The Importance of Underground Cavities Detection in the Choice of Constructible Areas: Case of the Agglomeration of Fez (Morocco)

Abstract

In civil engineering, the presence of underground cavities in the soil and the subsoil constitutes a serious problem for urban planning. These phenomena may give rise to many collapses, not to say sometimes catastrophically for buildings and infrastructures (roads, pipes, etc.). In the geotechnical zoning context of this risk, it is essential to know the location of the cavities in order to subdivide the area studied in areas according to the potential degree of risk. This study evaluates the application of the method Geophysics of the electrical tomography for the underground cavities detection in two plots of the Fez city. The analysis of the results shows that the plots studied are actually affected by these risks of underground cavities represented by zones of high resistivities, verified and confirmed by mechanical polls. Because this type of soil flaw unfortunately is often hidden and may bring about serious threats to the stability of the soil. In this respect, we have the case of sites of grave collapses which have occurred in the past in Fez. This study will put at the disposal of the stakeholders, either directly or indirectly, in the act of building, urbanization or planning a reliable method of detection of cavities natural or artificial in order to mitigate this risk.