Evaluation of the Earth’s Electrical Properties of the Undeveloped Area at the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, Nigeria

Abstract

The application of good electrical earthing system is inevitable in every electrical installation. This study was carried out to evaluate the earth’s electrical properties of an undeveloped area of Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro, Nigeria. The soil resistance of the study area was determined according to Wenner Four Point method, while the soil resistivity was calculated from the soil resistance obtained. Six locations (A, B, C, D, E and F) were tested across the area; while five probe distances (3 m, 6 m, 9 m, 12 m and 15 m) were adopted at each testing location. Results obtained from the soil test revealed that, the soil resistance and resistivity varied widely across the study area. It was observed that the northern part of the area generally had lower soil resistance and resistivity than the southern part of the study area. The soil resistance ranged between 3.2 Ω and 4.8 Ω at the northern part of the study area; while the soil resistance ranged between 5.1 Ω and 17.2 Ω at the southern part of the study area. In term of the soil resistivity, the results revealed that the northern part of the area had the lowest soil resistivity, compared to the southern part of the area. The soil resistivity ranged from 96.15 Ωm to 324.25 Ωm at the southern region of the area, while at the northern region of the area, the soil resistivity ranged from 60.33 Ωm to 90.49 Ωm. Furthermore, the result established that the northern region of the study area will be suitable for electrical earthing without any soil treatment.