IJOG : Indonesian Journal on Geoscience
Vol. 12 No. 3 (2025)

Geotechnical Parameters Determination by Using Seismic Refraction Tomography in The New Capital City of Indonesia, Nusantara: Implication to Analysis of Soil Compaction

Handoyo, Handoyo (Unknown)
Amalia, Atika (Unknown)
Sigalingging, Asido Saputra (Unknown)
Ruchimat, Acep (Unknown)
Wiyono, Wiyono (Unknown)
Akin, Özgenç (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
17 Nov 2025

Abstract

The new capital city of Indonesia, Nusantara, in East Kalimantan, is undergoing enormous infrastructural development in Indonesia. Understanding the condition of the soil, sediment, and hardrock layers at this location is critical for geotechnical working principles. In this study, the first arrival P-wave tomography method was used to determine the distribution of P-wave velocity and geotechnical parameters (e.g. porosity, density, void ratio) to better understand the condition of the rock layers at this location. This study involved the use of seismic refraction tomography data consisting of forty-eight channels with a distance between geophones of 1 m, and a source in the form of a sledgehammer weighing 3 kg with a separation distance of 3 m. The natural frequency of the geophones used was 4.5 Hz with a recording time of 1.0 sec. Results of this investigation reveal a thinning hardrock layer from the south to the north, with a thickness ranging from 7 to 16 m correlated to consolidated alluvium. Moreover, the geotechnical parameter of sediment layers, top soil (clayey soil) and unconsolidated alluvium, has a density value range from 1.6 to 1.8 g/cm³, porosity 0.31 to 0.38, and void ratio 0.44 to 0.59. These findings show that the soil layer in the south to the middle of line profile of the studied area has low to medium compaction, requiring soil hardening activities (mechanical compaction) for infrastructure construction. Finally, the findings of this study are expected to help with infrastructure development in the IKN by utilizing geophysical technique.

Copyrights © 2025






Journal Info

Abbrev

IJOG

Publisher

Subject

Earth & Planetary Sciences

Description

The spirit to improve the journal to be more credible is increasing, and in 2012 it invited earth scientists in East and Southeast Asia as well as some western countries to join the journal for the editor positions in the Indonesia Journal of Geology. This is also to realize our present goal to ...