Engineering Investigation of the Geological Problems for Old Mosul City by Remote Sensing and GIS

Abstract

Mosul is the provincial capital of the Nineveh Governorate located on the River Tigris, near the ancient city of Nineveh. The study focused on the urban planning of the old Mosul City, which was built hundreds of years ago, or even thousands of years, and its cultural, security, economic, and environmental importance. The city was designed according to the topography of the undulating area, and the slopes and tops of the hills were used for building houses, and the valleys that represent water drainage systems were used to make zukaks. This is evidenced by the passage of the waters of the runways and their movement from the highest areas and their flow to the main streets that represent the highest levels of drainage systems or the main valleys that eventually flow into the Tigris River. This unique design was of great importance in the cleanliness of the city, especially in the rainy seasons. The city was washed from the highest point to the bottom, and there were no floods inside the city except in relatively newly built areas, such as the Tawafa area, which was named as a result of its immersion in water during the winter and spring seasons. The obtained results of the study show a significant match between the natural drainage systems and the urban planning of the old city. This congruence appeared as a result of some geotechnical problems in the buildings and main streets, as there was a large inclination for most of the relatively high commercial buildings in and towards these streets. In these streets over time, there has been numerous successive collapse and settlement. The cause may be attributed to the weakness of the filling materials, as well as the flow of groundwater through them because this water follows the ancient course of the main valleys.