RESISTIVITY APPARATUS TO EXPLORE BURIED BUILDING FOUNDATIONS ON THE BENCH AND IN THE FIELD

In the following study, an electrical resistivity apparatus was created and implemented in the laboratory as well as in the field to identify the location of the Gustavus Adolphus Hall (GA) foundation; a building that was burned in 1964 and its foundation are believed to be buried on Susquehanna University campus. The apparatus, which costs a fraction of the price of a typical electrical resistivity device, was tested for accuracy and implemented in both laboratory and in the field. The electrical resistivity apparatus consists of four electrodes set in a linear spread, a deep-cycle 12 volt battery, an AC to DC inverter and two multimeters to measure the potential and the current intensity through the electrodes. The recorded potential and current values were used to calculate the apparent resistivity of different materials. The use of the Wenner Array in this study has lead to accurate, high resolution results. First the apparatus was tested on a tabletop bench model in the laboratory and successfully produced consistent results revealing the location of buried small bricks set in various geometrical arrangements. With success on the bench level, the electrical resistivity apparatus was implemented in the field. Several transects were conducted onsite where the foundation is believed to lie. Through an interpretation of the results, the exact locations of the foundation walls were identified. The apparatus, having proved capable of consistent, accurate results, was implemented to investigate the entire GA plot and a three-dimensional map was generated.