The engineering geology of the Fariman Dam Site

This paper includes the results of the engineering geology and hydrogeological studies of the Fariman project for designing of dam and irrigation system in the province of Khorasan in north east of Iran. The dam and reservoir are situated in an area built of Upper Cretaceous serpentinites, Tertiary conglomerate, sandstone and marls, and Quaternary materials. The dam axis intersects a fairly narrow erosion valley of sepentinite slope, and alluvial bottom. The pre-construction site investigation indicate the distribution, volumes and quality of the various major construction materials. The irrigation field occupies a small portion of the large hydrogeological basin of the Jam river where the alluvial and proluvial sediments are bears of fresh to mineralized ground water. By the Mercalli Modified Intensity scale, the project is in an area with earthquake intensity over Vm.