Safety Performance in the Egyptian Construction Industry

This study presents the results of a questionnaire survey that was conducted among a selected sample of large-size contractors operating in Egypt, as well as a comparison of the safety approaches in both the United States and Egypt. The results revealed that safety programs applied by large-size contractors in Egypt were less formal than those applied by their American counterparts. Only a few companies out of the surveyed sample had accident records broken down by projects and provided workers with formal safety orientation. Finally, the study recommended that reforms in the way of the employer’s contribution to social insurance were necessary; thereby linking accident insurance costs to the contractor’s safety performance. This is meant to serve as a strong incentive for safety management.     

埃及西沙漠盆地中生界烃源岩特征及剩余资源分布

西沙漠盆地是埃及三大主要含油气区之一,已发现大量的油气田,现处勘探发现中期,预探风险增大。为此,在详细评价盆地烃源岩地球化学特征基础上,运用盆地数值模拟技术定量分析剩余资源潜力。研究认为,中侏罗统Khatatba组Safa段和Zahra段煤系暗色泥页岩以及上白垩统Abu Roash组AR-F段暗色泥页岩是盆地的3套主力烃源岩,各凹陷烃源岩广泛分布,厚度变化较大。Khatatba组烃源岩TOC含量在0.5%～10%,裂解烃S₂含量高,为中等-很好烃源岩;Abu Roash组AR-F段烃源岩TOC主要在0.5%～3%,裂解烃S₂含量中-高,属中等-好烃源岩。这3套烃源岩有机质干酪根类型以混合Ⅱ型为主,其次是Ⅲ型,少量为Ⅰ型。指出Khatatba组2套烃源岩全盆处于热演化成熟大量生排烃阶段,凹陷中心达高熟生烃、局部过熟生气阶段,油气并生;Abu Roash组AR-F段烃源岩仅Abu Gharadig和Natrun凹陷进入成熟生烃阶段。提出盆地北部地区主要由侏罗系Khatatba组烃源岩供给油气,东南部地区则有侏罗系Khatatba组和白垩系AR-F段双源供烃。计算表明,盆地剩余可采资源量达6.51×10～8 t,剩余资源潜力很好;其中,南部Abu Gharadig凹陷古生界、侏罗系和下白垩统AEB,北部Matruh凹陷古生界、Faghur凹陷上白垩统,油气探明程度低,剩余资源可观,为下步勘探的有利方向。     

Contents of volume 1

Microbiological profiles of ready-to-eat foods collected over a period of 3 years from street vendors in Egypt were assessed. The 114 samples of foods investigated included meat, meat organs and edible viscera, fish, rice and dishes containing rice, raw vegetables and salads, macaroni, spaghetti, desserts, milk, cheese, bean dishes, dates, tahina (sesame paste), pickles, olives, and barley-sugar water. Salmonella was not isolated from any sample. Shigella was isolated from a sample of greens and from a sample of tamea (deep-fat fried whipped beans and parsley). 41% of the samples that were tested for Staphylococcus aureus were positive; 58% of them had counts of at least 10³/g. Four of 15 samples of cooked meat, meat organs and edible viscera contained Clostridium perfringens. Presumptive Bacillus cereus was isolated from 37% of samples of rice and dishes containing rice, macaroni, spaghetti, desserts and bean dishes; half had counts of 10³/g or greater. Vibro parahaemolyticus was neither isolated from four samples of raw seafoods nor from three samples of cooked seafoods. 68% of the samples had aerobic colony counts (30°C) that exceeded 10⁶ CFU/g. 97% of the samples were within the temperature range of 15 to 44°C, at the time of collection; therefore, common microorganisms and many pathogens could multiply, particularly because holding times were usually prolonged.     

Detection of prospective areas for mineralization deposits using image analysis technique of aeromagnetic data around Marsa Alam-Idfu road,Eastern Desert,Egypt

Area around Marsa Alam-Idfu road is considered as one of the most prospective regions for gold and base metals mineralization in Egypt. The total intensity aeromagnetic reduced to northern magnetic pole (RTP) data of such area revealed that a set of parallel continuous linear features taken NNW-SSE trend with variable magnetic amplitudes, which are related to faults, dykes and shear zones. Also, this map showed strong negative and positive magnetic anomalies generated in contact zones, which may be considered with the linear features as prospective areas for mineralization.The application of centre for exploration targeting (CET) grid image analysis technique was applied for the aeromagnetic data of such area for rapidly locating regions perceived to be most favorable for gold and base metals deposits. The technique generated a series of high structural complexity maps which are combined to create an overall prospectively map that defined regions of high potentially for mineral deposits.Integration of the obtained results from the resulted maps and the RTP magnetic map, aided by the geological information revealed that a good correlation between the known gold and base metals locations and the regions of mineralization that are generated by the proposed technique. Besides, additionally locations of gold and base metals deposits were found on the generated map. These new locations are suggestive of where the mineralization may occur. The derived locations of these mineralization are aligned along definite trends, which are arranged according to their magnitude and importance as NNE-SSW, NW-SE, NNW-SSE, E-W and NE-SW directions. Serpentine rocks and their contacts with the surrounding rocks could be considered valuable as gold mineralization zones of economic importance and are considered as significant targets for follow-up and ground investigations.     

A hydrogeophysical investigation of the Ain Mousa area, near Cairo, Egypt

The aim of this study was to determine the depth of the water-bearing strata in the Ain Mousa area and the source of the recharge. Five geophysical profiles were acquired and analyzed at four field stations. The interpretation of the geophysical data indicates that the study area consists of four geological units belonging to the Maadi Formation. The main water flows are through the intersection of two faults trending NW–SE and W–E. The hydrological studies included a hydrochemical analysis which indicated that the water is geologically recent and slightly saline.      

GIS-Based Groundwater Management Model for Western Nile Delta

The limited availability of renewable fresh water is a major constraint on future agriculture and urban development in Egypt. The main water resource that Egypt has been depending on is the River Nile. Nowadays, the role of groundwater is steadily increasing and will cover 20% of the total water supply in the coming decades especially in the reclaimed areas along the desert fringes of the Nile Delta and Valley. Abstraction from groundwater in Egypt is dynamic in nature as it grows rapidly with the expansion of irrigation activities, industrialization, and urbanization. One of these areas is the Western Nile Delta in which the groundwater is exploited in many localities. To avoid the deterioration of the aquifer system in this area, an efficient integrated and sustainable management plan for groundwater resources is needed. Efficient integrated and sustainable management of water resources relies on a comprehensive database that represents the characteristics of the aquifer system and modeling tools to achieve the impacts of decision alternatives. In this paper, a GIS-based model has been developed for the aquifer system of the Western Nile Delta. The GIS provides the utilization of analytical tools and visualization capabilities for pre-and post-processing information involved in groundwater modeling for the study area. The developed model was calibrated for steady state and transient conditions against the historical groundwater heads observed during the last 20 yr. The calibrated model was used to evaluate groundwater potentiality and to test two alternative management scenarios for conserving the aquifer system in Western Nile Delta. In the first scenario, reducing the surface water inflow while increasing the annual abstraction from groundwater by about 450 million m³ and improving the irrigation system could increase the net aquifer recharge by about 5.7% and reduce the aquifer potentiality by about 91%. Constructing a new canal as a second management scenario could increase the annual aquifer potentiality by about 23%. The GIS-based model has been proven to be an efficient tool for formulating integrated and sustainable management plan.     

Sand Transport in Nile River, Egypt

Measurements of bed-load and suspended-load transport rates were carried out successfully at four cross sections of the Nile River, in Egypt, along the entire length from Aswan to Cairo using a mechanical sampler called the Delft Nile Sampler. The measured transport rates were compared to similar data sets from two other large scale rivers: the Rhine-Waal River in the Netherlands and the Mississippi River in the USA. The bed-load transport rates in the Nile River and in the Rhine-Waal River are in very good agreement. Comparison of suspended transport rates in the Nile River and in the Mississippi River shows that both data sets are complementary, revealing a very consistent trend of suspended transport against current velocity; suspended transport is roughly proportional to (Vav)3?to?4. Three formulas for the prediction of bed-load transport were tested using the Nile data: Meyer-Peter–Muller, Bagnold, and Van Rijn. The prediction formula of Van Rijn produced significantly better results than the other two formulas; the average relative error was about 60%. The formula of Van Rijn was modified to extend it to conditions with slightly nonuniform sediment mixtures by introducing a correction factor for the bed shear parameter. Based on a limited number of flume experiments, the correction factor was found to be dependent on the characteristics of the sediment mixture (d10, d50, d90, and σg). Comparison of bed-load transport measured in the Nile River with computed transport rates of the modified formula showed improved results; the average relative error decreased to about 30%. The formulas of Bagnold and Van Rijn were also used to compute the suspended transport rates in the Nile River. The computed transport rates were found to be within a factor of 2 of measured values; the formula of Bagnold performed slightly better. The total load transport formula of Engelund–Hansen was also successfully used (computed values within a factor of about 2 of measured values).     

埃及技术法规标准体系及其特点

本文通过剖析埃及的进出口贸易概况、法律法规和标准体系,总结其体系特点,以期为从事中埃经贸合作的企业和机构提供快捷便利的技术指导。     

Source input and maturation assessments of oil families depending on specific and gross geochemical aspects of crude oils from Bakr oilfields in the central Gulf of Suez,Egypt

Different analytical techniques, including API gravity; sulfur–nickel–vanadium contents; liquid chromatographic separation; and gas chromatography, were utilized to investigate oil families of three crude oils collected from Bakr oilfield of middle-lower Miocene age and characterized by limestone facies at various depth locations in the central Gulf of Suez. These geochemical aspects were used to assess source input and maturation of oil families. The results showed that the studied oils indicate a close genetic relationship between studied crude oils, and classified as aromatic intermediate oils. These types of oils are characterized by mature sources derived mainly from marine inputs such as biomass from algae and plankton from different saline environments.