Abstract
These methods are sensitive to two different types of signals: electric signals and water–soil pressure disturbances, respectively. The advantages of the SP technique lie in the high rate of data acquisition,which allows assessment of long dykes, and direct diagnosis in terms of leakage area delimitation and quantification. Coupled with punctual hydro-acoustic cartography, a leakage position can be precisely located, therefore allowing specific remediation decisions with regard to the results of the geophysical investigation. Here, the precise localization of leakage from an earth dyke has been identified using SP and hydro-acoustic signals, with the permeability of the preferential fluid flow area estimated by forward SP modeling. Moreover, we propose a general ‘abacus’ diagram for the estimation of hydraulic permeability of dyke leakage according to the magnitude of over water SP anomalies and the associated uncertainty.