Landslides Articulation in Wadi Hof Area Southeast of Cairo, Egypt, Based on Geological and Geophysical Investigations
Abstract Detailed field geological, geoelectrical, hydrochemical, and microbiological studies were executed in Wadi Hof area, southeastern Cairo, Egypt to delineate the causes of landslides along the train pathway between the eastern Wadi Hof camp and the western clay quarry. The area under consideration is of low relief and gentle slope from east to west, the rock sloping is unstable and represent potential areas of rock failure in several locations. The Eocene limestone rocks constitute the most common outcrops. Structurally, the investigated area was affected by faulting. Geophysically, vertical electrical soundings in addition to horizontal profiling techniques were surveyed to know the shallow subsurface implications. Moreover, Hydrochemical and microbiological investigations in the form of water samples analysis east and west to the train pathway. The integrated interpretations exhibited that, the study area consists of three main units; surface marl; calcareous sand, and finally clay to sandy clay units. The water originates from the Eocene limestone aquifer east of the train route directed to the clay quarry west of the train path. Added, the landslides are resulted due to the clay swelling followed by railway destruction in a short time due to the large clay thicknesses.