Geotechnical Evaluation of Soil for the Suitability of Urban Planning Purposes, Western Bitter Lakes, Suez Canal Region, Egypt

Hany, Sarah M; Shendi, El-Arabi H.; Monsef, Hesham M.; Mohamed, Ebtehal F.; Smith, Scot E.

doi:10.21608/cat.2022.114258.1115

Geotechnical Evaluation of Soil for the Suitability of Urban Planning Purposes, Western Bitter Lakes, Suez Canal Region, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Geology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

² Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences, School of Forest, Fisheries, Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida, USA

10.21608/cat.2022.114258.1115

Abstract

The Bitter Lakes area locates between latitude 30° 00′ N to 30° 30′ N and longitude 31° 45′ E to 32° 25′ E, and covers an area of about 1900km². The current study aims at evaluating the geotechnical suitability of lands for urban planning within the study area. Hence, a complete laboratory and in-situ testing programming are carried out. Based on the geological and physiographic nature of the terrane, the study area, is subdivided into three zones; these are the northern plain, the coastal plain of the Bitter Lakes, and the southern plain encompassing Cairo-Suez desert road. The general subsurface soil sequence at the northern plain includes intercalation of poorly graded sand to silty sand and sandy fat clay. The sandy soil and silty sand (types A: 1a, A:1b and A:2) are considered excellent to good as subgrades. The friction angle (f:34.32° - 41.4°) and shear strength (6.93 - 7.6psi) which have higher values, comparable to dense sand. The fat clay (kaolinite) soils have very high swelling potential. For pavement and construction purposes, this clay layer has bad geotechnical behavior, so it must be removed or fixed using Boring piles to depth enough to penetrate this layer. The general subsurface soil sequence at the coastal plain of Bitter Lakes includes intercalation of poorly graded sand and sandy fat clay. The poorly graded sand soil (type A:3) which is excellent to good as subgrade. The clay layer (CH) (Montm-orillonite) (type A:7-6) has very high swelling potential; indicating a collapsible soil (f:is 17.35 and q_u is 2.660psi). The general subsurface soil sequence at the southern plain includes intercalation of poorly graded silty sand, sandy silt, sandy fat clay, silty sand, and well graded sand. The sandy silt layer has a slight to medium plasticity, which is non-collapsible soil. High compressive shear strength (6.575psi -8.42psi). The clay layer has low to high plasticity (kaolinite) and very high swelling potential. Based on the admitted California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values (sub-base: 30%, and base: 80%) at the three zones, the top sandy layer is neither suitable for base nor sub-base course. Also, according to soil texture analysis, interpretation of RapidEye satellite images, published soil maps of the study area, and field check, the most suitable and moderately suitable areas for urban purposes are localized at the northern plain. In addition to sporadic areas distributed along the coastal plain of the Bitter Lakes, as well as the central part of the study area.

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