Due to the inherent hazardous characteristics associated with dolomite and development on dolomite, quantification of the stability attributes related to dolomite is essential. In large parts of South Africa, development on dolomite is inevitable due to the location thereof. The purpose of this study is to define an implementation framework for decision-making with regards to development on dolomite. The decision-making process is based on a dolomite stability investigation conducted by AGES North West (AGES, 2012) within Sarafina, Ikageng. The results from this study are interpreted by means of a decision support system that is based on the geo-environmental setting of the study area and the geotechnical properties related to the subsurface profile. This includes but is not limited to: Geo-environmental site conditions: • Drainage • Topography • Geophysical conditions • Regional geological conditions • Local geological conditions • Regional groundwater conditions • Local groundwater conditions Geotechnical stability of the dolomite based on the hazard characterisation and evaluation procedures: • Percussion drilling data • Receptacle development • Mobilisation agencies • Potential surface manifestation development space • Nature and mobilisation potential of the blanketing layer • The bedrock morphology These parameters are all inter-related and affect each other in various ways. During the study the importance of site specific observations and interpretations are emphasized. / Thesis (MSc (Environmental Sciences))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Due to the inherent hazardous characteristics associated with dolomite and development on dolomite, quantification of the stability attributes related to dolomite is essential. In large parts of South Africa, development on dolomite is inevitable due to the location thereof. The purpose of this study is to define an implementation framework for decision-making with regards to development on dolomite. The decision-making process is based on a dolomite stability investigation conducted by AGES North West (AGES, 2012) within Sarafina, Ikageng. The results from this study are interpreted by means of a decision support system that is based on the geo-environmental setting of the study area and the geotechnical properties related to the subsurface profile. This includes but is not limited to: Geo-environmental site conditions: • Drainage • Topography • Geophysical conditions • Regional geological conditions • Local geological conditions • Regional groundwater conditions • Local groundwater conditions Geotechnical stability of the dolomite based on the hazard characterisation and evaluation procedures: • Percussion drilling data • Receptacle development • Mobilisation agencies • Potential surface manifestation development space • Nature and mobilisation potential of the blanketing layer • The bedrock morphology These parameters are all inter-related and affect each other in various ways. During the study the importance of site specific observations and interpretations are emphasized. / Thesis (MSc (Environmental Sciences))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:54:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 HenriqueESJ_DISSERT.pdf: 2276538 bytes, checksum: 0cc10bf0d3c39c0a748fc4d563b4c50e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-02-23 / The aim of the paper is to carry out a geo-environmental characterization of Apodi District, in Rio Grande do Norte State, as a support to agro-ecological zoning studies on that region. The first methodology action was to accomplish a comprehensive bibliography review on the subject, followed by observation of satellite images and their processing throughout geographic information systems (SIG), as well as technical visits to various places in order to verify in loco the preset conditions of the soil and the environmental degradation problems in those areas. The paper also presents data about the socio-economy and physic-natural local aspects of the land, required to the implementation of zoning studies which are one the most important tool to the planning and organization of the use of the soil containing a sustainable cattle-raising activity. As a result, thematic maps describing the physic-natural features and analysis of the socio-environment data, indispensable to the agro-ecological zoning, have been provided / Este trabalho objetivou a caracteriza??o geoambiental do munic?pio de Apodi, Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, como subs?dio para estudos de zoneamento agroecol?gico dessa regi?o. S?o apresentados dados acerca da socioeconomia local e dos aspectos f?sico-naturais da paisagem necess?rios a elabora??o do zoneamento, uma das principais ferramentas para organiza??o do uso do solo com uma atividade agropecu?ria sustent?vel. Como metodologia, foi efetuada uma revis?o bibliogr?fica, observa??o de imagens de sat?lite e seu processamento por sistemas de informa??es geogr?ficas (SIG) e visitas t?cnicas ?s diversas paisagens da ?rea, para a verifica??o, in loco, das condi??es de utiliza??o atual do solo e observa??o de problemas de degrada??o ambiental nessas ?reas. Como resultados, foram elaborados mapas tem?ticos dos atributos f?sico-naturais e an?lise dos dados socioambientais de interesse para o zoneamento agroecol?gico