The Role of Seismic Velocity in Evaluating the Proposed Site of the New-Fayoum City, Southwest of Cairo, Egypt PDF

Keywords

Egypt, Seismic velocity, mudstone

Abstract

Seismic refraction survey is carried out to evaluate the proposed site of the New-Fayoum City, southwest of Cairo, for constructions. The interpretation of the collected seismic data yields two-dimensional seismic models composed of three main seismic layers; a surface layer of wadi-fill dry clastics and calcareous fragments covering an intermediate layer of sandy calcareous mudstone overlying a bedrock of highly argillaceous calcareous mudstone. The large spectrum of the bedrock seismic velocity at the proposed site is attributed to the difference in the bedrock mechanical and physical parameters. A bedrock seismic velocity contour map for the proposed site reveals three main seismic zones; the first zone, occupies the south-eastern part of the site and is characterized by low seismic velocity (2000 m/s) and is considered as non-eligible for constructions; the second zone, occupying the western and southern parts of the site, is characterized by intermediate seismic velocity (2000-2500 m/s) and is considered less-eligible for constructions; and the third zone, located mainly at the northern part of the site, is characterized by high seismic velocity (>2500 mls) and considered the most eligible part of the proposed site for constructions