Physical and Mechanical Features of the Quaternary Basanites of the Cap-Vert Peninsula of Dakar (Senegal, West Africa)

This work presents the results of geotechnical tests carried out in the laboratory on specimens of Quaternary olivine basanites from the Cap-Vert peninsula of Dakar. The samples were taken following geotechnical investigations in the Fann-PE, Mermoz-Ouakam, Yoff and Ngor areas respectively. The results obtained show a dry density between 20.45 and 29.30 kN/m3 which corresponds to medium to high density basanites. The porosity varies between 0.33% and 4.20%. For microlitic basanites, the porosity remains low, on the other hand, for micrograined basanites;a slight increase in porosity is noticed. As for the methylene blue adsorption test value measured, it is between 0.25 and 1.10. The uniaxial compression strength (Rc) and Young’s modulus (E) vary respectively from 12.19 MPa to 41.748 MPa and from 1477.6 MPa to 7699.1 MPa. The low strength values are recorded in altered and vesicular basanites. Also, a correlation was made between uniaxial compression strength and porosity and showed a gradual decrease in strength with increasing porosity.

Mineralogy and Chemistry Characterization of the New Basaltic Intrusion at Maasser El Chouf/Lebanon

The importance of this study is to identify the newly reordered and recognized basaltic intrusion for the first time in Maasser El Chouf in Lebanon. The recorded basaltic intrusion cut the Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous rock in this area. Necessary field inspection, geology, mineralogy and chemical tests were carried out on 8 basalt samples to determine their mineralogy, petrography and chemical composition. Representative samples have been tested with polarizing microscope, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Petrographic and mineralogical studies show that the basalt is characterized by presence mainly of calcic-plagioclase feldspar, pyroxene-augite and olivine minerals. Secondary minerals of iron oxides also present (ilmenite and magnetite). The most appeared property is the alteration of olivine mineral to iddingsite that indicated highly weathered process. The composition of the basaltic samples reflects ultrabasic-basic type (Basanite-Tholeiitic basalt). The existence of volcanic activity occurred mostly with Pliocene age (< 2 Ma) as indicated by previous studies for similar basalt in Lebanon. Possibly, these boulders have been carried up from some deeper intrusive magmatic body under very active tension zones. Volcanism of Lebanon basalts belong to the alkaline olivine basalt, suite generally associated with tension, rifting and block faulting movements of the continental crust. Most of the volcanisms in Lebanon and in Harrat Ash Shaam Basalt from Syria and Palestine through Jordan to Saudi Arabia are related and connected to the opening of the Red Sea Rift System, making the area with tremendous volcanic tectonic activities.

Bearing Capacity Analysis of Spread Footing on Massif in the “Corniche Ouest” of the Dakar Peninsula (Senegal, West Africa)

This study presents various approaches to calculating the bearing capacity of spread footings applied to the rock mass of the western corniche at the tip of the Dakar peninsula. The bearing capacity was estimated using empirical, analytical and numerical approaches based on the parameters of the rock mass and the foundation. Laboratory tests were carried out on basanite, as well as on the other facies detected. The results of these studies give a range of allowable bearing capacity values varying between 1.92 and 11.39 MPa for the empirical methods and from 7.13 to 25.50 MPa for the analytical methods. A wide dispersion of results was observed according to the different approaches. This dispersion of results is explained by the use of different rock parameters depending on the method used. The allowable bearing capacity results obtained with varying approaches of calculation remain admissible to support the loads. On the other hand, the foundation calculations show acceptable settlement of the order of a millimeter for all the layers, especially in the thin clay layers resting on the bedrock at shallow depths, where the rigidity of the rock reduces settlement.