Investigation of Cavities at Petrochemical Construction, Basra South of Iraq by Using Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) Technique

The present paper deals with an area located at southwest of Basra were many strategic projects were constructed, where gypsiferous soils caves have been occur. The existence of these caves and sinkholes represents for such new urban area. Therefore, it is important to know the size, position and depth of natural voids and cavities before building or reconstruction. Recently, cavity imaging using geophysical surveys has become common. In this paper, Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) technique have been applied to the petrochemical construction at Al-Zubair town to image shallow subsurface cavities. The radar survey was conducted along 11 profiles passing through 3 units, Cooling, Ethylene and Energy unit. The data were processed and interpreted integrally to image the cave. As a result, many cavities were determined which are extended with variable depths, most of these cavities were noticed especially at the Energy unit. This is because of creating solution in gypsum sediments as found with soil that caused by leaking in artificial water pipes.