International Journal of Civil & Environmental Engineering IJCEE-IJENS Vol:12 No:06 76
1214406-8585-IJCEE-IJENS © December 2012 IJENS I J E N S
The Engineering Geology Of The Balkh
University New Campus Of Mazar-i-Sharif City,
Afghanistan
¹Sabirullah Muradi Balkh University, Engineering Faculty,Mazar-i-Sharif, Balkh province, Afghanistan
Abstract-- The Balkh University New Campus construction area
is situated in eastern part of Mazar-i-Sharif city. The city, the
capital of Balkh province is located at the north of the
Afghanistan and at the north foot hill of Allburz-Marmul range.
Preparation of engineering geology information on foundation
practice and soil exploration for the area is a vital tool for
planner and decision maker to reduce subsurface geo-
environmental impacts from urbanization. In this paper, the
foundation practice within Quaternary deposits of area is
examined. The methodology comprises from desk investigation,
field investigation, interviews as well as some laboratory works.
For this purpose, a large amount of surface and subsurface data
derived from 5 boreholes and 5 test pits and information from
field investigation was collected and analyzed The combinations
of the collected geotechnical and geological information have led
to the making of any hoped engineering geological evalvition of
the area for the Practical applications of the preliminary design
purposes of shallow foundations of engineering structures.
Although, the results of the study are still limited due to the
constraints from various situations, it is hoped that the findings
could be utilized for the construction of the area and all around
it.
Index Term-- Balkh University, engineering geology,
foundation practice, Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan
I. INTRODUCTION
After more than three decade civil war Mazar-i-Sharif city is
progressing in population and infrastructure; Thus,
Information of geology and subsurface soil is vital tools for a
rational land use, assessment activities, construction, as well
as environmental impact studies and urban developments. To
these purposes, site investigations and laboratory works are
generally carried out and many boreholes are excavated in
different locations or some information derived from
geophysics around large cities. During these investigations,
numerous tests are carried out in order to determine soil
characteristics of subsurface layers. The results of such studies
are used for the particularly construction site.
The purpose of this study is to provide a preliminary
geological engineering characterization of the subsurface zone
of the Balkh University new campus, some geological and
hydrological studies were carried out in Mazar-i-Sharif city
area by Afghan Geological Survey (AGS) (1969–1997), as
well as other international and local Non-Governmental
Organizations (NGOs) mainly for the development of water
supply and similar purposes. Nevertheless, most of the
information that emanated from those studies had been lost
over the years due to the prolonged wars, political disarray
and anarchy in the country. Recent studies were mad [1] on
groundwater supply [5] on seismic risk. The findings of the
study could therefore be applied to various other large and
medium size urban center developments in the city which is
currently in the process of reconstruction after three decades
of civil war in Afghanistan.
Study area Mazar-i-Sharif city is the second largest city in Afghanistan
and accommodates 650.000 inhabitants [14]. The city is
located in the northern part of Afghanistan about 425
kilometers north of the country’s capital city of Kabul. It is
surrounded by Uzbekistan in the north, Sari Pul and Jowzjan
Provinces in the southwest and Kunduz Province in the east. It
is located at . Latitude and . N Longitude and at an
altitude of 378m meters above mean sea level, (See Fig.1,
Fig.2a, Fig.2b and Fig.3) and the climatology graphic shown
in (Fig.4).
The city particularly lacks the basic geological information
and database such as engineering geological map, hazard
zoning and similar information that could substantiate any
urban land use planning. The situation becomes more acute
due to rapid population growth and urbanization. Information
on ground conditions and hydrology has been increasingly
important in the purview of emerging problems that often
emerge from infrastructure development such as cracks in
buildings, land erosion, exposure of the city to frequent
earthquakes, and groundwater contamination.
The Balkh University New Campus (BUNC) located on the
eastern part of city with 1200.000 m² areas (See Fig.3).
Fig. 1. Location of Mazar-i-Sharif city and Afghan Tajik Basin
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Fig. 2a. Location of Mazar-i-Sharif city
Fig. 2b.Topographic Map of the study area [1]
Fig. 3. Location of study area (BUNC) [19]
Fig. 4. Climate graph of Mazar-i-Sharif [18]
Scope: This paper presents the results of the first all-around
study that has ever been conducted in the area. The Scope of
this study is to provide engineering geological information and
foundation practice for sustainable development of the study
area. Although, there are many limitation like lack of the
laboratories and financial supports for normal research works.
Hence, this study will offer financial saving and
environmental benefits to the municipality and city planner,
such as cheaper engineering geological and soil surveys, and
better archive management.
GEOLOGY
Surface geology: The lithological and stereographical
characteristics of the Quaternary sediments and rocks in the
Study Area are shown on (See Fig5). The geological units of
direct interest to the study area are the Quaternary aged alluvial,
proluvial and aeolian deposits covering the Afghan north Plain.
. According to [11] and [1].the Quaternary deposits in the
Study Area can be divided into two main units, like Alluvium
deposits (Hilly area) and comprise terrace sands and gravels,
with occasional cobbles , Proluvial deposits and cover most
of the area. According to [6] there are eight lithological sub-
divisions of these deposits. However, the [11] suggest that
only four of these have hydrogeological significance like
Loam and sandy loam with inter-layers of clay and sand
underlain by a continuous very thick shingle-gravel bed,
Loam and sandy loam with inter-layers of clay and sand
underlain discontinuously by shingle or intercalations of
shingle Sandy and dusty loam, often with inclusions of
variously sized fragments of rock and Loam and sandy loam
underlain by inter-bedded clay and sand, and in places by
gravel.
According to [7], Afghanistan is situated in the southern
margin of the Eurasian plate postulated during the Permian–
Triassic times. It comprises three thick sedimentary rock
regions, namely: Northern Afghanistan Basin, Southwestern
Afghanistan Basin and Southeastern Katawaz region. The area
of Mazar-i-Sharif city is mostly situated within the Northern
Afghan Basin (Fig.1) and the Allburz-Marmol Mountain.
The Afghan-Tajik Basin is located in the desert and semi-
desert areas of southwest Uzbekistan, southeastern Tajikistan,
and northern Afghanistan [13]. Northern Afghanistan has a
pre-Jurassic unconformable basement overlain by Jurassic to
Paleocene oil- and gas-bearing terrigenous and carbonate
rocks, which in turn are unconformable and overlain by
Neocene orogenic continental clastic rocks [2].The Mazar-i-
Sharif area basin contains Mesozoic to Cenozoic rocks of
approximately seven or eight kilometers thick [3].
The Allburz-Marmol fault zone may be a left-lateral
transpression zone [12].According to [15], this depression is
situated on a zone of acute negative gravity anomalies, and it
has the thickness of the earth’s crust within depression alters
from 45 kilometers mostly in the depression to 55 to 60
kilometers along the eastern margin [15]. The Afghan-Tajik
depression is an area such as deep down warping, and the
basement is at a depth of 10 to 15 kilometers or more as shows
the geophysics results [15]. Duo to, poor resolution of the
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geophysical methods employed, the basement cannot be
mapped [15]. The Afghan-Tajik depression marginal
structural steps is 3 to 8 kilometers) uplifted, which is
surround this depression [15].The major steps include the
North Afghan High, the Dushanbe and Baysun steps, 15].
Suprasalt post-Jurassic sedimentary cover of the Afghan-Tajik
basin was isolated along Jurassic salt in Neogene time and
deformed into a series of thrust anticlinoria and synclinoria. In
this anticlinoria, Paleogene rocks are commonly exposed on
the surface where synclinoria are filled with several kilometers
of Neogene to Quaternary continental clastic deposits.
Complex fold-thrust structures are present in the sedimentary
cover within the depression [15]. According to [3] Surkhan
megasyncline and Mazar i Sharif basin contain Mesozoic to
Cenozoic rocks approximately 7 or 8 kilometers thick in
northern Afghanistan. The Gravimetry shows that the
megasyncline is usually divided into two parts by a fault
boundary running longitudinally through Mazar i Sharif.
According to [3].The Kafirnigan megaanticline is located east
of the Surkhan megasyncline and is divided into two parts by
the Mir Ali trough .The eastern part of the Kafirnigan mega
anticline is topographically more elevated than the western
part [3].
According to [9], surface geological units correlate with the
soils in the study area (See Fig.5and Table.1);
The units found and their distributions are:(i) The study area,
unit Q34a comprise from conglomerate and sandstone
[Holocene and late Pleistocene] - Alluvium; shingly and
detrital sediments, gravel, sand, more abundant than silt and
clay).(ii)In the North of study area, interspersed within the
Q34a zone, roughly in a semicircle, are found large patches of
Q4sm like salt marsh deposits[Holocene] - mud, silt, clay,
more abundant than sand; limestone, gypsum, and salt. (iii) To
the north of the area Q34a zone, unit Q3a predominates same
description
asQ34a except without the younger Holocene
contributions.(iv) Further north still, towards the Amu Darya,
unit Q θ, Eolian deposits [Holocene and late Pleistocene] -
Sand is found.(v) In the Balkh river course from its entry into
the lower Balkh system to its tail end past Aqcha, Unit Q4a is
found (same description as Q34a except without the older
Pleistocene contributions).
To the south and southern of the study area are the mountain
highlands which consist of a narrow belt of small ranges
known as the Shadyan and Marmol, and the Kholum
Mountains, southeast of the town of Kholum respectively. The
Kholum River cuts between the Marmol and Kholum ranges
in a narrow pass known as Tangi Tash Qorghon. The
mountain which ranges at the south-east of the site is mainly
composed of limestone with inter-bedded marl,
conglomerates, and sandstone of Upper Cretaceous/Paleocene
origin, as well as later Paleocene and Miocene sedimentary
and volcanic rocks. The limestone is mostly fractured and has
joints which absorb rain and snow during the winter season.
Later in the year, this absorbed water emerges as springs.
These three ranges form a rim on the northern-most extent of
the Hindu Kush, a complex and vast mountain range that
extends through central Afghanistan and separates the basins
TABLE I
geological units of the area
of the Amu Darya River from those of the Kabul and Helmand
rivers in eastern and southern Afghanistan [1].
The Thick of Quaternary alluvial deposits consisting of sand,
silt, conglomerates, gravel, and clay fill this valley north of the
Hindu Kush. The subsurface lithology near the mountain hilly
area close to the mountains is mainly sand, gravel, and
changes to finer material moving towards the Amu Darya
River in the north. However, in the middle of the valley there
are occurrences of inter-bedded sand and clay, while at the
depth of 150 meters a gravel bed may be encountered [1].The
Cretaceous limestone approximately 100 m below the surface
just northeast of the study area and beyond the reach of the
river deltas that form fans of alluvial deposits, lies the Dasht-i-
Shortepa (Amu Darya Desert), this narrow dune desert area
runs along the northern Afghanistan border, parallel to the
Amu Darya River, and consists of windblown sands. The
dunes are migrating eastward and have become a major
concern in terms of maintenance of the road that connects the
north-east and north-west area to rest of Afghanistan.to the
northern port town of Hairatan on the Afghan border with
Uzbekistan.
In the Afghan Northern River Basin, there are four
watersheds: Balkh, Kholum, Sari Pul, and Shirin Tagab.
Quaternary
Deposits
Geological Materials
Conglomerate and sandstone (Early
Pleistocene) - Alluvium: Shingly and
detrital sediments, gravel, sand more
abundant than silt and clay.
Conglomerate and sandstone (Late
Pleistocene) – Alluvium: Shingly and
detrital sediments, gravel, sand more
abundant than silt and clay
Conglomerate and sandstone
(Holocene)-Alluvium: Shingly and
detrital sediments, gravel, sand more
abundant than silt and clay.
Conglomerate and sandstone (Late
Pleistocene) –Alluvium (Holocene-
Late Pleistocene)-Alluvium: Shingly
and detrital sediments, gravel, sand
more abundant than silt and clay.
Eolian deposits (Holocene and Late
Pleistocene)-sand
Loess(meddle Pleistocene)Loess
more abundant than sand and clay
Salty marsh deposits(Holocene)-
Mud, Silt and Clay more abundant
than sand, limestone gypsum and salt
Clay and Siltstone (Early Miocene)-
red clay, Siltstone more abundant
than silt and clay
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In the Afghan Tajik Block there are three watersheds: (1)
Balkh watershed with an area 32. 194 km²; (2) Kholum
watershed with an area 11.919 km² and Amu Darya river; The
tectonic pattern of Northern Afghanistan is briefly described
as comprising Pre-Jurassic folded basement rocks covered by
Jurassic-Palaeogene sedimentary rocks, with the territory
assumed to comprise part of the Cimmerian Platform. Several
tectonically stepped rocks are singled out and these together
with the lithostratigraphic features of the Balkh Aqcha region
were described [16] and [1].
According to [7] and [4], Afghanistan is situated in the
southern margin of the Eurasian plate postulated during the
Permian–Triassic times. The area of Mazar-i-Sharif city is
mostly situated within the Afghan-Tajik Basin (Fig.1).The
Afghan-Tajik Basin is located in the desert and semi-desert
areas of southeastern Uzbekistan, southwest Tajikistan, and
northern Afghanistan [13]. Paleocene oil- and gas-bearing
terrigenous and carbonate rocks, which in turn are
unconformable and overlain by Neocene orogenic continental
clastic rocks [2]. The Mazar-i-Sharif area contains Mesozoic
to Cenozoic rocks of approximately seven or eight kilometers
thick [3]. The Allburz-Marmul fault zone may be a left-lateral
transpression zone [12]. According to [9], surface geological
units correlate with the soils in the study area. The geological
units and their distributions are shown in (Fig.4).
Fig. 5. Geological map of Mazar-i-Sharif [8]
Fig. 6. Geological cross section of Mazar-i-Sharif, 2012
II. ENGINEERING GEOLOGICAL PROBLEMS
AND METHODOLOGY OF STUDY
As a result of the urban geological setting of the study area
several geological problems are frequently encountered in the
area and some of these problems are discussed below.
Geological engineering study was made based on the collected
data, desk investigation including topography and surface
geological information, engineering characteristics of the soil,
as well as some laboratories works. Data of Balkh University
new campus (BUNC) is from boreholes and test pits collected
from many sources, governmental like (AGS) and private
engineering construction sites. Data from 5 boreholes and 5
test pits (See Fig.7) are specified for the database imported
into database to determine the relationship between different
types of soil parameters within the area was developed for
borehole characteristics and all collected data were recorded in
the forms. The main characteristics of each borehole include
borehole location, and physical and mechanical properties of
soil in different depths. In this study the topography elevation,
the available topographic map of the area based on the
topographic maps was used [8], and Google map. The slope
was automatically derived from the topography using the grid
utility of Arc GIS9.3 tools and shape files.
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Fig. 7. Location of boreholes and test pits within the study area
Subsurface geology: Zones of subsoil in the Balkh University
new campus and surrounding vicinity are loess alluvial, fluvial
and eolian zones.
At Balkh University new Campus(BUNC) (See Fig.8 ) :To
about 10-12 m clayey soils (silty clay/sandy clay, loam) (ML,
CL) Density 1.6g/cc, SPT 3-30 (soft to very stiff); below 10-
20m, Gravelly soils (GP, GW, GM) – very dense, SPT more
than 50, Ground water table is very low (deeper than 10-15
m).
Fig. 8. the Balkh University new Campus (BUNC)
Subsoil properties at New Balkh University campus five
storey buildings construction site were investigated using
shallow spread footings placed at depth of 1-3 m below the
surface (seeFig.8 and Table II)
Foundation Practice: The engineering structures built in
Mazar-i-Sharif have not been based on soil data at all due a lack
of communication and absent a common data base.
Ordinary residents in the study area constructed based on their
own experiences. Soil investigation is not usually done and
building design performed only on assumed calculation and
bearing capacity. Soil investigation programs usually include
digging of test pits, boreholes and performance of field and
laboratory tests. As a results, of the soil investigation within
Mazar-i-Sharif such as Balkh University new campus, can be
concluded that the major soil group consists of gravel, silty clay
and gravel, silty clay (central part of city) and clay and mixture
of clay, silt gravel, and loam (in southern part of city).
Fig .9. Standard penetration test (SPT) result within study area
From interviews and field investigations we have found that in
the procedure of soil exploration and foundation practice, the
extent of soil investigation carried out in Mazar-i-Sharif City
depends on the type of site, its purpose, and the types and
magnitudes of projects to be considered there. It also depends
on the kind of owner (private or governmental) or organization
responsible for the planning of the site investigation program
and the amount the client will be paying.
In general, in the studied area soil investigation analysis and
laboratory tests have not been performed. Laboratory analysis
shows that the major soil groups in the area consist of lean,
salty silt in the northern part of the city and silty some clay.
The soils are classed as (ML) and (CL). Urban structures in
Mazar-i-Sharif city have underground basement; the result of
on subsurface soil is on the BUNC of the city is as below:
TABLE II
Result of soil bearing capacity analysis in the study area (BUNC)
Soil parameters
Value
Bulk density,(δ) 1.65g/cc
Soil type Silty Clay/Clayey Silt
Angle of internal
friction, (φ)
15 Degree
Cohesion,(c) 0.48 kg/sq.cm
Initial void ratio, ( 0.7657
Compression index
,(Cc)
0.1517
Plasticity Index (PI) 2-12
Liquid limit of
cohesive soil,(LL)
18-35
Moisture contents,
(Wc)
12.7%
Specific gravity , (Gs) 2.5-2.8
Organic matter content
, (Oc)
245-272
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Based on field investigation and laboratories testes we found
that, the allowable bearing capacities of most of subsurface
soils are (67-100 kPa), cohesion is (2-20kPa), Internal friction
angle is (φ= 0°-30°) and consistency is various from soft (all
ground surface within area up to depth of 2m to 5m) to very
stiff soils of the depth more than 20m. Nevertheless, most of
the ongoing building constructions in the study area are
devoid of any sort of soil and geotechnical laboratory analysis
(Table .3 and Table.4) and result of Standard penetration test
(SPT),(see Fig.9). TABLE III
Result of soil bearing capacity analysis in the study area (BUNC)
TABLE IV
The soil types in the study area (BUNC)
Seismic activities: Afghanistan is one of the most active
seismic regions of the world. The geological structure of
Afghanistan is the result of accretion of colliding Gondwanan
microplates or fragments onto the margins of Eurasia along
the Herat-Panjshir E-W striking geosuture. Similar structures
along the Chaman-Moqor NE-SW striking fault system, the
Sarobi-Altimore NE-SW arcuate fault system, and other
secondary faults cover most of the regions of Afghanistan.
According to [5], [7], northeastern Afghanistan has the highest
earthquake hazard. Mazar-i- Sharif city is situated on the
verge of three major tectonic plates, namely: Eurasian Plate,
Indian Plate and Arabian Plate. The Allburz-Marmol fault
system is just 35 kilometers from Mazar-i-Sharif city. The
measurements of tilted quaternary terraces of this fault system
indicate that land adjacent to the study area has been rising at
the rate of 21 to 38 mm/yr. With a history of strong
earthquakes, the region has experienced an earthquake of
intensity (I) of (ІV) with an estimated magnitude of more than
6.5 points on the Richter scale as seen in (Fig. 10) [7].
Fig.10. historical earthquakes and Seismic activities [7]
Several sources of seismicity are present in the study area
making Mazar-i-Sharif city prone to earthquakes of (I–IV)
intensity. It should be noted that the Afghan seismicity is due
to the movement of the Arabian Plate by >1.3 cm/yrs.
northwards and that of the Indian Plate by >2, 9 cm/yr. Both
plates duck under the Eurasian Plate that generates
earthquakes in the study area. The seismotectonic map of
Afghanistan and Mazar-i-Sharif city, recent deformation has
been studied by [10]. These indices are associated with main
active faults like the S-W Allburz-Marmol fault, Hindu Kush
fault, i.e., strike–slip fault at the anticline of Allburz-Marmol.
Finally, here maximum peak ground acceleration (PGA)
ranges from 0.249 to in excess of 0.489 in the eastern-most
regions.
With this in mind, all construction in the proposed BUNC will
comply with the seismic load design of the 2003 edition of the
Depth
from
Surface
(Meters)
Cohesion
(kPa)
Internal
friction
angle
(φ)
Consistency
Net
ASBC1
(kPa)
1 40.1 0o Medium 67
3 20 0o Soft 19
5 3.5 23.7o Medium 76
7 1.6 25.4o Stiff 82
9 0 27.7o Very stiff 100
11 - - Very stiff >100
13 to19 - >30o - >>100
1.Allowable Soil Bearing Capacity
Depth
from
ground
surface
Soil class Consistency Type of
soil
2m ML Soft
consistency
Silty and
clay
4m to
6m
CL Medium
consistency
Silty
6m to
8m
CL-ML Stiff
consistency
Silty
clay
8m to
10m
CL-ML Very stiff
consistency
Silty
clay
10m to
12m
CL-ML Very stiff
consistency
Silty
clay
12m to
20m
GP,GW,GM Dense
condition
gravely
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International Building Code (IBC). Updated standards have
been incorporated, including the 2002 edition of Minimum
Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures.
Aggregate Resources: Fluvial sand and gravels near mountain
zone abundant (Fig.11), but there are no suitable sources of
Rocks for construction. Construction materials receiving
crushed gravels and rock aggregates borrowed sites are
situated in the western-southwestern parts of the study area.
Fig. 11. Fluvial gravels near mountain zone, gravels – abundant
The lateritic soil in the Mazar-i- Sharif city, it consists of a
medium percentage of fine rock fractions with liquid limit of
fine particles which is relatively good, such construction
materials are suitable for impervious embankment
construction purposes.
Based on the interview with local residents, engineers and
Municipality officers of the city, the cost of construction
materials was mainly contingent upon the transportation cost.
There are ten gravel quarrying sites in the study area close to
the urban center (eastern, southern and western parts of the
study area), while there are two sources of sand for
construction, one is the wind-blown Hairatan sand dunes and
the other is from the Balkh River. However, a comprehensive
study on the mineral resources in Balkh Province has not yet
been conducted.
Fig. 12. The Satellite image of Mazar-i-Sharif city [17]
Erosion and salty soil: The salty desert has resulted from a
salty marsh formation within the area over a long geological
process. From geological investigations and a study of the
history of the area we know that the city of Mazar-i-Sharif
was established about more than 800 years ago in the 12th
Century by Sultan Hussein Bayqra at the village of Tali
Khayran at the present location of the Tomb of Shrine Ali
(See Fig.14). The studied area is a large Central Asian oasis
that has been inhabited, and thus modified by human
activities, for millennia. Extremely rich concentrations of
Mesolithic and Neolithic settlements dating as far back as
10,000 BCE have been found south of the Amu Darya in the
Turkistan plain.
The area was also under water for a long period, with salty
marshes and swamps. The evidence indicates that this might
be a cause of the formation of the salty desert at Mazar-i-
Sharif. Our results suggest that all types of sediment (alluvial,
fluvial, collavial and Aeolian) can be the high speed of the
Afghan wind over 2m /s which usually blows in the hot
summer (July-August), and rain from the Shadyan and
Marmol mountains. Flow channels and river flooding may be
other causes of salty desert formation. The evidence found
here owing to the long period of geological activity from the
Balkh and Amu Darya rivers is that the Afghan wind is so
strong that even sand
Fig. 13. Salty silt soil affected area on construction within study area
and pebbles can be lifted high into the air. Consequently, step
by step, over a long period, geological activity has filled the
area with various sediments. Excessively salty soil and salt in
the shallow groundwater are extremely conductive of moisture
and, have eroded the soil foundations of structures. In
addition, erosion in the area is mainly in the form of chemical,
wind and alluvial erosion. For example, in the southern part of
the city, along the river, numerous instances of siltstone,
limestone and rocks more than one meter in size can be found.
The evidence suggests that this can only be the result of
erosion from the Shadyan and Marmol mountains. One of the
most important factors involved in the permeability of clay,
limestone and concrete is water of poor quality containing
salty organic materials and other chemical components. Since
limestone, clay mud bricks and concrete are solid porous
materials, salty water can flow from outside foundations into
cracks and micropores, while evaporation flows with a
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hydraulic gradient, causing a difference in water content
between materials (See Fig.13).
Historical site: Mazar-i-Sharif, capital of the Balkh province
is a historical site. Many Historical building such as Tomb of
Shrine Ali structures, mosques and etc. were constructed from
bricks, limestone and gypsum on Quaternary sediments (Fig.
14).Due to lack of foundation practice and poor construction
materials, these buildings encountered with serious problems
like cracks and settlements;
Fig. 14. Historical Tomb of Shrine Ali in Mazar-i-Sharif
III. DISCUSSIONS
The engineering geology study has different purposes. Thus,
to provide a lot of geological and geotechnical information,
like liquefaction susceptibility, bearing capacity, properties of
sub soils, foundation practices and Geohazards zonation maps
are an important tool of engineering geologist concerning in
urban development. The study result therefore suggests that
the BUNC and Mazar-i-Sharif need to promote the pile
system foundation practices because most of the soils in the
study area are sandy loam, clay, silt, and loose which could
not support any foundation that are constructed based on
existing practices. Development of regulations on foundation
standards and foundation practices is extremely important as
the city is exposed to earthquakes of more than M > 6.5
magnitude in the Richter scale [5].In the north salty and
collapsible soil and in the south of the city some loess with
settlement risks are not suitable for construction . In order to
determine the specifications of the foundations of buildings in
area, it is recommended that site specific soil testing should be
made as a prerequisite for any type of construction works in
the study area. The allowable bearing capacities of most of
subsurface soils are (67-100 kPa), cohesion is (2-20kPa),
Internal friction angle is (φ= 0°-30°) and consistency is
various from soft (all ground surface within area up to depth
of 2m to 5m) to very stiff soils of the depth more than 20m.
Nevertheless, most of the ongoing building constructions in
the study area are devoid of any sort of soil and geotechnical
laboratory analysis.
The existing source of construction materials in the study area
is not suitable for future expansion of the city and for land use.
Exploration of new construction materials pit close to the
mountain in the southern part of the study area is necessary.
Finally, here maximum peak ground acceleration (PGA)
ranges from 0.249 to in excess of 0.489 in the eastern-most
regions.
With this in mind, all construction in the proposed (BUNC)
will comply with the seismic load design of the 2003 edition
of the International Building Code (IBC). Updated standards
have been incorporated, including the 2002 edition of
Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures
IV. CONCLUSION According to results of study, it is concluded that the
geological condition of study area, which could be traced from
the Pre-Jurassic era and part of the Cimmerian Platform,
comprises the Neocene and Quaternary (Pleistocene)
sediments and loess (Fig.5).The geological engineering study
of the study area has provided some key insights on the soils
parameters for urban building constructions by highlighting on
the potential risk zones which need consideration during the
land use planning of the area. In almost studied area, soils
have not potential of swelling and liquefaction.
The BUNC and all around it, preliminary database in
foundation practice and soil exploration has been formulated
for use, and for future development of urban area, and to make
geological engineering evalvition. As a result, this study will
offer financial saving and environmental benefits to the
municipality and city planner, such as cheaper soil surveys
and better archive management, with cost savings in
geotechnical and environmental surveys, and further cost
saving as a result of studied area ;The results for the area
indicate that the southern part of study area is predominantly
underlain by relatively coarse grained materials, while the
northern party of the region is underlain by weaker soils with
poor geotechnical characteristics (salty desert and Collapsible
soil)(see Fig.12) . The area Geotechnical database needs to be
completed it should be in priority of farther study.
From the point of engineering geological problems, quaternary
sediments alluvium fan generally provide good ground
conditions. But Physical, Mechanical parameters and
weathered zones should be investigated in detail.
• Over-consolidated geological units generally have bearing
capacity problems whereas they have stability problems
especially in up to 4-5m from ground surface.
• The bearing capacity of the alluvium is very low, and
artificial fills, from ground sediments have negligible bearing
capacity. Foundations of buildings constructed on these
sediments generally have instability and settlement problems.
• Earthquake risk gradually increases from South to the North.
Duo to the active faults in the Hindu Kush ranges also the
lithological characteristics of the weak rocks
and soils.
Finally, extending the urban land use within the area and all
around it, and increasing in population. For example, such us
planning of Shar-i-now (New City) urban construction project
site, Sharak Ameri and many of others urban construction
areas. Thus, preparation of the engineering geological data
base for the area is an important tool for planners and decision
makers. To this the area needs more information of foundation
practice, soil exploration, hydrogeological and engineering
geological studies in detail.
International Journal of Civil & Environmental Engineering IJCEE-IJENS Vol:12 No:06 84
1214406-8585-IJCEE-IJENS © December 2012 IJENS I J E N S
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[17] http://earth.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer (URL 2012)
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