of the Mampituba river, the climate change and geological inheritance of the antecedent topography, i.e., the Pleistocene substrate. The finding of this research shows that a combined action of these factors can elucidate these questions. It is noteworthy that a reversal of the relative sea-level behavior (rising around 2000 years before the present) was also evaluated in an attempt to explain the different behavior of the Passo de Torres barrier. The hypotheses suggested considered in this study were evaluated based on geomorphological, stratigraphic, geochronological and bathymetric analysis, using remote sensing, global positioning systems, the geophysical method of ground penetration radar (GPR), drill hole (of which was obtained material for dating) and nautical charts of the Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation (DHN).

O método Geofísico de Radar de Penetração no Solo - GPR vem contribuindo muito em estudos de zonas costeiras, sobretudo por apresentar uma resposta e uma interpretação geofísico-geológica satisfatória na grande maioria dos casos. No entanto o GPR possui algumas limitações, por utilizar de princípios físicos para sua execução algumas propriedades existentes nos materiais em subsuperfície podem causar a atenuação do sinal ou mesmo manter a onda eletromagnética confinada se igualando a uma camada guia de onda. O objetivo desse estudo é entender e inferir a partir de uma análise física e de uma interpretação geofísica-geológica quais os fatores que podem estar causando esse tipo de fenômeno. A área de estudo está localizada no Banhado do Taim uma região do extremo Sul do Brasil, no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. O dado utilizado neste estudo consta de um perfil de GPR obtido sobre um paleocanal que conectava a região da atual lagoa Mirim com o oceano Atlântico. Esse registro apresente dados excelentes de preenchimento de canais, porém na parte final do perfil esse registro é sombreado como se fosse adicionado um escudo bloqueador. Os resultados indicaram que esse bloqueio está relacionado à existência da camada guia de onda, que a mesma está associada a um tipo de ambiente lagunar. Esse ambiente está relacionado à presença de sedimentos finos, nos quais a fração de argila existente e a matéria orgânica misturada a um teor elevado de umidade contribuem para um alto valor de condutividade e baixa resistividade, resultando numa forte atenuação do sinal e aprisionamento da onda eletromagnética. / The Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) method has contributed to studies of coastal zones, especially because it presents a response and interpretation geophysicalgeological satisfactory. However, GPR has some limitations, because it uses physical principles in its execution, and some properties in subsurface materials can cause signal attenuation or even keep the electromagnetic wave confined to a waveguide layer. The objective of this study is to understand and infer from a physical analysis and a geophysical-geological interpretation the factors that cause this phenomenon. The study area is located in Banhado do Taim (marshes), a region in southernmost Brazil, state of Rio Grande do Sul. The data used in this study consists of a GPR profile obtained on paleochannels that connected the region of the current Mirim lagoon with the Atlantic Ocean. This record shows excellent channel fill data, however, in the final part of the profile, this record is shaded as if a shield were blocking the signal. Results indicate that this blockade is related to the existence of the waveguide layer, which is associated with a type of lagoon environment. This environment is related to the presence of fine sediments, in which the clay fraction and organic matter mixed with high humidity content, which contributed to the high conductivity and low resistivity value. Result is strong signal attenuation and entrapment of the electromagnetic wave

Cordões litorâneos regressivos arenosos do tipo praia (beach ridge) e do tipo duna frontal (foredune ridge) são feições morfológicas comuns em costas deposicionais com abundância de sedimento. No presente estudo, a morfologia superficial, estratigrafia e a origem de uma planície de cordões ocorrentes na Lagoa dos Quadros, litoral norte do Rio Grande do Sul, são investigadas. Abordagens em superfície através de análises de fotografia aéreas, análises de imagens de satélite e altimetria de detalhe, em junção com dados em subsuperfície oriundos de perfilagens geofísica com uso de GPR e dados sedimentológicos provenientes de testemunhos de sondagens rasos proporcionaram elucidar as fáceis que compõem a arquitetura deposicional, bem como especificar as características geométricas superficiais dos cordões. Datações por 14C permitiram estimar o estágio do início do desenvolvimento da planície de cordões, e a modelagem de ondas e análise de ventos propiciaram inferir as condições fluidodinâmicas envolvidas em sua gênese. A planície de cordões é composta por cordões de praia e cordões de duna frontal, ou seja, uma barreira complexa. Esses cordões são o resultado do desenvolvimento de uma sequência regressiva sobre uma fácies basal de fundo (lagunar). Essa sequência regressiva é composta por depósitos de antepraia, de pós-praia/face de praia, dunas frontais e depósitos de leque de sobrelavagem. A fácies basal de fundo lagunar registra a fase de agradação e progradação da fácies de fundo lagunar do sistema lacustre, ocorrida entre 7047 ± 197 ka e 6230 ± 122 ka. A planície é composta por 20 cordões contínuos e semi-contínuos, de baixa amplitude e espaçados de 5 a 50 m. A migração de campos de dunas transgressivos da barreira de Curumim para dentro da lagoa (entre 7,1 e 5,5 ka) podem ter sido uma importante fonte de areia para a formação da planície de cordões litorâneos regressivos da margem NE da Lagoa dos Quadros. / Beach ridges and foredune ridges are morphological elements largely present in depositional coasts with abundant sediment supply. In this study, the morphology, the stratigraphy and genesis of a strandplain (sand ridge plain) developed at the Quadros lagoon, northern littoral of Rio Grande do Sul, are studied. Photographic surveys, analysis of satellite imagery and topographic surveying plus geophysical data collected with GPR and sedimentological data from drill holes allowed elucidate the facies that make up the depositional architecture and specify the surface geometric characteristics of the ridges. Was possible to estimate the stage of development of the strandplain by 14C dating, and the modeling of waves and analysis of winds pattern have led to infer the fluid dynamic conditions involved in its genesis. The strandplain comprises beach ridges and foredune ridges, which makes a complex barrier. These ridges are results of a regressive sequence developed on a lagoon bottom basal facies. The regressive sequence comprises deposits of shoreface, deposits of beachface/ backshore, foredunes and washover fan. The lagoon bottom basal facies records the aggradation and progradation phases of the lagoon bottom facies of the lagoon system occurred between 7047 ± 197 ka and 6230 ± 122 ka. The strandplain comprises 20 continuous and semi-continuous ridges, low amplitude and spaced 5-50 m. The migration of transgressive dune fields of Curumim barrier to inside the lagoon (between 7.1 and 5.5 ka) may have been an important source of sand to form the strandplain of NE margin of Quadros Lagoon.

Na Planície Costeira Sul de Santa Catarina, entre o rio Mampituba e o norte da lagoa do Sombrio encontram-se depósitos costeiros gerados por transgressões e regressões da linha de costa durante o Quaternário. A área de estudo situa-se em um suave embaiamento costeiro onde a barreira holocênica apresenta um comportamento progradacional. Contudo, dados de subsuperfície adquiridos através do método geofísico do GPR na porção mais interna deste setor, revelaram a presença de refletores inclinados no sentido do continente, evidenciando a fase retrogradacional da barreira holocênica. Estes refletores são interpretados como estratos sedimentares formados em ambiente subaquoso, correspondente à margem lagunar que progradou no sentido do continente. A inversão dos refletores no sentido do oceano corresponde à fase progradacional, sendo estes interpretados como estratos formados no pós-praia (backshore) e na zona de estirâncio (foreshore). As diferentes fácies reconhecidas em subsuperficie com o GPR foram caracterizadas com o auxilio de dois furos de sondagens SPT (Standard Penetration Test). Os dados obtidos nos testemunhos permitiram diferenciar aspectos como textura, cor, conteúdo fossilífero, teor de matéria orgânica e forma dos grãos. Os depósitos sedimentares relacionados à fase retrogradacional são representados por areias finas a muito finas, com a presença de até 34% de lama. Por outro lado, os depósitos relacionados à fase progradacional são compostos por areias finas sem contribuição significativa de lama. Por fim, a datação por radiocarbono de um fragmento de madeira, localizado na fácies interpretada como a margem lagunar, revelou que esta foi depositada há cerca de 8 ka AP, em um nível relativo do mar aproximadamente 7 m abaixo do atual. Esta margem, que progradou no sentido do continente, corresponde à fase retrogradacional (transgressiva) da barreira holocênica. / In the Southern Santa Catarina Coastal Plain, between Mampituba river and the northern Sombrio lagoon, are present coastal deposits generated by shoreline transgressions and regressions during the Quaternary. The study area is situated on a gentle coastal embayment where the holocenic barrier has a progradational behavior. However, subsurface data acquired through the GPR in the innermost portion of this sector, revealed the presence of reflectors inclined landward, evidencing the retrogradational phase of the holocenic barrier. These reflectors are interpreted as sedimentary strata formed in subaqueous environment, corresponding to the margin lagoon which prograded landward. The reversal of reflectors basinward corresponds to the progradational phase, which is interpreted as backshore and foreshore strata. The facies recognized in subsurface with GPR were characterized with the aid of two SPT (Standard Penetration Test) drill holes. The core data allowed differentiate aspects such as texture, color, grain shape, fossil and organic matter content. Sedimentary deposits related to the retrogradational phase are represented by fine to very fine sand, with the presence of until 34% of mud. On the other hand, progradational deposits are composed of fine sand without significant mud content. Finally, the radiocarbon dating of a wood fragment, located in lagoon margin facies, showed that it was deposited at about 8 ka BP, in a mean sea level of around 7 m below the current level. This margin, which prograded landwards, corresponds to the retrogradational phase of the holocenic barrier (transgressive).

Acquérir des informations sur les forts séismes passés est crucial pour anticiper les caractéristiques des forts séismes futurs. Une partie des traces laissées par les forts séismes passés sont enfouies dans les premiers mètres du sol et sont en général révélées par des tranchées de quelques mètres de profondeur ouvertes à travers les failles sismogènes. Bien que pertinente, cette méthode est destructive. L'objectif a été de développer une nouvelle forme de paléosismologie, non destructive, basée sur l'imagerie géoradar pseudo 3D, capable de retrouver ces traces enfouies des séismes passés. Dans ce travail, cinq sites d’étude sont présentés, situés le long de failles actives décrochantes de Nouvelle Zélande. Notre nouvelle approche débute, dans un premier temps, par l’analyse ‘classique’ de la morphologie de surface à partir de données LiDAR et de MNT GPS haute résolution. Ceci nous permet d’identifier l'ensemble des marqueurs morphologiques préservés à la surface et les déplacements horizontaux qu’ils ont enregistrés. Dans un second temps, l’analyse des profils GPR pseudo-3D acquis en chacun des sites révèlent des réflecteurs principaux dans les premiers 5-10 m du sol recoupés par un grand nombre de marqueurs morphologiques, partiellement ou totalement invisibles en surface. La plupart de ces marqueurs enfouis sont coupés et décalés par la faille considérée. Les mesures de ces décalages fournissent des collections denses de déplacements cumulés sur chacune des failles investiguées avec généralement un nombre de mesures effectués en sub-surface 10 à 20 fois plus important qu’en surface et couvrant une plus large gamme de valeurs. L’application sur la faille de Hope de cette approche a notamment permis de mettre en évidence un déplacement latéral caractéristique de 3.2 ± 1 m lors des 30-35 derniers forts séismes. Ce travail démontre le potentiel de l'imagerie géoradar pseudo-3D à détecter une partie de l'histoire sismique des failles et, ce faisant, à fournir des informations sur les caractéristiques des forts séismes passés. / Collecting information on past strong earthquakes is crucial to anticipate the characteristics of the future strong earthquakes that threaten us. A part of the traces left by the past earthquakes remains hidden in the first few meters of the ground. Until now, paleoseismological trenches across faults have been used to search for these traces. Though relevant, this method is destructive and allows, at best, detecting the few most recent events. The objective of my PhD work, done in the framework of the ANR project CENTURISK, was to develop a novel form of paleoseismology, of geophysical type, based on multi-frequency, pseudo-3D GPR surveys. The idea is to image at high-resolution the architecture of the first ≈ 10 m of the ground over wide areas along active faults, in order to detect the possibly buried traces, especially the offsets, produced by the last 10-20 strong earthquakes on the fault. We have first developed the approach by adapting the acquisition and processing of GPR data to the selected targets. We have then applied the approach on some of the largest active strike-slip faults in New Zealand, where sedimentation conditions are ideal. Twelve sites were investigated, 5 of them are presented in this work. At each site, we first analyzed the surface morphology in the greatest detail on LiDAR data and high resolution GPS DEMs. This analysis allowed us to identify all the morphological markers preserved at the ground surface, and being offset by the fault. We measured these surface offsets, doing so collecting a dense population of cumulative displacement values. We then surveyed each site with 40-60, 100 and 250 MHz, hundreds of meters long GPR profiles, parallel to the fault and regularly spaced by 5-10 m on either side of the fault trace. At each site, the processing of the GPR data revealed a large number of buried markers – palaeosurfaces and incision features, hidden in the first 5-10 m of the ground. Most of the buried markers were observed cut and laterally displaced by the fault, and these offsets could be measured. The measures provide a dense collection of cumulative offsets on each investigated fault, generally 10-20 times more than ever reported. To analyze these dense surface and sub-surface data collections, we used statistical methods made to define and retain only the best constrained offset values. These best values are separated by slip increments that are directly related to the successive coseismic slips that we search. The entire analysis revealed that the offsets measured in the sub-surface fill the gaps in the surface record, and that the surface offsets are systematically lower than those measured in the sub-surface on the same markers. Additionally, the buried record is longer than the surface record. Applied to the Hope Fault, our novel approach allowed identifying the last 30-35 strong earthquakes that broke the fault, each had produced a lateral offset at surface of 3.2 ± 1 m and got a magnitude ≈ Mw 7.0-7.4. Applied to the Wellington Fault (at Te Marua site), the approach allowed identifying a minimum of 15 past strong earthquakes, each had produced a lateral offset at surface of 3.7 ± 1.7 m and got a magnitude ≈ Mw 6.9-7.6. My PhD work thus confirms the great potential of pseudo-3D Ground Penetrating Radar survey to detect a significant part of the fault seismic history, and thus to provide critical information to determine the displacements and magnitudes of the past strong earthquakes on faults. Applied to seismogenic faults worldwide, in complement to surface approaches, the geophysical GPR paleoseismology should help better assessing seismic hazard.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-13T17:08:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AnaCPSS.pdf: 3110880 bytes, checksum: d0d14455b4c6001b051f6fc76010789b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-06-30 / This work is the application of geophysical methods, using the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), with the objective of survey in a subsurface plume of contamination caused by a disabled gas station. The gas station is located on the B?zios beach in southern coast of the state to Rio Grande do Norte in an Area of Environmental Protection called Bonfim-Guara?ra. The interest to develop this work was the presence of contaminants (hydrocarbons) in a well located on the desktop, previously used for the abstraction of groundwater for residents living near the site. Were raised 15 geophysical survey lines totaling 775,48 lifting and installed 4 piezometer, to confirm the contamination and prepare a pluviometric map that helped in indicating the direction of local groundwater flow, thus showing the direction of movement of the probably plume of contamination. From the processing of the GPR lines was possible to identify two likely phases of contamination according to the classification proposed by Azambuja et al 2000, which are called phase absorbed and dissolved phase / A presente disserta??o corresponde a aplica??o da metodologia geof?sica, utilizando para isto o Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), com o objetivo de obter um imageamento em subsuperficie de uma pluma de contamina??o ocasionada por um posto de revenda de combust?vel que se encontra desativado. Este posto esta localizado na praia de B?zios litoral sul do estado do Rio Grande do Norte dentro de uma ?rea de Prote??o Ambiental denominada de Bonfim-Guara?ra. Esse estudo foi realizado a partir da descoberta da contamina??o por hidrocarboneto obtido atrav?s de sondagem realizada para capta??o de ?gua subterr?nea por moradores que residem pr?ximo ao local. Foram levantadas 15 linhas de sondagem geof?sica totalizando 775,48 metros de levantamento e instalados 4 piez?metros, para confirma??o da contamina??o e elabora??o de um mapa potencim?trico que auxiliou na indica??o do sentido do fluxo subterr?neo local, mostrando assim o sentido de movimenta??o da pluma de contamina??o. A partir do processamento das linhas de GPR foi poss?vel identificar duas prov?veis fases de contamina??o de acordo com a classifica??o proposta por Azambuja et al 2000, as quais s?o denominadas de fase absorvida e fase dissolvida