Osman Abdelghany

Biostratigraphy (Turborotalia cunialensis/Cribrohantkenina inflata Concurrent-Range Zone, P16) of the Late Eocene Dammam Formation, west of the Northern Oman Mountains

The Eocene biostratigraphy of the Jabal Qatar area located at the border between UAE and Oman is described. The occurrence of the Late Eocene index fossil Turborotalia cunialensis/Cribrohantkenina inflata Concurrent-Range Zone and the homogeneous biozone P16 is reported for the first time. The presence of the T. cunialensis/C. inflata with its associated taxa permits the tripartite division (P15, P16, P17) of the Upper Eocene at Jabal Qatar. The data obtained were used in correlating the Jabal Qatar sequence with stratigraphically equivalent sequences at Jabal Hafit and Jabal Malaqet, near Al-Ain city. Effects of the previously reported eustatic sea level changes at the close of Chron C15r can be recognized in the facies characteristics of the studied sequences.

Lower Miocene foraminifera from some exposures in the Cairo-Suez district, Eastern Desert, Egypt

Abstract The carbonate/siliciclastic Miocene rocks in the Cairo-Suez district indicate that lithostratigraphical correlation is very difficult. These beds comprise a complex alternation of autochthonous and detrital sediments. The Lower Miocene age (zone N5 to zone N7) of this succession has been determined by the planktonic foraminifera. In addition, there are benthic assemblages and the larger foraminifera also contributed, to a great extent, to the correlation of the measured sections. Thirty-four of the smallest foraminiferal species, among the 59 recognised, were selected for taxonomic treatment.

Upper Cretaceous to Lower Eocene calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy from Malaqet and Mundassah sections western flank of the Northern Oman Mountains

This work is the first attempt to undertake a biostratigraphic study on calcareous nannofossil assemblages of the exposed Upper Cretaceous to Lower Eocene rocks at the Malaqet and Mundassah sections, NW Oman. The Upper Cretaceous to Lower Eocene rocks belong to the Simsima Formation and the Muthaymimah Formation. Specimens of calcareous nannofossils identified during this study have been ascribed to 67 different species. The Cretaceous/Palaeocene boundary can be placed in correspondence with the unconformity between the mentioned formations. The presence of a big hiatus in this area is suggested by the absence of the latest Maastrichtian Micula prinsii nannofossil Zone, and the Palaeocene NP1 and NP2 nannofossil Zones. In the two study sections, the Danian/Selandian boundary is placed at the level of the first occurrence (FO) of Fasciculithus tympaniformis (base of NP5 Zone). At Jabal Mundassah, the Selandian/Thanetian boundary is positioned at the FO of Discoaster mohleri, which is used to define the base of NP7/8 Zone. Unfortunately, a major hiatus is detected at the Selandian/Thanetian boundary at the Jabal Malaqet section as indicated by the absence of NP6 and NP7/8 Zones. The Paleocene/Eocene boundary is placed at the base of Subzone NP9b at Jabal Mundassah, whereas at Jabal Malaqet the Paleocene/Eocene boundary interval is missing and a major hiatus is testified by the absence of the NP9b Subzone and NP10 Zone. This work is the first attempt to undertake a biostratigraphic study on calcareous nannofossil assemblages of the exposed Upper Cretaceous to Lower Eocene rocks at the Malaqet and Mundassah sections, NW Oman. The Upper Cretaceous to Lower Eocene rocks belong to the Simsima Formation and the Muthaymimah Formation. Specimens of calcareous nannofossils identified during this study have been ascribed to 67 different species. The Cretaceous/Palaeocene boundary can be placed in correspondence with the unconformity between the mentioned formations. The presence of a big hiatus in this area is suggested by the absence of the latest Maastrichtian Micula prinsii nannofossil Zone, and the Palaeocene NP1 and NP2 nannofossil Zones. In the two study sections, the Danian/Selandian boundary is placed at the level of the first occurrence (FO) of Fasciculithus tympaniformis (base of NP5 Zone). At Jabal Mundassah, the Selandian/Thanetian boundary is positioned at the FO of Discoaster mohleri, which is used to define the base of NP7/8 Zone. Unfortunately, a major hiatus is detected at the Selandian/Thanetian boundary at the Jabal Malaqet section as indicated by the absence of NP6 and NP7/8 Zones. The Paleocene/Eocene boundary is placed at the base of Subzone NP9b at Jabal Mundassah, whereas at Jabal Malaqet the Paleocene/Eocene boundary interval is missing and a major hiatus is testified by the absence of the NP9b Subzone and NP10 Zone.

Stratigraphy of the Early Paleogene Muthaymimah Formation exposed on the western flank of the Northern Oman Mountains

Sixty-one species belonging to 32 foraminiferal genera are reported from the Paleocene to Early Eocene Muthaymimah Formation at different localities in the western flank of the Northern Oman Mountains of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman. Several of the discovered species provide precise ages for the Paleocene series (Bolivinoides curtus and Neoflabellina jarvisi). A prominent conglomerate bed marks the K–T boundary between the Late Cretaceous Simsima Formation and Muthaymimah Formation in the study area. Occurrences of planktonic foraminiferal Morozovella inconstans (Subbotina, 1947) and Morozovella trinidadensis (Bolli, 1957) of Early Paleocene age (P1–P2 zones) are recorded for the first time in some locations in the study area. http://zoobank.org/2266E0F1-0C0F-428F-B18C-F8347F0CEE07

Effects of lithofacies and environment on in situ and laboratory Schmidt hammer tests: a case study of carbonate rocks

The Schmidt hammer (SH) test, which is quick, inexpensive, non-destructive and simple to use, has been widely applied to determine hardness and to assess the unconfined compressive strength of rocks. Lithofacies (composition and texture) and environmental conditions (mainly climate) influence the mechanical properties of rock masses as shown by the investigation presented here. To evaluate these effects, a range of carbonate rocks from Al-Ain arid region in the United Arab Emirates were used for extensive in situ and laboratory SH tests. The results expose a wide range of Schmidt hardness rebound (SHRcor) values for both the in situ and the laboratory tests, but show comparable correlation coefficients between the in situ and laboratory natural surface data. This indicates that field SH measurements can be a simple and reliable tool to obtain data on rock mechanical properties; however, caution should be taken in generalization even in a small locality or a region. Although our data are within the wide range of SH values in the published literature, it is apparent that they represent unique values for the rock type investigated and the environment and thereby provide better constraints for engineers in planning for the safety aspects of constructions.

Structural and Stratigraphic Parameters as Tools for the Geozoning Project of Al-Ain City, UAE

Rapid urbanization dramatically increases the demand for land that requires planning and zoning which allow the authorities to achieve safe, manageable and sustainable construction expansions. Geozoning represents an effective way of summarizing surface and subsurface land stability that can be used for setting out regulations for construction purposes. We present here a preliminary geozoning survey of Al Ain city as a first stage to build-up a database which divides the city into several stability zones.

How do the Geological and Geomechanical Properties of the Carbonate Rocks affect the land development in AlAin Vicinity

Al-Ain City is located in the eastern part of Abu Dhabi Emirate and is considered as one of the most urbanized cities in the UAE (Fig. 1). The rocks outcropping around the city are made up of carbonate rocks, mainly limestone and interbeds of marl. These rock types represent the foundation bedrocks in most of Al-Ain City. They also form the rock slopes surrounding many new developing sites to the south of the city like the road to the summit of Jabal Hafit and the eastern border of Al-Ain Wildlife Park & Resort (AWPR), whereas some engineering problems appeared. Therefore, it requires knowing the geological and geotechnical characteristics of these carbonate beds. This would overcome any uncertainties that might occur at any type of engineering applications such as design of structures either upon or inside the rocks, slope instability and others. The overall rock properties are considerably controlled by their geologic setting as stratigraphy, mineralogy, petrography and tectonic structures. So, the present study aims to find the geological and geotechnical properties of these rocks which are outcropped in Jabal Hafit and extend northward under Al-Ain City. The stratigraphy of these carbonate rocks were studied in detailed by many authors among them are Abdelghany (2002), Hunting (1979), Cherif and Deeb (1984), Noweir ( 2000), Anan et al. (1992) and Boukhary et al. (2005). The rocks build up the Hafit Mountain (Fig. 1) which represents a large doubly plunging highly asymmetric anticline that developed over a thrust fault underlying its eastern limb (Noweir, 2000; Warrak, 1996 and Ali et al., 2008). Numbers of other interesting research papers were already pointed out to the relation between the geological and geotechnical properties with respect to various rock types (Willard and McWilliams, 19969; Merriam et al., 1970; Basu et al., 2009; Tsiamboas and Sabatakakis, 2004; Sabatakakis, 2008 and Arman et al., 2007).