Monitoring Leachate Levels in Landfill Sites Using Automated Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ALERT)

Automated time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ALERT) is a concept that aims to provide tomographic images of landfill sites at regular intervals or on demand. The British Geological Survey has developed an ALERT system specifically for the deployment on landfills and has undertaken a research programme focussing on leachate monitoring techniques based on ERT. Simple scale experiments demonstrate the capabilities of the ALERT technique to accurately monitor liquid levels in a porous medium between wells. ALERT data provide additional control and information about inter-well properties and processes, thus contributing to an improved understanding of landfill hydrology.