Geotechnical properties of soil around Tigris river in Baghdad

The objective of this study is to produce digital geotechnical maps for the area on both sides of the Tigris River in Baghdad through employing the capabilities of GIS. These maps can represent the distribution of different geotechnical properties in an accurate, easy to use manner. In addition, to take full advantage of the existing information obtained from soils investigation reports in the study area, this study obtained empirical correlations to estimate the mechanical properties in order to evaluate the geotechnical properties of these soils. The research was performed in several stages, starting with the collection of a satellite image for the study area and collection of laboratory tests reports for bore-holes. Their location was projected as a layer using ArcGIS software, after determining their position using a GPS instrument, which produced empirical correlations, using the capabilities of ArcGIS to produce spatial relationships for different geotechnical properties that relate the distribution of those properties across the study area. The results of this study point out the possibility of producing digital geotechnical maps using ArcGIS software that represent the distribution of the geotechnical properties in a new perspective. This may lead to a simple identification and recognition of those properties since the geotechnical properties showed a wide scattering in their distribution throughout the study area. In addition, a result of the regression analysis conducted was that; the relationship between (qu) and (SPTN60) shows the highest correlation coefficient (R2=0.86) followed by the relation between (Cc) and (PI) with (R2=0.8).