Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences

The Cairo-Suez District, Egypt, is well known with its structural complexity which controlled the distribution of rock units as well as the configuration of many fault blocks. The present study deals with the structural architecture of Gebel Abu Treifiya SW, central part of Cairo-Suez District. The study area is represented by several fault blocks which are studied in detail in the present work. The exposed rock units are represented by the Middle Eocene and Upper Eocene rock units; also, Oligo-Miocene basalts are evident. Fieldwork and measurements revealed the presence of three main fault trends represented by NW-SE, WNW-ESE and NNW-SSE. In addition, the majority of the mapped faults are steeply dipping, having a dip values range from 65° to 80°. Interaction and linkage of rift-related normal faults has been studied and categorized depending on the geometry of linked faults as well as the mechanical stratigraphy of the encountered beds. The results revealed five types of transfer zones which belong to soft-linked or hard-linked faults. The findings of this research are valuable for understanding the geometry of different types of transfer zones at the subsurface or other outcrops related to rift tectonics.