Sains Malaysiana 48(5)(2019): 945–963 http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2019-4805-03 Characterization of a Proposed Quarry Site using Multi-Electrode Electrical Resistivity Tomography (Pencirian Tapak Cadangan Kuari Menggunakan Tomograf Keberintangan Elektrik Multi-Elektrod) JOHN STEPHEN KAYODE, MOHD HARIRI ARIFIN* & MOHD NAWAWI ABSTRACT This research focuses on the delineation of subsurface basement granitic structures suitable for engineering construction materials for the sitting of quarry industry in the area. The key objective of the study was to locate and delineate the depths of burial to the subsurface granite rock bodies and the regolith thickness overlain the bedrock unit. 14 resistivity profle lines with a surveyed length of 200 m and electrode spacing of 5 m, were carried out with the application of electrical resistivity tomography software, to image the subsurface structural units around this area, utilizing pole-dipole electrode confgurations method towards assisting the Engineers in obtaining information on the subsurface geological features in this part of the Peninsula Malaysia. The focus is on characterizing engineering construction materials suitable for sitting the quarry industry, determination of the longitudinal conductance and coeffcient of anisotropy of subsurface lithological units that determines the competency of the bedrock underneath the area from the geoelectric parameters obtained through the interpretations of the RES2DINV ERT images. The depth of bedrock unit as delineated from the results ranged from about 5 m to 100 m while the resistivity values recorded was greater than 6000 Ω-m in most of the profles. Groundwater bearing channels that would serve the factory needs was delineated alongside the granitic rock unit. These results make the subsurface granitic bedrock unit to be adjudged competent and suitable enough as quarry construction materials for sitting the factory in the area. Keywords: Competency of bedrock; electrical resistivity tomography; quarry site; rocks anisotropy parameters ABSTRAK Penyelidikan ini memberi tumpuan kepada penentuan struktur granit bawah tanah yang sesuai untuk bahan binaan kejuruteraan bagi penempatan industri kuari di kawasan tersebut. Objektif utama kajian ini adalah untuk mencari dan menentukan kedalaman jasad batuan granit yang tertimbus dan ketebalan unit batuan dasar regolith. 14 garis profl keberintangan dengan panjang 200 m dan jarak elektrod 5 m, telah dijalankan dengan menggunakan perisian tomograf keberintangan elektrik (RES2DINV) untuk menggambarkan unit-unit struktur bawah permukaan di sekitar kawasan ini, menggunakan susunatur elektrod kutub-dwikutub dengan bantuan jurutera dalam mendapatkan maklumat mengenai ciri geologi bawah permukaan di kawasan Semenanjung Malaysia. Tumpuannya adalah untuk mencirikan kesesuaian bahan binaan kejuruteraan untuk penempatan industri kuari, penentuan konduktan membujur dan pekali anisotropi unit litologi bawah permukaan yang menentukan kebolehgunaan batuan dasar di bawah kawasan kajian daripada parameter geoelektrik yang diperoleh melalui tafsiran imej RES2DINV ERT. Kedalaman batuan dasar yang telah ditentukan daripada hasil tersebut adalah berjulat sekitar 5 m hingga 100 m dengan nilai bacaan keberintangan yang direkodkan adalah lebih besar daripada 6000 Ω-m pada kebanyakan profl. Laluan yang mengandungi air bawah tanah yang boleh membekalkan keperluan kepada kilang telah ditentukan di sepanjang unit batuan granit. Keputusan ini menjadikan unit batuan granit sesuai dan layak digunakan sebagai bahan binaan kilang di kawasan tersebut. Kata kunci: Kecekapan batuan dasar; parameter anisotropi batuan; tapak kuari; tomograf keberintangan elektrik INTRODUCTION Peninsular Malaysia has witnessed lots of rapid growth in the industrial sector of the economy that caused frst expansion of the people’s environment through the construction of infrastructural facilities such as roads, bridges, high-rise buildings, and so on. One of the priority considerations is the availability of construction materials for these engineering structures; therefore, a preconstruction investigation of the proposed quarry site is required to ascertain the availability of the host earth raw materials for the industry. Therefore, this calls for a better understanding of the subsurface geometry and the structural setting in the area proposed for the sitting of this industry. As a result of this, an understanding of the dynamics of the peninsular is vital given the huge fnancially viable the industry will offer the people and the government. Geophysical prospecting methods have found many applications in the feld of engineering study, they give a two-dimensional image of the subsurface structures