Análise geofísica por potencial espontâneo (SP) de zonas de fluxos de água em uma barragem de terra, no município de Monte Carmelo-MG.

Abstract

An embankment dam goes through different water levels throughout the year due to variations in rainfall affected by periods of drought and flood. The variation in water volume also results in variations in the load that needs to be supported by the dam, which can compromise its structure during prolonged use due to fluid infiltration in the material used in its construction. Thus, an investigation related to the behaviour of groundwater according to seasonal variations provides valuable information about the different conditions to which the dam is subjected. This undergraduate monography used the Self Potential (SP) method as a tool for analysing the behaviour of groundwater flow inside the structure of an embankment dam located in Monte Carmelo-MG municipality. The survey systematically measured the electric potential naturally generated by the movement of electric charges carried by the water flow through the geological material. The data assist in evaluating processes related to erosion and the presence of preferential water flows through anthropogenic reservoirs, which can occasionally represent a risk to its structural integrity. The anomalies observed in the data indicated specific areas of the surveyed path that require more attention from those implementing damage containment and maintenance measures. These data provided information about the behaviour of water infiltration inside the studied embankment dam, and reinforce the need for preventive repair actions along with remediation actions for erosion around the dam.