A review on the characteristics of sabkha soils in the Arabian Gulf Region

One of the most unpredictable and potentially hazardous soils in hot and arid climates is the sabkha soil. This soil is known as problematic because, upon wetting, it is susceptible to collapse due to the dissolution of cementing materials and its corrosive effects and heaves due to the salt crystallization/recrystallization process. Sabkha soil spreads along the seaboard of the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf in Saudi Arabia and may be found as muddy or sandy sabkha. This paper presents an extensive review of the origin of sabkha sediments and potential geotechnical hazards associated with the properties of sabkha soil. The ability of sabkha soil to swell was reported as this behavior was noted in some areas, which certainly increases the geotechnical problems associated with this soil. Different practical techniques to improve the properties of sabkha soil were discussed. The importance of the techniques depends mainly on the type of sabkha deposits, muddy or sandy sabkha, as well as the load conditions before construction. © 2021, Saudi Society for Geosciences.