Engineering in the Barzaman formation, coastal Dubai, UAE

This paper describes a geological model for the ‘conglomeratic carbonate siltstone’, otherwise known as the Barzaman formation, which comprises the principal founding stratum for deep structures in coastal Dubai, UAE. It identifies and highlights some important considerations for future engineering works in this stratum. A brief review of the geology and geotechnical characteristics of the stratum is provided, followed by a discussion of recent work on those aspects of the mineralogy and geotechnical properties that indicate potential constraints to future development.