Utilization of Geophysical Methods for Hazard Assessment and Risk Management for Various Projects in the Philippines

Geophysical methods such as ground penetrating radar (GPR) provide a cost-effective and efficient and non-invasive method for various applications. GPR has been widely used for utility mapping, concrete investigation, and sinkhole mapping, among others. This paper presents some of the applications of GPR in the Philippines. Utility mapping was conducted along the alignment of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line to prevent potential damage to utility lines during construction. In northern Luzon, a GPR survey was mobilized to ensure that the geotechnical investigations will not damage any existing utilities underground during the construction of battery storage systems. Moreover, a GPR survey was done to map sinkholes in a residential development situated in a karst environment. A 62,000 m2 sinkhole was inferred based on the observed anomalies. The survey results highlight the importance of geophysics in providing information that will serve as a reference for future engineering works.