Dynamic monitoring of water-conducting fractures in reclining buddha area of dazu rock carvings using electrical resistivity tomography

To address seepage issues caused by water-conducting fractures in the Reclining Buddha area of Baoding Mountain at the Dazu Rock Carvings, and to overcome the limitations of traditional survey methods in characterizing such features, this study employed electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) combined with multi-parameter approach for long-term monitoring. Hydrological and meteorological data were collected simultaneously and classified into dry and wet seasons based on precipitation levels to facilitate comparative analysis. The results revealed two water-conducting fracture zones in the study area. Fracture Zone 1, located 3−5 m below ground surface, was sensitive to rainfall and exhibited short-term fluctuations. Fracture Zone 2, extending from 2 to 12 m in depth, served as one of the main preferential pathways and showed a sustained response to continuous rainfall during the rainy season. Groundwater recharge exhibited a lag effect of approximately 3 to 5 days following precipitation, with the delay increasing with depth. This study characterized the spatial distribution of the water-conducting fracture zones and elucidated the patterns of groundwater migration, providing a scientific basis and technical support for water seepage control in the Reclining Buddha area of the Dazu Rock Carvings, as well as for the conservation of similar cave cultural relics.