Geotechnical data compilation for evaporitic rocks in Abu Dhabi, UAE: A resource for engineers.

The durability and degradability of evaporitic rocks are always a critical concern in geological, civil, and geotechnical engineering applications, necessitating careful consideration for reliable, secure, and sustainable construction. This dataset is based on a comprehensive collection of geotechnical data involving both mechanical and physical properties as well as geochemical analyses for the evaporitic rocks in Abu Dhabi and its vicinity. The purpose of this dataset is to be an important source for construction professionals, engineers, and decision-makers in the region by providing basic insights into the challenges associated with building projects on and in evaporitic rocks.

Geochemical processes, salinity sources and utility characterization of groundwater in a semi-arid region of Iraq through geostatistical and isotopic techniques.

Identifying factors contributing to water salinity is paramount in efficiently managing limited water resources in arid environments. The primary objective of this study is to enhance understanding regarding the hydrochemistry, source, and mechanism of water salinity, as well as to assess the suitability of water for various uses in southern Iraq. The groundwater samples were collected from water wells and springs and analyzed for major cations and anions along with stable isotopes (δO and δH) to accomplish the objective.

HYFIS vs FMR, LWR and Least squares regression methods in estimating uniaxial compressive strength of evaporitic rocks.

The uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of the rock is one of the most important design parameters in various engineering applications. Therefore, the UCS requires to be either preciously measured through extensive field and laboratory studies or could be estimated by employing machine learning techniques and several other measured physical and mechanical explanatory rock parameters. This study is proposed to estimate the UCS of the evaporitic rocks by using a simple, measured point load index (PLI) and Schmidt Hammer (SHV) test rock blocks of evaporitic rocks.

Flood susceptibility mapping utilizing the integration of geospatial and multivariate statistical analysis, Erbil area in Northern Iraq as a case study.

Climate extreme events such as floods and droughts in any area have a significant impact on human life, infrastructure, agriculture, and the economy. In the last two years, flash floods caused by heavy rainstorms have become frequent and destructive in many catchments in Northern Iraq. The present study aims to examine flash floods in the Erbil region, Northern Iraq using Remote sensing (RS), Geographic Information System (GIS), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for geomorphic data.

Geochemistry and Sr, S, and O stable isotopes of Miocene Abu Dhabi evaporites, United Arab Emirates.

This study investigates for the first time the subsurface Miocene evaporite facies (Gachsaran Formation) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Forty-five evaporite rock samples were selected for petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical investigations and stable isotope analyses to decipher their origin and constrain their age. Secondary gypsum with anhydrite relics dominates the investigated evaporitic rocks, with minor amounts of clays, dolomicrite, Fe/Ti oxides, and celestite.

Effects of groundwater and distilled water on the durability of evaporitic rocks.

Evaporitic rock durability induced by groundwater cause several construction challenges, but representative experimental studies to evaluate such conditions are still missing. Therefore, this study intended to provide better and more realistic degradability features of evaporites with groundwater besides a comparison with distilled water as slaking fluids. Forty-eight evaporitic rock blocks were collected from Abu Dhabi area, United Arab Emirates.

Several machine learning techniques comparison for the prediction of the uniaxial compressive strength of carbonate rocks.

In engineering practices, it is critical and necessary to either measure or estimate the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of the rock. Measuring the UCS of rocks requires comprehensive studies in the field and in the laboratory for the rock block sampling, coring, and testing. These studies are time-consuming, expensive and go through difficult processes.

Correlation of P-wave velocity with mechanical and physical properties of limestone with statistical analysis.

This study aims to investigate the correlation between the P-wave velocity (V) and the mechanical and the physical properties of the limestone; V tests were conducted on over 320 limestone samples. Moreover, the effects of the mineralogical, textural, and chemical composition of limestone were also studied through thin sections, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The relationships between the V and the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), point load index (PLI(I), 2nd cycle of slake durability index (I), natural unit weight (γ), specific gravity (G), water absorption by weight (WA), and porosity (n) were estimated using representative empirical equations.

A multi-isotopic evaluation of groundwater in a rapidly developing area and implications for water management in hyper-arid regions.

Management of water resources in hyper-arid areas faces vital challenges in a global climate change context. Consequently, understanding the effects on groundwater sources can help mitigating the problem of water scarcity and the negative impact of human intervention on the environment. A case study area in the hyper-arid climate of the United Arab Emirates, was tackled here with the focus on applying stable isotopes as tools for evaluating groundwater sources and quality assessment.