Geochemical Determinations of Geological Layers and Groundwater Flow Directions

X-ray fluorescent spectroscope analysis easily finds certain amounts of geochemical elements in soil. Application of the statistical method of ratio matching to measured amounts of elements classifies geological layers, and the gradients of the chlorine concentration determine the directions of groundwater flow. This method is applied to three study areas in Japan; the classified results of geological layers are in good agreement with the determined geological layers by geotechnical engineers using soil cores obtained by drilling, and the gradients of the chlorine concentration are coincident with the gradients of the measured groundwater levels in drilling wells.