Over the past 20 years, site characterization has benefited from the development, and advancement, of direct-push enabled subsurface investigation tools such as the electrical conductivity (EC) probe, hydraulic profile tool (HPT), and membrane interface probe (MIP). These tools have been around for several years, and have advanced recently to include the low-level MIP tool (LL-MIP) for better detection of low concentrations VOCs, combined tools (MiHPT), and the newest tool, the Optical Image Profiler (OIP-UV) tool for identifying NAPL fluorescence. A single combined tool can now log three or more chemical sensors, soil conductivity, hydraulic pressure and flow, hydraulic conductivity, in a single bore hole push. These tools have become significantly more robust over recent years, enabling greater productivity. Data is collected at a vertical density of 20 data points/foot of bore hole, so the vertical resolution is indeed high. Today’s computer power allows us to input and process hundreds of thousands of data points into a complex three-dimensional (3D) model, giving us the ability to finally peer underground, and see “what is going on.” The presentation will review the current state of the technology, recent advancements, quality control, and remedial design applications.

Primary Author/Conference Presenter:
John Fontana
PG, President/CEO
Vista GeoScience
Golden, Colorado, USA

Co-Authors:
J. Daniel Arthur, P.E., SPEC, ALL Consulting, LLC, Tulsa, OK
Mark Faucher, ALL Consulting, LLC, Tulsa, OK