GEOTECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE SHALLOW MATERIALS OF A NEW INDUSTRIAL AREA, SOHAG, EGYPT

Abstract

The current work is a trial to use the shallow seismic refraction technique for studying the engineering quality of the study area. Using shallow seismic refraction technique as a geophysical method for subsurface exploration, the compressional and shear wave velocity models have been constructed for the study area located West Girga City, Sohag Governorate. The observed wave velocities have been utilized for deducing the various elastic moduli for the divisible layers. The geotechnical engineering characteristics also have been determined for the foundation layers using the different types of observed velocities for these layers, together with the calculated elastic moduli. Depending on the different elastic moduli and geotechnical parameters, the area’s layers have been divided to soil and bedrock layers. The soil layer, of gravelly sand with thickness ranging between 1 and 3 m, has Pand S-wave velocities equal to 550 and 320 m/sec, respectively and has low shear and Young's moduli values and also has law material competence scales and low foundation material bearing capacity values. While in case of the bedrock layer, of compacted shale, the P- and S-wave velocities are equal to 1300 and 880 m/sec and it has high shear and Young's moduli values, and also has good material competence scales, soil competence scales and foundation material bearing capacity characters. Depending on that information, the seismic microzonation indicates that, the study area has low seismic hazard effects and good foundation characters.