Prospecting for geothermal resources in densely packed urban environments can be a logistical challenge. A relatively nonintrusive means of exploring for this renewable energy form in cityscapes is being driven by Herrenknecht AG in collaboration with the Geophysical Institute of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany.

Urban Vibro Trucks deploy P-wave shaker devices from their mid-sections that send seismic waves beneath city landscapes to explore the terrain for geothermal development. A combination of geophone sensors records the waves that bounce back, offering scientists a detailed map of the nature of the ground below cities. The 32 ton trucks operate at 65 decibels, can travel as fast as 25 miles/hour (40 km/hour) and have received road use approval from the European Union.

The trucks are engineered to conduct reflection seismic surveys in urban areas. Source: Herrenknecht AG

The all-wheel-drive vehicles are equipped with collision-awareness systems, birds-eye-view camera systems and other safety features. The seismic survey tucks are slated for near-term testing, followed by the deployment of a prototype vehicle at the end of 2024.