US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Seismic Hazard Mitigation and Soil Strength Mapping for Land Use Planning in Tushka Area, Upper Egypt

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0104310VersteegDescription: This project supports a collaborative project between Dr. Roelof Versteeg, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University and Dr. Raafat Fat-Helbary, Aswan Seismological Center, the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics, Aswan, Egypt. They plan to create a useable seismic hazard and soil strength maps for the Tushka Project, a massive new infrastructure effort in Upper Egypt. The PIs plan on combining probabilistic seismic hazard maps that describe the frequency of exceeding specified ground motion levels with a surface wave analysis technique that can provide detailed site effects. They will combine MASW type of inversion techniques with imaging to obtain shear-wave velocity profiles that can be of great use for engineering projects. The results will be made available in a GIS environment. This work will develop a technique that can usefully complement macro-scale hazard analysis, and make refined microzonation of hazard a real possibility useful in siting of critical facilities.Scope: The project has important scientific and practical implications. The geography of the Upper Egypt area is important and has been affected by recent human development including the construction of the Aswan High Dam. This research will document and interpret geophysical and geotechnical data and will seek to develop practical information for future projects. Dr. Versteeg has the needed experience in the acquisition and processing of geophysical data as well as the integration of these data into GIS based product for use by non-geophysicists. Dr. Fat-Helbary is experienced in the Tushka seismic studies. He will lead the effort for collection of the large-scale data sets, and will lead the effort in creating ground motion acceleration maps. Both sides will benefit from this collaboration and from the opportunity to learn from the type of planning that is underway to develop a region of the world that has historical significance. The experience and methods developed in this proposed project will be applicable to future developments in Egypt as well as in other parts of the world. The PIs are well qualified for the planned. The project meets INT criteria for support of collaborative research.