Rock block monitoring of rapid salt weathering in southern Tunisia

Rectangular blocks of York Stone and of concrete placed on a sodium chloride sabkha in southern Tunisia for six years suffered very severe breakdown, thereby indicating the power of salt weathering as a process in sabkha environments.     

Distribution and formation of rock varnish in southern Tunisia

Field observations, chemical analysis, electron and light microscopy and radiolabelling experiments provide information on the characteristics, formation and distribution of Fe and Mn rock varnishes in southern Tunisia. Unstable rocks are not surface-coated, but when broken they commonly reveal internal microbial solution fronts. Stable rocks are coated in Fe, and more rarely Mn, rock varnishes. Radiolabelling indicates the presence of many respiring microbes on both Fe and Mn varnishes. Microscopy shows fungi and bacteria, both on the Fe varnishes and within the rock. Only rare, microcolonial fungi occur on Mn varnishes, suggesting that the microbes are within or beneath the varnish. The abundance of microorganisms supports a biogenic origin for rock varnishes. Different microbial communities appear to be involved in Fe and Mn varnish formation. Microbes appear to live beneath the surface of unstable rocks but coat stable rocks which cannot be penetrated, apparently to avoid u.v. light and desiccation. This explains the concentration of elements that form u.v. opaque minerals and clays. The origin of these elements is external to the substrate. These results suggest that rock varnish dating and paleoenvironmental techniques can be applied in southern Tunisia.     

Dating alluvial fan surfaces in Owens Valley,California, using weathering fractures in boulders

A wide range of sedimentological and geomorphological field research depends on the availability of accurate and detailed depositional age models. Although exposure dating techniques such as cosmogenic nuclide and luminescence dating are now widely available, they remain expensive and time‐consuming, and this frequently limits the density of age constraints and the resolutions of age models for many study areas. We present a simple and effective, field‐based approach for extending and correlating existing age models to un‐dated surfaces. In Owens Valley, California, we make use of detailed beryllium‐10 (¹⁰Be) chronologies reported for four different alluvial fan systems, to precisely calibrate the rate at which weathering fractures are enlarged in granitic surface boulders. We show that these fractures have widened at a time‐integrated rate of 1.05 ± 0.03 mm ka^?1 for at least 140 ka at this location, and this relationship can be represented by a linear regression that makes them ideal chronometers for surface dating. Our analysis offers a new approach to refining the uncertainties of both surface erosion rate and cosmogenic age estimates at this location. Ultimately, we integrate our observations to devise a robust age calibration for clast fracture widths in Owens Valley, and we demonstrate its application by estimating the ages of 27 additional local fan surfaces. We present an updated and extended stratigraphy for eight Sierra Nevada fan systems in total, with exceptional age control. This novel approach to dating sedimentary surfaces is inexpensive and easily applied in the field, and has the potential to significantly increase the temporal and spatial density of age constraints available for a particular study area. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Linking weathering and rock slope instability: non‐linear perspectives

Weathering is linked complexly to the erosion and evolution of rock slopes. Weathering influences both the strength of rock slopes and the stresses that act upon them. While weathering has often been portrayed in an over‐simplified way by those studying rock slope instability, in reality it consists of multiple processes, acting over different spatial and temporal scales, with many complex inter‐linkages. Through a demonstration of the sources of non‐linearities in rock slope weathering systems and their implications for rock slope instability, this paper proposes five key linkages worthy of further study. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effects of fire on rock weathering: some further considerations of laboratory experimental simulation

Fire in the natural environment is a widespread agent of geomorphological and biological change. Temperatures can exceed 1000°C. There is often a rapid rise from ambient conditions through a steep thermal gradient, promoting rock disintegration. Laboratory simulation studies have established that temperature changes which are representative of natural fires affect rock material properties, which can then be related to weathering susceptibility. This study extends previous work by more closely replicating the natural environment, (a) through the simulation of rainfall and (b) by encasing samples to reflect the exposure of a single rock face to a passing fire event. Rock samples collected on Cyprus were prepared and tested following previously reported procedures. Change in modulus of elasticity was monitored using a non-destructive ultrasonic method. The data corroborate previous work but with somewhat different degrees of change. The new results are more likely to be representative of natural conditions and real-world change. The rate of rock disintegration and effects such as case-hardening appear to be a function of rock thermal characteristics, material properties and environmental constraints such as diurnal temperature range. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental salt weathering of limestones in relation to rock properties

A total of 21 different types of British and European Mesozoic limestones have been subjected to simulated salt weathering using sodium sulphate (Na₂SO₄) with the following aims: assessment of the relative durabilities of different types of limestone; assessment of the importance of modulus of elasticity and other factors in affecting durability; and assessment of the use of impulse excitation techniques to monitor changes in rock modulus of elasticity. The rocks showed a wide spectrum of durabilities; while rocks with high values of modulus of elasticity, lower water absorption capacities, high densities and low salt uptakes tended to be durable, there were anomalies, the explanation for which probably lies in their pore structures. Non-destructive testing techniques showed that, although the more durable rocks failed to lose weight or to show visual signs of disintegration, their modulus of elasticity values did tend to decline, indicating a loss in strength. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new technique for non‐destructive field measurement of rock‐surface strength: an application of the Equotip hardness tester to weathering studies

Tafone‐like depressions have developed on the Aoshima sandstone blocks used for a masonry bridge pier in the coastal spray zone. A thin layer of partial granular disintegration was found on the surface in depressions. To evaluate quantitatively the strength of the thin weathered layer, the hardness was measured at the surface of the sandstone blocks using both an Equotip hardness tester and an L‐type Schmidt hammer. Comparison of the two testing results indicates that the Equotip hardness value is more sensitive in evaluating the strength of a thin layer of weathered surface rock than the Schmidt hardness value. By applying two methods, i.e. both the repeated impact method and the single impact method, the Equotip tester can evaluate the strengths of fresh internal and weathered surficial portions of rocks having a thin weathering layer. Comparison of the two strengths enables evaluation of strength reduction due to weathering. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Weathering of granite in Antarctica: I. Light penetration into rock and implications for rock weathering and endolithic communities

Where rocks are composed of translucent minerals, light penetrates the rock and, in so doing, impacts on the thermal conditions. Where minerals are not translucent all the heat transformation must be at the rock surface, and steep thermal gradients can occur. Where light does penetrate, a component of the incoming radiation is transformed to heat at differing depths within the rock, thereby decreasing the thermal gradient. Equally, light transmissive minerals facilitate endolithic communities, which can also play a role in rock weathering. The attribute of light transmission within rock and the impact this has on the resulting thermal conditions has not been considered within rock weathering studies. An attempt was made to monitor the amount of light penetrating the outer 2 mm of coarse granite under Antarctic summer conditions and to evaluate the thermal impact of this. It was found that the amount of light penetration at this site exceeded modeled or postulated values from biological studies and that it could significantly impact the thermal conditions within the outer shell of the rock. Although the resulting data highlighted a number of flaws in the experimental procedure, sufficient information was generated to provide the first assessment of the range of thermal responses due to light transmissive minerals in rock. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of the magnitude and frequency of debris‐flow events on the evolution of an alpine alluvial fan during the last two centuries: responses to natural and anthropogenic controls

The dynamics and the surface evolution of a post‐LGM debris‐flow‐dominated alluvial fan (Tartano alluvial fan), which lies on the floor of an alpine valley (Valtellina, Northern Italy), have been investigated by means of an integrated study comprising geomorphological field work, a sedimentological study, photointerpretation, quantitative geomorphology, analysis of ancient to modern cartography and consultation of historical documents and records. The fan catchment meteoclimatic, geological and geomorphological characteristics result in fast rates of geomorphic reorganization of the fan surface (2 km²). The dynamics of the fan are determined by the alternation of low‐return period catastrophic alluvial events dominated by non‐cohesive debris flows triggered by extreme rainstorms which caused aggradation and steepening of the fan and avulsion of its main channel, with periods of low to moderate streamflow discharge punctuated by low‐ to intermediate‐magnitude flood events, causing slower but steady topographic reworking. The most ancient parts of the fan surface date back at least to the first half of the 19th century, but most of the fan surface has been restructured after 1911, mainly during the debris‐flow‐dominated events of 1911 and 1987. Phases of rapid fan toe incision and fan degradation have been recognized; since the 1930s or 1940s, the Tartano fan has been subjected to a state of deep entrenchment and narrowing of the main trunk channel and distributary area. Post‐Little Ice Age climate change and present‐day surface uplift rates have been considered as possible explanations for the observed geomorphic evolution, but tectonic or climatic controls cannot account for the order of magnitude of the erosional pace. Anthropogenic controls plausibly override the natural ones: in particular, the building of a dam in the late 1920s, about 2 km upstream of the fan, seems to have triggered fan dissection, having altered the sediment discharge through sediment retention. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rock moisture measurements: techniques,results, and implications for weathering

Rock moisture is an important factor for the intensity and distribution of frost weathering processes. However, quantitative measurements are scarce, which is partly due to the lack of reliable measurement techniques. This paper presents five different techniques for obtaining rock moisture data. While collecting rock pieces and two‐dimensional geoelectric measurements allow determination of the spatial moisture distribution, the temporal variability can be derived from conductivity and time domain reflectometry records. Computer simulations, using rock properties and climatic records as input data, render it possible to clarify the important aspects that are responsible for the moisture distribution. It proved to be advisable to use several methods to check and validate the results. The results, obtained in study areas in the Bavarian Alps, make it clear that direct rainfall is the main source of rock moisture. The influence of snow is limited to the immediate vicinity of the snow fields and is not equally pronounced at different times and positions. Rock moisture levels are higher in summer than they are in winter, since in winter less water is supplied in liquid form. Northerly exposed rockwalls are generally more moist than those exposed in a southerly direction, which is due to the different insolation as well as to the wind direction during rainfall. In every position the rock is, on average, wetter on the inside than it is on the surface. This means that shallow frost cycles, as typical for south‐exposed sites, are not affecting weathering, since they take place at a depth level that is mostly dried out. Numerous spatial and temporal patterns of rockfall found in the same study areas can be explained through variations in rock moisture. Thus, the moisture content of the rock is considered to be one of the major controlling factors of the frost‐shattering rate. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evidence for freeze–thaw events and their implications for rock weathering in northern Canada

Discussions regarding weathering in cold environments generally centre on mechanical processes and on the freeze–thaw mechanism in particular. Despite the almost ubiquitous assumption of freeze–thaw weathering, unequivocal proof of interstitial rock water actually freezing and thawing is singularly lacking. Equally, many studies have used the crossing of 0 °C, or values close to that, as the basis for determining the number of ‘freeze–thaw events’. In order to assess the weathering regime at a site in northern Canada, temperatures were collected at the surface, 1 cm and 3 cm depth for sets of paving bricks, with exposures both vertical and at 45°, orientated to the four cardinal directions. Temperature data were collected at 1 min intervals for 1 year. These data provide unequivocal proof for the occurrence of the freezing and thawing of water on and within the rock (freeze–thaw events). The freeze event is evidenced by the exotherm associated with the release of latent heat as the water actually freezes. This is thought to be the ?rst record of such events from a ?eld situation. More signi?cantly, it was found that the temperature at which freezing occurred varied signi?cantly through the year and that on occasion the 1 cm depth froze prior to the rock surface. The change in freeze temperature is thought to be due to the chemical weathering of the material (coupled with on‐going salt inputs via the melting of snowfall), which, it is shown, could occur throughout the winter despite air temperatures down to ?30 °C. This ?nding regarding chemical weathering is also considered to be highly signi?cant. A number of thermal stress events were also recorded, suggesting that rock weathering in cold regions is a synergistic combination of various chemical and mechanical weathering mechanisms. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Groundwater recharge through an alluvial fan in the Atacama Desert,northern Chile: mechanisms,magnitudes and causes

The Chacarilla fan in the Atacama Desert is one of several formed in the Late Miocene at the foot of the Pre‐Andean Cordillera overlying the large, complex, Pampa Tamarugal aquifer contained in the continental clastic sediments of the fore‐arc basin. The Pampa Tamarugal aquifer is a strategic source of water for northern Chile but there is continuing doubt over the resource magnitude and recharge. During January 2000 a 1 in 4 year storm in the Andes delivered a 34 million m³ flash flood to the fan apex where c. 70% percolated to the underlying aquifers. Groundwater recharge through the fan is calculated to be a minimum of 200 l/s or 6% of the long‐term catchment rainfall. These figures are supported by hydrochemical data that suggest that recharge may be 9% of long‐term rainfall. Isotopic data suggest groundwater less than 50 years old is transmitted westward through the permeable sheetflood sediments of the fan overlying the main aquifer. Analysis of this and other events shows that the hydrological system is non‐linear with positive feedback. The magnitude of groundwater recharge is dependent on climatic variations, antecedent soil moisture storage and changes in channel characteristics. Long‐term declines in groundwater level may partly result from climatic fluctuations and the causes of such fluctuations are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Contrasting weathering rates in coastal,urban and rural areas in southern Britain: preliminary investigations using gravestones

Weathering rates were calculated using the height differences between lead lettering on marble gravestones from inland urban, inland rural, coastal urban and coastal rural sites within southern Britain. All sites exhibit similar amounts and variations in rainfall over the study period for which gravestone measurements are available. Comparison of mean weathering rates suggested that the coastal urban site of Clacton had a similar weathering rate to the nearby coastal rural site. The other urban sites of Oxford, Lodge Hill and Portsmouth had similar weathering rates, despite their diverse locations and histories. The inland rural site had a significantly lower mean weathering rate than any other site. Analysis of covariance confirms that there are similarities between some sites. Linear and curvilinear regression of depth of loss against age suggests that a linear regression adequately describes the relationship over the period for which data are available, although there are problems with this simple interpretation. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evidence for freeze–thaw events and their implications for rock weathering in northern Canada: II. The temperature at which water freezes in rock

Many undertakings have used either a single value or a narrow window of temperatures as a threshold for the freezing of water within rock. These temperatures vary from 0 to ?5 C, with most windows being in the range ?1 to ?4 C. Based on thermal data, these thresholds are commonly used to ‘count’ the number of freeze–thaw events as a basis for determining freeze–thaw weathering. Data collected from northern Canada indicate that the temperature at which freezing occurs can vary substantially, even for the same site. Using exotherm and zero curtain observations from bricks, at angles of 90 and 45, aligned to the four cardinal aspects, the various temperatures at which water froze are shown. Bricks on the north and east commonly did exhibit freezing, based on exotherms, within the window ?1 to ?5 C, while data for the south and west aspects showed substantial variation, with freezes sometimes between ?6·4 and ?8·9 C. The data were evaluated for evidence of zero curtain effects (indicative of water freezing), but no unequivocal events could be found, and it is suggested that, at the scale of observation used here, they are unlikely. It would therefore appear that the use of thermal thresholds may not be meaningful for evaluation of freeze–thaw events. The available data also indicate many instances when temperatures went substantially sub‐zero (e.g. ?20 C) and yet no indication of water freezing occurred – most likely because there was no water available to freeze. This indicates that any form of freeze–thaw event counting, in the absence of some indicator of the presence of water and that it actually froze, is flawed, as thermal conditions alone are not adequate to indicate the occurrence or not of actual freeze–thaw weathering events. These data suggest that evaluations of freeze–thaw occurrence based simply on thermal thresholds may be substantially in error. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Field evidence for the influence of weathering on rock erodibility and channel form in bedrock rivers

Erosion processes in bedrock‐floored rivers shape channel cross‐sectional geometry and the broader landscape. However, the influence of weathering on channel slope and geometry is not well understood. Weathering can produce variation in rock erodibility within channel cross‐sections. Recent numerical modeling results suggest that weathering may preferentially weaken rock on channel banks relative to the thalweg, strongly influencing channel form. Here, we present the first quantitative field study of differential weathering across channel cross‐sections. We hypothesize that average cross‐section erosion rate controls the magnitude of this contrast in weathering between the banks and the thalweg. Erosion rate, in turn, is moderated by the extent to which weathering processes increase bedrock erodibility. We test these hypotheses on tributaries to the Potomac River, Virginia, with inferred erosion rates from ~0.1 m/kyr to >0.8 m/kyr, with higher rates in knickpoints spawned by the migratory Great Falls knickzone. We selected nine channel cross‐sections on three tributaries spanning the full range of erosion rates, and at multiple flow heights we measured (1) rock compressive strength using a Schmidt hammer, (2) rock surface roughness using a contour gage combined with automated photograph analysis, and (3) crack density (crack length/area) at three cross‐sections on one channel. All cross‐sections showed significant (p < 0.01 for strength, p < 0.05 for roughness) increases in weathering by at least one metric with height above the thalweg. These results, assuming that the weathered state of rock is a proxy for erodibility, indicate that rock erodibility varies inversely with bedrock inundation frequency. Differences in weathering between the thalweg and the channel margins tend to decrease as inferred erosion rates increase, leading to variations in channel form related to the interplay of weathering and erosion rate. This observation is consistent with numerical modeling that predicts a strong influence of weathering‐related erodibility on channel morphology. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rock albedo and monitoring of thermal conditions in respect of weathering: some expected and some unexpected results

Broadly speaking, there is, at least within geomorphic circles, a general acceptance that rocks with low albedos will warm both faster and to higher temperatures than rocks with high albedos, reflectivity influencing radiative warming. Upon this foundation are built notions of weathering in respect of the resulting thermal differences, both at the grain scale and at the scale of rock masses. Here, a series of paving bricks painted in 20 per cent reflectivity intervals from black through to white were used to monitor albedo‐influenced temperatures at a site in northern Canada in an attempt to test this premise. Temperatures were collected, for five months, for the rock surface and the base of the rock, the blocks being set within a mass of local sediment. Resulting thermal data did indeed show that the dark bricks were warmer than the white but only when their temperatures were equal to or cooler than the air temperature. As brick temperature exceeded that of the air, so the dark and light bricks moved to parity; indeed, the white bricks frequently became warmer than the dark. It is argued that this ‘negating’ of the albedo influence on heating is a result of the necessity of the bricks, both white and black, to convect heat away to the surrounding cooler air; the darker brick, being hotter, initially convects faster than the white as a product of the temperature difference between the two media. Thus, where the bricks become significantly hotter than the air, they lose energy to that air and so their respective temperatures become closer, the albedo influence being superceded by the requirement to equilibrate with the surrounding air. It is argued that this finding will have importance to our understanding of weathering in general and to our perceptions of weathering differences between different lithologies. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The use of the Schmidt Hammer and Equotip for rock hardness assessment in geomorphology and heritage science: a comparative analysis

Rapid, field‐based measurements of rock hardness are of use in investigating many geomorphological and heritage science problems. Several different methods are now available for taking such measurements, but little work has been done to assess their comparability and strengths and weaknesses. We review here the capabilities of two types of Schmidt Hammer (Classic N type and Silver Schmidt BL type) alongside two types of Equotip (standard type D and Piccolo) for investigating rock hardness in relation to rock weathering on various types of sandstone and limestone, as well as basalt and dolerite. Whilst the two Schmidt hammers and the two Equotips show comparable results when tested at 15 individual sites, interesting differences are found between the Equotip and Schmidt Hammer values which may reveal information about the nature of weathering on different surfaces. Operator variance is shown to be an issue in particular for the Equotip devices, which also exhibit higher variability in measurements and necessitate larger sample sizes. Carborundum pre‐treatment also has varying effects on the data collected, depending on the nature of the surface studied. The Equotip devices are shown to be particularly useful on smaller blocks and in situations where edge effects may affect Schmidt Hammer readings. We conclude that whilst each device contributes to geomorphological research, they do not necessarily produce comparable information. Indeed, using Schmidt Hammer and Equotip in combination and looking at any differences in results may provide invaluable insights into the structure of the near‐surface zones and the nature of weathering processes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measurements and calculations of seasonal evaporation rate from bare sandstone surfaces: Implications for rock weathering

Evaporation from porous rock plays an important role in weathering processes. In the case of salt weathering, the evaporation rate controls supersaturation of salt solutions within pores and the amount of precipitated aggressive salts, therefore weathering occurs mostly in places with intense evaporation. Evaporation also strongly affects frost, hydric and biogenic weathering, as these are influenced by water content and its temporal changes. Despite its importance, evaporation from porous rocks has seen little scientific focus. We present a study on evaporation from bare sandstone, one of the most common rocks affected by weathering. A new method that measures the evaporation rate from the surfaces of sandstone samples under field microclimate was developed and tested. Also, a simple calculation of 1D evaporation rate from bare sandstone surfaces based on Fick's law of diffusion is presented. The measurement was performed using sandstone cores (with a set depth of the vaporization plane) in a humid continental climate and measured on a roughly monthly interval for about 1 year. For the calculations, a laboratory-measured water-vapour diffusion coefficient of the sandstone, in-situ seasonally measured vaporization plane depth, and values of air humidity and temperature were used. The sensitivity analyses showed that the most important factor controlling the evaporation rate was the vaporization plane depth, while seasonal and spatial changes of air humidity and temperature were of lesser importance. The calculated evaporation rate reasonably follows measured values. For its simplicity and the small number of parameters required, the proposed method has the potential to improve knowledge of weathering and living conditions of endolithic and epilithic organisms. Further research should focus on factors affecting the evaporation rate (wind, hygroscopicity, hydrophobicity, etc.) to improve the accuracy of the calculations, as well as to test the applicability of the method for other lithologies and climates. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geomorphic response to late Quaternary tectonics in the axial portion of the Southern Apennines (Italy): A case study from the Calore River valley

The present study focuses on the morphotectonic evolution of the axial portion of the Southern Apennine chain between the lower Calore River valley and the northern Camposauro mountain front (Campania Region). A multidisciplinary approach was used, including geomorphological, field‐geology, stratigraphical, morphotectonic, structural, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar and tephrostratigraphical data. Results indicate that, from the Lower Pleistocene onwards, this sector of the chain was affected by extensional tectonics responsible for the onset of the sedimentation of Quaternary fluvial, alluvial fan and slope deposits. Fault systems are mainly composed of NW‐SE, NE–SW and W‐E trending strike‐slip and normal faults, associated to NW‐SE and NE–SW oriented extensions. Fault scarps, stratigraphical and structural data and morphotectonic indicators suggest that these faults affected the wide piedmont area of the northern Camposauro mountain front in the Lower Pleistocene–Upper Pleistocene time span. Faults affected both the oldest Quaternary slope deposits (Laiano Synthem, Lower Pleistocene) and the overlying alluvial fan system deposits constrained between the late Middle Pleistocene and the Holocene. The latter are geomorphologically and chrono‐stratigraphically grouped into four generations, I generation: late Middle Pleistocene–early Upper Pleistocene, with tephra layers ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dated to 158±6 and 113±7 ka; II generation: Upper Pleistocene, with tephra layers correlated with the Campanian Ignimbrite (39 ka) and with the slightly older Campi Flegrei activity (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age 48±7 ka); III generation: late Upper Pleistocene–Lower Holocene, with tephra layers correlated with the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (~15 ka); IV generation: Holocene in age. The evolution of the first three generations was controlled by Middle Pleistocene extensional tectonics, while Holocene fans do not show evidence of tectonic activity. Nevertheless, considering the moderate to high magnitude historical seismicity of the study area, we cannot rule out that some of the recognized faults may still be active. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Saltwater intrusion modelling in Jorf coastal aquifer,South‐eastern Tunisia: geochemical,geoelectrical and geostatistical application

Marine intrusion is the most serious problem facing the coastal Jorf shallow aquifer, located in south‐eastern Tunisia on the Mediterranean Sea. Jorf Aquifer is intensively exploited to supply the growing needs of agriculture and domestic sectors. This work proposes a multidisciplinary investigation, involving hydro‐geochemical, geoelectrical survey and geostatistical techniques for modelling the saltwater intrusion. For this purpose, 36 water samples were conducted and analysed. Electric conductivity, pH, total dissolved solids and major ions were measured and analysed. Pie and Durov Diagrams, Q‐mode hierarchical cluster and geostatistical analysis were considered to identify the main groundwater mineralization processes. Results revealed that the Na‐Cl‐Ca‐SO₄ is the dominant water type suggesting that dissolution of halite and gypsum was the main mineralization source of groundwater in the central and southern part of study area. However, saltwater intrusion was shown to control groundwater quality essentially in coastal areas. Variographic analyses were used to select the variographic model that best fits the spatial development of apparent resistivity. Kriged apparent resistivity profiles showed an abnormal decrease of resistivity values in the coastal zone, implying highly saline water because of seawater intrusion. Apparent resistivity values also decrease considerably in the faulted areas, suggesting a contribution of faults to seawater intrusion. Finally, saltwater mixing ratio was computed for each sample, and a refined seawater intrusion map was developed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.