Abstract

Active growth faults cutting the land surface in the Gulf Coast area may represent a serious geohazard. Although the average movement of these faults is only a few inches per decade, the potential exists for structural damage to highways, industrial buildings, residential houses and railroads that cross these features.

The authors have conducted 2D resistivity imaging surveys at five sites along four known fault systems around Houston. These locations included: two separate sites over the Long Point Fault (the Moorehead Drive / Westview Drive and the northwestern section of East Beltway 8 / U.S. Interstate Highway 10 intersections) in southwest Houston; the Katy-Hockley and Tomball faults in the Cyprus Area part; and the Pearland Fault in southeast Houston.

Results of 2D resistivity surveys on four faults in the Houston area have identified resistivity anomalies that can be used to locate the faults, determine the extent of near-surface deformation, and provide significant geological information that might be required to mitigate the active faulting in the greater Houston area.