This research work assessed the gully erosion susceptibility of Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria using the GIS-based multi-criteria evaluation approach. The objectives were to identify susceptible areas, examine and evaluate the causes as well as the impacts and recommend possible control measures. The multi-criteria evaluation approach of pairwise comparison by Analytical Hierarchy Process was used to calculate and assign criteria weights to the 5 erosion factors. The pairwise comparison matrix was tested using Saaty Consistency Ratio to ensure accuracy. The five erosion controlling factors were analyzed in the GIS environment and prioritized as rainfall erosivity (R factor, 36%), soil erodibility (K factor, 30%), slope (LS factor, 19%), vegetative cover (C factor, 9%) and conservation practice (P factor, 6%) in order of importance. The susceptibility map was produced and validated by ground truthing. Gully initiations are widespread in the study area. Dormant gullies at Umulu, Ihim and Amuro are well-vegetated with bambusa vulgaris. The active gullies at Elemaga-Ibere and Amaegbu-Ariam are within the moderate to high susceptible areas. The major anthropogenic causes of erosion in the study area include sand mining, bad farming practices, lumbering, poor drainage system and abandoned road constructions. The impacts included the destruction of roads and houses, isolation of communities, loss of farmlands and silting of streams. Tree planting and regrassing, engineering and structural designs to channel runoff, proper road design, improved farming practices and engaging in sensitization of all stakeholders targeted on early stage preventive measures were recommended. The GIS-based multi-criteria evaluation approach has proved both useful and effective in the mapping of gully erosion susceptibility in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria.

Urban development in wetland ecosystems for human settlement, transport networks, exploration /exploitation of natural resources, agriculture and industrial development is one of the biggest menace to wetland change and management. To estimate future urban expansion is very crucial for urban planners and environmental managers in fastest growing cities. This study aims to examine the saltwater/freshwater ecosystem and urban land use change in Port Harcourt metropolis, Nigeria. Sources of data for this study were acquired from a time series of landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Enhanced Thematic Mapper plus (ETM+) with Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) images were used to derive land use and land cover maps of the Port-Harcourt metropolis. This study revealed that both freshwater wetland and saltwater wetlands ecosystem occupied 46.99% (18837.1 Ha) of the total classes. This may be the result of wetland being in an undisturbed nature without any conversion or alteration for use. The urban land use change of Port-Harcourt metropolis had changed dramatically during the period of 29 years. The two wetlands (saltwater and freshwater wetland) sum up to a total of 40% (16497.5 Ha) which indicates that there is pressure on wetland use such as plant products harvested from fuel wood, human settlement, urban agriculture, sand dredging, sanitation, water pollution and industrial activities from oil companies within the metropolis. Efforts should be made to increase knowledge, sensitization, consultation, stakeholder’s participation and awareness on the wetlands values and wise use economy through dissemination of information, using appropriate techniques and training of adequate staff as well as the need for sound wetland policies, laws and legislation for sustainable use, management and control in conservation of wetland.

A paleontological research was conducted in Labuan in pursue of the foraminiferal species of benthic species. Fifteen mudstone samples from Temburong Formation were taken and successfully extracted an amount of benthic foraminifera. The Labuan Island is consists of two major depositional environment; deep-marine and shallow-marine environment, which is highly valuable geologically but the samples were all of Crocker Formation and Temburong Formation to investigate the fossils content of the turbidite sequence. The Temburong Formation comprises of mainly flysch deposit. All of the benthic foraminifers were processed and extracted accordingly using the standard paleontological method with additional method of adding 25ml to 30ml of Hydrogen peroxide. A total of 37 species were found and identified, consist of hyaline and agglutinated group. Thus, the Temburong Formation is considered as deep-sea deposition with the evidence of deep-marine agglutinated foraminifers assemblages ranging from bathyal to abyssal.

Lineament plays major role in stability and strength of rock mass. The presence of lineaments will decrease the strength of rock mass. Lineament can be identified or trace using topographic map, aerial photographs or satellite images. In this research, strength the slope-forming rock mass strength which are affected and non-effected by lineaments was determined by using scan line method. The purpose of this study was to determine the difference of rock mass strength in two difference conditions. A total of 5 rock slopes for each condition were determined. The studied rock slope is located in a former quarry site in Kajang and Sg Long, Selangor, Malaysia. Analysis were done using rock mass rating (RMR). Result of the study show strength of the rock mass which are affected by the lineament is lower compared to those that are not affected by lineament.

Water treatment plants (WTP) produce copious quantities of solid waste in the form of sludge that is deteriorating water resources, agriculture lands and human health. It should be discarded properly but a grave issue is finding ecological solution for its ultimate disposal. This study will provide an idea of incorporating sludge into soil-cement bricks that are used for construction providing dual benefits: reducing amounts of sludge and introducing cheaper bricks. A sample of sludge was analyzed for chemical constituents, plasticity value, particle size and content of organic matter. Sludge bricks incorporating 10 % of waste material by weight were prepared. The quality of sludge bricks was evaluated in terms of mechanical and physical properties (compressive strength test, water absorption test and apparent density test). The obtained results have revealed that waste material is mostly composed of plastic and could be utilized for manufacturing of sludge bricks. The compressive strength and density of bricks reduced with increasing amounts of sludge. However, the compressive strength of the bricks could even meet the standard requirement.

Geoelectrical method is proven as an efficient method to identify and locate water bearing formation at Kg. Gana, Kota Marudu, Sabah. This study used Terrameter SAS 4000 to acquire the resistivity value. The study area is underlain by the Oligocene turbidite sequence, the Crocker Formation.

A study of effect of weathering grade on mechanical properties of rocks have been conducted on selected rock samples from Crocker Formation, Trusmadi Formation and peridotite on weathering grade II to V. The objective is to study on how weathering grade does able to alter the microfabric of rocks which affect to its mechanical properties. The increment of weathering grade does increase the percentage of microfractures, porosity and clay minerals formation which became the factor of rock weakness through the reduction of density, hardness and strength of the rock. By understanding this, it is easier to predict and estimate the strength of rock slope and slope failure occurrences. As conclusion, sandstones from Trusmadi Formation is the strongest compared to sandstones from Crocker Formation and peridotite with 187.06 – 2.48 MPa, 83.15 – 0.43 MPa and 125.27 – 20.92 MPa throughout weathering grade II to V, respectively.

The rocks exposed in the study area are carbonates of Lockhart Limestone. The carbonates are nodular, thin to thick bedded, fossiliferous with minor intercalcations of marl. The microfacies investigation was carried out in two different geological field sections based on field and petrographic data in the area. The carbonate microfacies are, Micritic Crystalline Carbonate Mudstone-Wackstone Micrifacie (LMF-1), Mixed Bioclastic Mudstone-Packstone Microfacies (LMF-2) and Benthic Foraminiferal wacke-Packstonet Microfacies (LMF-3). The recognized fossils are Algaes, Texularia, Tokhartia sp, Opperculina, Assilina sp, Nimmulites sp, Ranikothalia sp, Mascellena sp, Nodosaria and Milliolid. The deposition of limestone with larger benthic foraminifer took place. The large Foraminifera’s and dasycladacean algae in the rocks indicate shallow marine shelf environment. The carbonate microfacies suggested limestone deposition under clastic free shallow shelf conditions. The predominantly wackstone to packstone fabric nodularity in limestone and presence of fossils suggest deposition in shallow marine environment.

The Neogene sediments were interpreted to understand the clay mineral paragenesis in rocks using x-ray differaction technique. The process was conducted with an x-ray diffractometer, Anode = Cu (Cu Kᾳ = 1.541871 A? ), Filter = Ni, Current = 15 mA and Voltage = 35 kv. The clay mineral assemblages in the rocks indicates that the neogene sediments were derived from the preexisting sedimentary, metasedimentary, metamorphics and igneous rocks and formed in different climes in the continental environment. The illite crystallinity (IC) value (0.2165 Δ°2θ CuKα) in the area correspond exactly with the epizonal metamorphic conditions.

Rocks exposed in the study area are Kuldana Formation which is comprised of variegated color shale and sandstone. The model data of Kuldana sandstone exhibit average quartz 35%, feldspars 3%, rock fragments 20% and heavy minerals. The quartz grains are of igneous and metamorphic origin. Mineral quartz, feldspar, and rock fragments in the sandstone suggested an acidic plutonic and metamorphic provenance. Rock fragments are of sedimentary, volcanic and metamorphic rocks. The sedimentary grains include limestone, dolomite, quartzite, sandstone and siltstone. The volcanic rock fragments are of fine grained basalts. The metamorphic rock fragments are of slates and schists.
Heavy minerals include tourmaline, zircon, garnet, epidote, sphene and apatite. Hematite and calcite are the dominating cementing material with minor chlorite. The sandstone is classified as graywacke. The low modal proportion of quartz and high content of rock fragments indicates low degree of mineralogical maturity of the sandstone. The poor degree of sorting, angular to sub-angular framework constituents and abundance of matrix suggested that sandstone is texturally immature. The sutured quartz grains contacts, alteration of plagioclase to clay minerals and deformed muscovite indicate diagenetic changes in the sandstone at depth under pressure. The XRD analysis of shale show minerals chlorite thuringite, orthoclase, corrensite mica, illite, albite, smectite, saponite, montmorillonite, goethite, kaolinite, vermiculite, aragonite, calcite, quartz, siderite, muscovite, hematite, pyrite and dolomite. Recalculated value of quartz, clay and carbonates on ternary diagram shows that the clays are argillaceous. Quartz, orthoclase, albite and muscovite in the shale suggest acidic plutonic and metamorphic provenance.