An Integrative Petrophysical and Geo-Electrical Investigations for Evaluating the Shallow Subsurface Section, East of 15th May City, South Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

The study area is an elongated strip of land located south of Cairo at distance about 18 km east of the Nile valley. The study area is located between latitudes 29° 48\ 08.6\\ N & 29° 49\ 54.7\\ N and longitudes 31° 23\ 57.1\\ E & 31° 25\ 24.4\\ E and between northing 3297963.95175 & 3301229.709045 and easting 345335.471848 & 347678.691627. It has an uneven topography, comprising several terraces reaching about 350.0 m above the sea level. Existing relative elevation differences within the area are ranged between 10 and 50 m. It covers about 7.7 km2.

The present work introduces geological, geophysical, geotechnical, and geochemical studies to evaluate the geotechnical properties of the Eocene limestone of the study area and emphasis the possibilities of these carbonate rocks for their economic utilization as building material and for chemical industry.

Topography of the east of Helwan area is characterized by heights and wadis. The main topographic heights are El-Qurn height, El-Halawna height, and the Observatory plateau. The main wadis in the study area are Wadi Abu Seeli and Wadi Gibbu. Other minor wadis drain into the main wadis. Wadi Gibbu drain into the Nile valley.

The area is dissected and transacted by four sets of complex normal faults, trending mainly northwest–southeast. Additionally, its subsurface bedrock is affected by several sets of joints, trending mainly east–west to northwest–southeast.