Large-Scale Thematic Geological Mapping of Moscow Area

An ambitious research project was implemented at the Sergeev Institute of Environmental Geoscience of the Russian Academy of Sciences in collaboration with the Moscow Geological and Geodetic Trust during 2008-2009 according to the decision of the Moscow Government. The project implied the compilation of 12 thematic geological large-scale maps for the Moscow territory to a scale 1:10,000. This work was based on the digital processing of more than 85,000 boreholes drilled in the city in different years, among which 13,000 deep boreholes penetrated in the Carboniferous deposits. This is a pioneer work in Russia, because apart from the digitizing and analysis of a great volume of drilling data, it implied theoretical and methodical studies based on modern geoinformational techniques. The resultant combined map of engineering geological zoning was based on the integration of data on the structural-geodynamic, geomorphological and geological structure, hydrogeological conditions, distribution of natural hazards and geological processes and phenomena. The map proceeds from the principle of consistent typological division of the territory into four taxonomic levels, using the index method naming of taxa of different rank. The performed complex analysis of engineering geological conditions permitted us to distinguish three degrees of complexity for construction, which should be taken into account at the early stages of designing subsurface and surface urban engineering structures.