Twelve stations in the cities of Kufa and Mishkhab were selected for studying the geotechnical, including physical, engineering, chemical and mineralogical, properties of soils in the river banks along the Euphrates River. Grain size distribution of the bank soils showed higher silt than clay and sand percentages. Soil samples from the 12 stations were classified according to the USCS standards. Silt with low plasticity constituted 91% of the silt fraction, whereas that with high plasticity composed 9%. The saturated density values ranged between 1.75-2.073 g/cm3 with an average of 1.953 g/cm3, while the dry density values ranged between 1.307-1.740 g/cm3 with an average of 1.553 g/cm3. The values of the dry and saturated density are within the permissible limits. Direct shear test showed cohesion values (C) that ranged between 15-55 kN/m2 with an average value of 34.8 kN/m2. The values of the internal friction angle (Ø°) of the clay type of soil with low plasticity ranged between 8.5°-17° with an average of 9.91°. The Ø° values of the other soil types ranged between 9°-17° with an average of 25°. Therefore, clay with high plasticity had higher Ø° values than the permissible limits. The results of unconfined compression test showed a range of 22.802-58.587 kN/m2 with an average of 38.173 kN/m2, with water percentage of 30%. The mineralogical tests of the bank soil performed using XRD analysis showed that the analyzed soil samples are composed mainly of quartz, calcite, chlorite, palygorskite, and montmorillonites. The pH value ranged between 6.4-7.55 with an average of 7.10, indicating low basicity. Gypsum concentrations ranged between 0.049-12.75 % with an average of 3.99 %, while that for carbonate ranged between 5-45 % with an average of 26.16%. Sulphates concentration ranged between 0.23-5.93 % with an average of 1.85%. Several treatment measures are proposed to stabilize the soil of the studied area.
A total of 109 fish specimens belonging to six species (Barbus grypus, B. luteus, B. xanthopterus, Cyprinion macrostomum, Cyprinus carpio and Liza abu) were collected from Tigris river passing through Salah Al-Deen province during the period from September 2008 till January 2009. These fishes were infected with nine parasite species which included two sporozoans (Myxobolus mülleri and Dermocystidium percae), three ciliates (Trichodina cottidarum, T. elegini and T. murmanica) and four monogenetic trematodes (Dactylogyrus rhodeianus, D. vastator, Paradiplozoon cyprini and Microcotyle donavini). Among these parasites, two trichodinids (T. elegini and T. murmanica) were reported for the first time from fishes of Iraq. Also, B. grypus is c
... Show MoreLimestones have considerable commercial importance because they are used as building stones and are widely used for flooring and interior and exterior facings. On the other hand, the reserve calculation reveals the economic effectiveness of the investigation. This study aims to calculate the reserve of the middle Miocene limestone for engineering purposes. The limestone beds of the Nfayil Formation in Central Iraq have been studied over 15 outcrop sections. The Nfayil bed has an average thickness of about 1.64 m, while the overburden has an average of about 0.93 m. The average bulk density of limestone is 2.1 gm/cm3 . Kriging and triangulation method has been adopted and used in the calculation and assessment of reserve. The industrial laye
... Show MoreLimestones have considerable commercial importance because they are used as building stones and are widely used for flooring and interior and exterior facings. On the other hand, the reserve calculation reveals the economic effectiveness of the investigation. This study aims to calculate the reserve of the middle Miocene limestone for engineering purposes. The limestone beds of the Nfayil Formation in Central Iraq have been studied over 15 outcrop sections. The Nfayil bed has an average thickness of about 1.64 m, while the overburden has an average of about 0.93 m. The average bulk density of limestone is 2.1 gm/cm3. Kriging and triangulation method has been adopted and used in the calculation and assessment of rese
... Show MoreSoil acts as a last sink for elements that people release into the environment through a range of activities due to its physiochemical characteristics. These substances, whether are organic or mineral pollutants, accumulate in the soil and constitute a significant risk to the ecosystem in general because they mess with the chemical and physical equilibrium of the soil, get into the food chain, and eventually get to people. When pollutant concentrations during the bioaccumulated process exceed the global standards for what is regarded as a contaminant in water, air, and soil. Nine soil samples were collected from different sites and two samples from each site at two depths (0-20 and 20-40 cm) to determine if there were any
... Show MoreThe content of redox sensitive trace element (V, Co, Ni, and Mo) in the bituminous limestone of the Euphrates Formation (E. Miocene) and bituminous gypsum of the Fatha Formation (M. Miocene) in the Hit Abu-Jir village area, Anbar governorate were determined using Inductively-Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS), in order to infer the origin of the hydrocarbon and the depositional conditions of the organic matter. Hydrocarbons species by using FTIR technique was identified as aliphatic, aromatic compound, hydroxyl acids, hydroxyl group, sulfoxide and sulfur. Bitumen occurrences in these formations is a result of the hydrocarbon seepages that moved up under high pressure along the Abu-Jir fault Zone, and then were intruded in the lime
... Show MoreThe studied succession (Lower Miocene-Early Middle Miocene) In central Iraq is distinguished by a wide range of fossils, mostly benthic foraminifera, and other fossils including bivalves, gastropods, echinoids fragments, red algae and coral are also presented. Index fossils of benthic foraminifera have been used for the purpose of determining the age of the Euphrates and Jeribe formations, because of their young age, wide geographical distribution and abundance in the selected wells.
The present study involves four selected wells of Ajil oil field and in terms of the biostratigraphy of the Euphrates, Dhiban, and Jeribe formations depending on benthic foraminifera and other associated fossils. Some of these fossils have a short ve
... Show MoreThis comprehensive study investigates has been made to assess the water quality of Al-Gharraf River, which considered the main branch of Tigris River south of Iraq using the overall Index of Pollution (OIP), depending on 9 physical, chemical, and biological important parameters of water quality were analyzed: hydrogen ion concentration (pH), turbidity (NTU), total dissolved solid (TDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD5) , total hardness (TH), sulfate (SO4), nitrate (NO3),and fecal coliform (FC), which measured monthly at twenty one stations on the river during 2016-2017. Water quality deterioration has occurred in the last ten stations, consequently, the health status of the river
... Show MoreOne of the major problems facing the road construction engineer is the collapsible granular soil which may be used for embankment construction. Problems appears when such compacted soil come in touch with water, it exhibits cracking and uncontrolled settlement. Collapsible soils are defined as any unsaturated soil that goes through a radical rearrangement of practice and great loss of volume upon wetting, with or without additional loading. An attempt has been made in this investigation to stabilize the collapsible soil of Nasiriya with asphalt emulsion. Specimens of pure and asphalt emulsion stabilized soil have been prepared using optimum fluid content and tested. The first group of specimens of (60x60x20) cm have been tested for direct s
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