Applied Journal of Physical Science

Effective earthing system is the lifeline of any electrical wiring and installations. This study was done to evaluate the geotechnical (moisture content and electrical conductivity) and electrical properties of soil samples within the school of engineering complex, Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Nigeria. All the geotechnical and electrical parameters investigated in this study were done in accordance to ASTM International approved methods. The electrical conductivity meter was used to measure the soil electrical conductivity; while the soil resistance was measure through the Wenner four probes method. Results obtained from but the field and laboratory tests revealed that the soil electrical conductivity, soil moisture content and the soil resistances varied greatly across the study area. The moisture content ranged from 15.48 to 24.45% (wb); while the electrical conductivity ranged between 3.09 and 5.41 dS/m. The results revealed that the soil resistance decreases as the probe distance increased from 5 to 10 m. At 5 m probes distance, the soil resistance varied between 4.8 and 17.2 Ω; at 10 m probes distance, the soil resistance ranged from 2.9 to 14.8Ω; while at 15 m probes distance, the soil resistance fell between 1.5 and 10.5 Ω.  In terms of the soil resistivity, the results showed the region with clay soil had the lowest soil resistivity (mean~158.15 Ωm), while the region with the sandy recorded the highest soil resistivity of 820 Ωm. The knowledge of these soil properties is crucial for design of earthing systems for structures within the school of engineering complex. This will help to minimize electrical hazards to both human being and the materials within the complex.