Geological study of a Mewoulou-Nkolbisson ductile strike-slip fault segment (Western Yaoundé, Cameroon): evidence of hazards related to structural landforms

The Mewoulou-Nkolbisson (Western Yaoundé-Cameroon) fault has been mapped in previous works from aerial images only. This paper aims at better describing this fault using satellite images and petrographic and structural features. The satellite images used are SRTM images, imported into ArcGIS 10.3.1....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Arabian journal of geosciences 2022, Vol.15 (10), Article 949
Main Authors: Metang, Victor, Tassongwa, Bernard, Emmanuel, Nomo Negue, Kenzo, Henri Appolinaire, Franck Bamou-Wandji, Steve, Domkam, Brigitte, Mboutchouang, Dior-Christelle, Mbakam, Diane Marilyn Nkamga, Kengne, Léa Grace Tene, Mouafo, Lucas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Corridors
Ductile fracture
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth science
Earth Sciences
Escarpments
Flooding
Fractures
Image filters
Landforms
Original Paper
Rocks
Satellite imagery
Slip
Spaceborne remote sensing
Structural analysis
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Summary:The Mewoulou-Nkolbisson (Western Yaoundé-Cameroon) fault has been mapped in previous works from aerial images only. This paper aims at better describing this fault using satellite images and petrographic and structural features. The satellite images used are SRTM images, imported into ArcGIS 10.3.1. After processing, the shaded relief was extracted and the images filtered to better appreciate the morphology and the constituent elements of the relief. Four main secondary fault corridors characterized by cataclasites were investigated along the scarps of the main fault. These cataclasites crop out in sub-lozengic shape in subvertical corridors. Microscopic observations of these rocks show that they are protocataclasites since the percentage of the fine matrix is less than 50%. From the structural analysis, the main fault is a ductile left lateral strike-slip fault–oriented NNW-SSE. The stresses that induced fractures are oriented NW–SE for σ1 and SW-NE for σ3. Regionally, the Mewoulou-Nkolsisson fault makes an angle of about 80° with the direction of the Sanaga fault. According to the Riedel model, this geometric arrangement suggests that the Mewoulou-Nkolbisson fault is an antithetic satellite fault to the dextral kinematic Sanaga fault. The study area presents steep slopes, rock blocks from fractures, and valleys along the fault. All these features constitute a risk of accident, burial, and flooding for the surrounding populations.
ISSN:1866-7511
1866-7538
DOI:10.1007/s12517-022-10244-w