Characterization and Geotechnical Classification of Soils and Lateritic Gravelly Materials along the Songololo-Lufu Road Axis (Kongo Central Province, DR Congo)

This study aims to characterize from a geotechnical point of view, the soils as well as the lateritic gravels along the Songololo-Lufu road route in the Kongo Central Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ten soil samples and eight lateritic gravel samples were analysed and tested in the laboratory. For each sample, identification parameters were determined such as particle size analysis, natural water content, Atterberg limits (plasticity index and consistency index), but also compaction and lift parameters such as optimal water content, maximum dry density and CBR lift index. All materials and soils have been classified according to the Congolese Road Standard (NRC) and according to the American HRB classification. The test results show us that clay soils almost always contain between 70% and 90% fine fraction;the grained fraction represents less than 30% in clay samples. For lateritic gravels soils, the percentage of fine elements varies between 35% and 15%;in sand around 20%;the gravelly fraction represents a little more than 50% of the soil. The majority of soil facies encountered define a plasticity index lower than 15. As for the consistency index, we obtained values greater than 1, both for clayey soils and for gravelly soils. The classification according to NRC defined for these soils the types Ae1 and Ae2 for the clayey facies and the types GL1 and GL2 for the gravelly soils, while that of the HRB identified the classes and subclasses A-6 and A-7-6 for clayey soils, and subclass A-2-6 for gravelly soils. The optimal water content values obtained range between 10.2% and 23.10%;the maximum dry densities are between 1.66 and 2.07 t/m3 and the CBR index is between 6 and 26. As for the lateritic gravels materials of the Songololo region, the percentage of fine elements generally remains between 12% and 31%;the plasticity index is between 8 and 18;the optimal dry density is around 2 t/m3;the optimal water content is between 9.8% and 14.5% and the CBR index is between 27 and 82. The Songololo-Lufu lateritic gravels are characteristic of laterites in the savannah region, with a high gravel fraction at the expense of the fine fraction, but low parameters such as the liquid limit and plasticity index.

A Comparative Structural Study of Southern Region Shallow Basement of the North-Kivu Province (DR Congo) by Gravity and Magnetic Data Analysis

The aim of this study is to characterize the subsoil in the southern region of the North-Kivu province (DR Congo). Gravity and geomagnetic data were used in this study. Five different filters—the horizontal gradient magnitude, the analytic signal, the tilt derivative, the horizontal derivative of tilt derivative and the tilt angle of horizontal gradient—enabled us to delineate the gravity and magnetic anomaly sources present in the shallow subsurface of the study area. The plains of the Rutshuru territory are dominated by sources of weak gravity anomalies and sources of very weak magnetic anomalies located almost in the same places. The southern part of Rutshuru territory and a large part of Masisi territory are underlain by shallow sources of high gravity and magnetic anomalies. Gravity and magnetic anomaly sources are almost identical in the study area. The shallow sources of gravity and magnetic anomalies encountered in our study area are more or less linear and connected. The numerous gravity and magnetic lineaments present in our study region have three major directions: oriented East-West, North-South and North-East-South-West.

Structural Mapping of Kakobola and Its Surroundings by Analyzing Geomagnetic Data

This study focuses on the Kakobola region and its surroundings where cavities discovered in its basement may represent a major risk for the hydroelectric dam erected on the Lufuku River near the Kakobola city and the civil engineering works in the study area. In order to deepen the studies related to this understudied region and provide decision-makers with information that will enable them to make the necessary and appropriate decisions regarding the development of this area, a study based on the analysis of geomagnetic data was carried out using certain methods revealing more shallow than deep structures, and others highlighting the limits of both shallower and deeper structures. Total magnetic anomalies and reduced to equator (RTE) magnetic anomalies were used to map the subsurface of the Kakobola region and its surroundings. In order to detect the edges of magnetized structures, the horizontal gradient magnitude (HGM), the analytic signal (AS), the horizontal gradient of tilt angle (HGTA), the tilt angle (TA), the theta map (TM), the enhanced total horizontal derivative of the tilt angle (ETHDR), the tilt angle of the horizontal gradient (TAHG), and the tilt angle of analytic signal (TAAS) were used. The study area is characterized by two areas of low values of magnetic anomalies and two other sources of high magnetic anomalies located in the bed and the neighborhood of the two major rivers in the region. The shallow sources of magnetic anomalies are lying in the bed and the vicinity of the same rivers in the study area. The magnetic sources in the study area are connected and almost linear. Several magnetic lineaments identified in this region by different methods present several preferential directions, but the most predominant directions are NE-SW, NW-SE, W-E and NE-SW.

Structural Study of the Kakobola Area and Its Surroundings by Detecting the Edges of Gravity Anomaly Sources

The area covered by this study is the county of Kakobola and its surroundings. Previous studies show that those related to the study of depths by the gravity method, using other techniques, are not always carried out until now. The main goal of this article is the gravimetric characterization of our area by other approach. The interest is not only to map the lineaments and to know their dip, but also to estimate the depths of these different anomalies. The methods used for this study are the first total horizontal derivative (FTHDT), tilt angle (TA), analytical signal (AS) and horizontal gradient magnitude (HGM). The processing of the complete Bouguer anomalies (CBA) data was done mainly through software. Data analysis using the semi-finished body depth method shows depths ranging from 7.49 m to 224.6 m. Data analysis using the AS method shows values ranging from 41.7 mGal/m to 510 mGal/m. The fractures and/or geological contacts in our study area show dips ranging from -73.73° to 68.16° and North-South orientation according to the tilt angle method. The FTHDT shows several lineaments, a NE oriented fracture of Kakobola and low dip values which suggest a tabular structure of the subsurface in our study area. According to the HGM, the study area shows several preferential directions of fractures and/or geological contacts whose the most frequent directions are the NNE-SSW and WNW.