Abstract

NGUIMBOUS-KOUOH, Jean Jacques  and  MANGUELLE-DICOUM, Eliezer. Contribution of topographic and penetrometric measurements to a site characterization, case of the Kekem Landslide, National Road N°5 (Western Cameroon). Earth Sci. Res. J. [online]. 2010, vol.14, n.2, pp.135-144. ISSN 1794-6190.

Atopographicalsurveyandadynamiccone penetrometertesting(DCPT)wereconductedoverthe Kekemlandslide area. The aim ofthe work was to unveil new topographic features ofthe site, and with the penetrometer soundings predict the depth of the potential rupture surface beneath the damaged area. The analysis of penetrometer data has led to the supposition that the fracturedsurface interface connectingthe basement andsediments has adepthofbetween 2.00 mand 12.20 m. The topographic data was used to determine the average slope percentage over the broken area. The slope percentage gives 33.66% from a point taken over the tearing niche and a point along the road. 2D contours map drawn with the Surfer software, over an area of 35 hectares has enabled the observation of a step gradient oriented NNE-SSW. Considering the steepness ofthe slope and the thickness ofthe sediments, the site remains dangerous for the populations especiallyduringthe rainyseason.

Keywords : Landslide; national road N°5; kekem; topographic; penetrometer test.

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