Geo-statistics Modeling of Shallow Soil and Rock Stratum Layers based on Geotechnical Data Field using GIS Tool : A case study of Al Kharj Region - Saudi Arabia

Abstract

During the last decade, the continued demand to build heavy buildings in Al Kharj city requires more attention by doing a geotechnical investigation in order to design an optimized foundations based on geo-database and mapping that have been indexed in neighboring buildings for future projects. However, to design the foundations of heavy buildings we need to explore the shallow soil and rock stratum layers using boreholes up to 20 meters in order to know the thickness of each layer and its geotechnical proprieties before designing any foundations type. For this reason, the owner of each building must be chosen an appropriate foundations according to the civil engineering specifications. According to the field investigation and the geotechnical data from the boreholes which were included in various corners of the site, we observe that there are a difference in the geotechnical proprieties from one borehole to another concerning the thickness of layer and also the mineralogical composition of these layers as well as its geotechnical characteristics, that why we intend to apply a new tool such as GIS application in order to predict the 3D distribution of the soil and rock stratum layers thickness based on the geo-statistics modeling implemented within the GIS software. As an important results involved within this paper, we note the randomly distribution of the soil and rock stratum layers thickness which have no conformity of geotechnical proprieties with the best choice of heavy buildings foundations which were adopted by the designer, however, it is necessary to look for a new methods allow to develop and support geotechnical investigations, including the indirect applied geophysics methods. In addition, referring to the randomly geotechnical proprieties distribution of the soil and rock stratum layers thickness, it is necessary to build a geo-database using GIS software taking into account many sources of geospatial data (Satellite images, GPS, field surveying, and so on...) which help public and private companies that are active in the construction field to help to take decision for better designing the heavy buildings foundations and to avoid many reasons of foundations failure after construction phases. Finally, we recommend to complete these findings involved in this paper by taking into account the groundwater phenomenon at shallow depth where the reinforcement foundations can be affected by salts or any other chemical elements associated with groundwater surface. As well as the need to be in the short term to review and develop the required geotechnical investigations which can be integrated with the spatial database in order to help to take better decisions when we design the heavy buildings foundations in Al Kharj city and where else in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.