KARST HAZARD ASSESSMENT OF EASTERN SAUDI-ARABIA

Karst phenomena exist in areas in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia, fo rming solution features such as sinkholes, collapsed dolines and solut ion caverns, as a result of the chemical leaching of the carbonate and evaporite formations by percolating water. The instability of these k arst phenomena could produce land subsidence problems. This paper revi ews the geology of documented karstic rock units in Saudi Arabia and p roposes a simple engineering classification of the solution features c haracteristic of limestone. Two case histories in the Dhahran area, ea stern Saudi Arabia, will be used as examples for the application of a modified engineering classification.