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Geotechnical site suitability mapping for urban land management in Tanta District, Egypt

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Abstract

In situ- and lab-based measured geological and geotechnical information from 109 borehole describing plasticity, soil water conditions (Cl− and SO4 −2 ion concentrations, and depth to water), unconfined compression, and consolidation parameters for alluvial clays have been analyzed. For this analysis and in a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) environment, the use of multivariate factorial and clustering along with the geostatistical ordinary kriging techniques were used and evaluated. The prime objective was to map the goetechnical and geological parameters and their spatial distribution along with modeling the geotechnical variability deriving the loading factors with recognition of the distinctive spatial patterns for urban land management zonation. Results have been presented for the alluvial soils of the Tanta district, Egypt. Plasticity charts indicated that the soils are inorganic cohesive composed of clay with high plasticity. Geotechnical parameters showed wide ranges: liquid limit (39–114.6 %), plastic limit (12.8–36.2 %), plasticity index (18–82 %), swelling potential (0.16–0.73), Cl− content (234–2980 ppm), SO4 −2 content (100–2607 ppm), depth to water (0–5.5 m), unconfined compression strength (0.87–3.17 kg/cm2), compression index (0.16–0.33), and thickness (1.4–15 m). Two principal factors contributed to about 38 % of the spatially variability correlated strongly with the plasticity variables (av. r = 0.8) and the soil water salinity (Cl− and SO4 −2 contents) (av. r = 0.88). Factors clarified moderate to fair correlation with the consolidation parameters, the clay thickness, local topography, depth to water, dry density, and related unconfined compression strength. Three distinctive classes varied in their geotechnical hazards were recognized and evaluated for their favorability for construction that were spatially congruent with the areas attained the largest loads on the geotechnical factors. Results can help establish geohazard zonation maps for safe urban extension suitable for construction in the studied arid environment.

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Acknowledgments

The author is greatly indebted to the Editor-in-Chief of AJGS, Prof Abdullah M. Alamri, and the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments which improved the rigor and the quality of the manuscript.

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  1. Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt

    Alaa A. Masoud

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  1. Alaa A. Masoud
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Correspondence to Alaa A. Masoud.

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Masoud, A.A. Geotechnical site suitability mapping for urban land management in Tanta District, Egypt. Arab J Geosci 9, 340 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-016-2363-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-016-2363-4

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