Geotechnical Features of Basrah City, Iraq

Abstract

Basrah is considered as the economic capital of Iraq. In recent years, it showed a rapid growth in population and, accordingly, an increasing investment in construction industries. This paper presents information about the geotechnical characteristics of Basrah soil. For this purpose, geotechnical data have been collected covering wide areas of the city. The study area was divided into two zones, one of them was further divided into three subzones. For each of the zones considered, geotechnical information including typical soil profiles, Standard Penetration Test (SPT-N) values, Atterberg limits, sieve analysis results, consolidation test results and other physical aspects were given. Furthermore, chemical analysis of Basrah soil was also presented. According to field and laboratory results, soils in this region can be classified into two distinct zones. The eastern zone, which mainly forms of soft and medium cohesion soils extended from the soil surface down to a depth of (16 – 26) m, and, the western zone, which can be identified by the sandy surficial and stratigraphic soil.