The depths to the top of buried pipes by ERT ranges from 0.20 to 0.46 m, while the GPR measured depths ranged from 0.16 to 0.55 m from the surface. The position, size, and depth of buried pipes cannot be determined precisely by ERT compared to GPR survey. Inverted resistivity sections and Radar Images generated information up to a depth of 0.80 m and 3.00 m, respectively.
The field data were processed using RES2DINV and RADAN 7 softwares for resistivity and GPR data, respectively. 2D electrical resistivity imaging (ERI) using Wenner array with electrode separation ranging from 0.25 to 1.25 m and ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey using a common-offset profiling and center frequency of 400 MHz were carried out along ten traverses in the study area. The goals of the surveys are to determine the effectiveness of the applied methods in detection of buried utilities locations and their depths as well as verification of obtained depths to the top of target by excavation method. This study addresses the application of integrated geophysical methods for detections of buried utility in student’s residential hostels, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, southwestern Nigeria. The knowledge of the exact location and depth of buried utility such as pipes assists greatly for prevention of accidents and wastage of resources.
