Application of ERT and SSR for geotechnical site characterization: A case study for resort assessment in New El Alamein City, Egypt

Abstract

ABSTRACT The new city of El Alamein is one of the cities that the Egyptian government seeks to make it a tourist resort area that attract local and international tourism. This study examines how to apply geophysical methods to achieve soil study for foundational and construction purposes, especially near the seacoast. It also seeks to capture evidence of the presence of any clay lenses, as well as the intrusion of seawater into the shallow soil layers. The study uses two effective geophysical methods, the electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and shallow seismic refraction (SSR). ERT method gained two layers, the appearance of seawater intrusion begins in the second layer. SSR method assigned the same two layers according to the seismic velocities with a thickness close to that determined by the ERT method. From seismic wave velocities, a set of geotechnical properties were calculated. From the integration of all the results, the study area divided into two zones; (1) cohesive soil zone is suitable for construction with low heights, provided that the architectural foundations are placed in the second layer, (2) loose soil and is affected by the intrusion of seawater, so it is not suitable for any construction purposes.