Engineering Geology of Southern Africa – ABA Brink Volume 1,2,3,4

Contents Volume 1
Foreword by Robert F. Legget 7
List of Case histories 11
List of figures 13
List of Tables 18
Preface and acknowledgements 19

Chapter 1 23
Introduction
Structure of the Basement Complex – Stratigraphic units – Geomorphic history of southern
Africa – Climate – Terrain units – Soil Profiles

Chapter 2 35
Basement Complex: Metamorphic rocks of Swazian and later erathems
Introduction – Stratigraphy – Engineering characteristics

Chapter 3 56
Basement Complex: Granites
Distributions and lithology – Development of residual soil – Collapsible grain structure –
Prediction of the presence of collapsible grain structure in residual granitic soil – Foundation
treatment for structures on residual granite with a collapsible grain structure – The problem of
core-stones within residual granite – Pseudokarst phenomena

Chapter 4 81
Witwatersrand Supergroup: West Group
Distribution and structure of the supergroup – Stratigraphy of the West Rand Group
Geotechnical considerations – Deep basements

Chapter 5 103
Witwatersrand Supergroup: Central Rand Group
Geology of the gold-bearing strata on the central Witwatersrand – Mining subsidence –
Restrictions on development – Factors influencing mining subsidence – Types of mining subsi-
dence experienced on the central Witwatersrand – Earth tremors – Use of quartzites as
aggregates for concrete and roads – Building on mine waste materials

Chapter 6 161
Ventersdorp Supergroup
Stratigraphy and distribution – Engineering characteristics and residual soils – Concrete aggre-
gate

Chapter 7 179
Transvaal Sequence: Black Reef Quartzite Formation and Chuniespoort Group
Griqualand West Sequence: Campbell and Griquatown Groups
Introduction – Transvaal Stratigraphy – Griqualand West stratigraphy – Environment of
deposition – Early history of karst phenomena and foundation problems on the dolomites –
Recent occurrences of sinkholes and subsidences in the dolomites of the Pretoria area – The Far
West Rand – Weathering of dolomite – Mechanism of sinkhole formation – Mechanism of doline
formation – Delineation of potential sinkhole and doline areas by geophysical exploration –
Delineation of subsurface features using thermal infrared imagery – Protective measures –
Engineering uses of dolomite

Chapter 8 249
Transvaal Sequence: Pretoria Group
Griqualand West Sequence: Postmasburg Group
Transvaal stratigraphy – Griqualand West stratigraphy – Engineering characteristics of the
sedimentary rocks – Residual soils developed on the sedimentary rocks – Residual soils developed
on the andesites

Chapter 9 262
Marico Diabase Suite
Lithology – Residual soils – Tunnels and excavations

Chapter 10 277
Bushveld Complex: Rooiberg Group and Rustenburg Layered Suite
Lithology and structure – Rooiberg Group – Rustenburg Layered Suite

List of references 302
Index 309

Contents Volume 2
List of case histories 7
List of figures 9
List of tables 11
Preface and acknowledgements 13

Chapter 1 17
Bushveld Granites and Granophyres
Rashoop Granophyre Suite – Lebowa Granite Suite – Weathering characteristics –
Engineering characteristic

Chapter 2 28
Soutpansberg and Waterberg Groups and Related Rocks of the Mokolian Erathem
Distribution and regional lithology – Engineering characteristics – Sinclair Sequence –
Piriwiri, Deweras and Lomagundi Groups – Umkondo Group

Chapter 3 57
Damara Sequence, Gariep Complex and Nama Group
Engineering characteristics of Biotite Schist in the Windhoek area – the Pahl Fault in
Windhoek – use of Khomas Schist in road construction

Chapter 4 84
Malmesbury group and Other Pre-Cape Successions
Malmesbury Group – Kango Group – Kaaimans Group – Gamtoos Formation –
Engineering characteristics

Chapter 5 135
Cape Granite Suite
Engineering characteristics – Aggregate resources – Aggregate characteristics

Chapter 6 168
Cape Supergroup
Stratigraphy – Environment of deposition – Cape Fold Belt – Southern Coastal
Plain – Weathering and rock mass characteristics of the Table Mountain Group – Building
stones from the Table Mountain Group – Groundwater in the Table Mountain Group –
Rotary drilling problems – Weathering and rock mass characteristics of the Bokkeveld
Group – Road construction problems in the Bokkeveld Group – Failure of cut slopes in
the Bokkeveld Group – Witteberg Group

Chapter 7 224
Natal Group
Lithostratigraphy – Geological and geomorphological history – Engineering
characteristics – Engineering properties of the residual soils – Use of the rocks
and residual soils as construction materials

List of references 243
Index 248

Contents Volume 3
List of Case Histories 7
List of Figures 9
List of Tables 12
Preface and Acknowledgments 14

Chapter 1 17
Introduction
Structure of the Karoo basins – Palaecontology and geological history – Seismicity – Horizontal
stress in Karoo strata – Geomorphology – Climate

Chapter 2 33
Tillite and Other Strata of the Dwyka Formation
Distribution – Structure – Petrology – Weathering – Stability of cuttings in tillite – Construction
of dams on and with tillite – Tunnelling in tillite – Foundations on the Dwyka Formation – Use of
tillite as construction material

Chapter 3 57
Karoo Sandstone
Petrology – Slope stability – Tunnelling – Construction of dams – Use as concrete aggregate – Use
as road aggregate – Use as natural building stone – Residual Karoo sandstone

Chapter 4 107
Karoo Mudrock
Petrology – Breakdown on exposure – Swelling characteristic – Absorption of water – Density
and porosity – Strength – Road-building properties – Slope stability – Engineering classification –
Engineering characteristics of residual Karoo mudrocks – Recorded and predicted heaves and ap-
propriate foundation or structural treatment

Chapter 5 116
Coal
Stratigraphy and distribution – Petrology – Engineering properties – Coal mining – Mining meth-
ods – Locations of coal mines – Surface disturbance – Foundation conditions – Rehabilitation
after strip mining – Hydrological impact of surface coal mining – The use of old coal mines for
storage and waste-disposal

Chapter 6 151
Volcanic Rocks of the Karoo Sequence
Stratigraphy – Petrology – Weathering – Engineering properties – Use as construction materials –
Founding in soils residual from Karoo volcanics

Chapter 7 177
Karoo Dolerite
Distribution – Structure – Metamorphic effects of dolerite intrusion – Petrology – Strength of fresh
dolerite – Weathering of dolerite – Tunnelling – Use as concrete aggregate – Use in road construc-
tion – Foundation on residual dolerite – Dam construction

Chapter 8 210
Foundations for Major Structures in the Coalfields of the Vryheid Formation
Duvha power station – Arnot power station – Slaking characteristics of the mudstones at Tutuka
power station

Chapter 9 225
Five Further Case Histories
Orange – Fish tunnel – Drakensberg pumped-storage scheme – Driekloof dam – Railway tunnel in
Pietermaritzburg Shale Formation – Shaft at colliery near Standerton

List of references 299
Appendix 1 309
Notes on the use of certain terms
Appendix 2 311
Volume 2 errata
Index 313

Contents Volume 4
List of Case Histories 7
List of Figures 10
List of Tables 13
Preface and Acknowledgements 15

Chapter 1 19
Introduction
Pebble marker – Post-Gondwana geological history – Expansive soils – Soils with a collapsible
fabric – Dispersive soils

Chapter 2 34
Cretaceous Sediments
Uitenhage Group – Zululand Group – Engineering properties of Enon Conglomerate Formation –
Enon Conglomerate Formation as source of construction materials – Engineering properties of
sediments of Kirkwood and Sundays River Formations – Kirkwood and Sundays River Forma-
tions as sources of construction materials – Engineering properties of sediments of Zululand
Group – Sediments of Zululand Group as sources of construction materials

Chapter 3 57
Tertiary to Recent Coastal Deposits
Stratigraphy and distribution – Mo?ambique, Zululand and Natal costs – Coastline of eastern
and southern cape – Western Cape coast – Namaqualand and Namibian coasts – Use of coastal
sands for fine concrete aggregate

Chapter 4 108
Estuarine Deposits
Nature of the deposits – Deposits of Durban area – Deposits of Richards Bay area – Geotechnical
properties of the clays and silts – Geotechnical properties of the sands – Investigation in rapidly
alternating deposits

Chapter 5 154
Colluvium
Distribution – Engineering characteristics – Use as construction material

Chapter 6 174
Aeolian Deposits of the Interior
Stratigraphy and distribution – Nature of the sands – Particle size distribution and plasticity –
Collapsible fabric – Shear strength – Compaction characteristics – Construction on or with
aeolian sands

Chapter 7 188
Transported Sandy Soils of Mixed Origin
Origin – Distribution – Engineering properties – Engineering problems

Chapter 8 225
Alluvial and Lacustrine Deposits
Floodplain deposits- Alluvial fans – Lacustrine deposits – Organic alluvium – Dams on alluvium

Chapter 9 272
Pedological Profile Classes
The soil map- Description of pedological classes – Podzolic soils – Ferrallitic soils – Fersiallitic
soils – Black and red smectitic clays – Solonetzic and planosolic soils – Arenosols – Halomorphic
soils – Alluvial and weakly developed soils and other soils of low-lying areas – Hydromorphic soils
Weakly developed shallow soils – Weakly developed soils of arid areas – Lithosols and lithosolic
soils

Chapter 10 286
Pedocretes
Terminology – Age, thickness and rate of formation – Composition – Origin – Distribution
Description and classification for geotechnical purposes – Geotechnical aspects – Slope stability
and erosion – Foundations on pedocretes – Pedocretes in road construction – Use as building
blocks and concrete aggregate – Pedocretes in earth dam construction – Materials location –
Variability of performance

List of References 312
Appendix 323
Volume 3 Errata
Index 324