Research Projects - Study of Active Faults in Houston Area
Over 300 active faults intersect the earth's surface in the Houston Metropolitan area on the northern edge of the Gulf of Mexico basin. These surface faults have caused damage to roads, pipelines and buildings. We used LiDAR data and mapped faults in the Harris County. Hill-shading proved the best method for identifying faults that were then examined in the field. Using these techniques we have interpreted the locations of both known and candidate active surface faults in the Houston area.
We are building on our initial work and expanding the Lidar work to Fort Bend County and conducting shallow high resolution multichannel & multicomponent seismic and Ground Penetrating Radar surveys over both known and potential faults. Fixed GPS stations data from Houston-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District is also utilized as a control on subsidence and uplift values.
These studies are contributing to the understanding of the neotectonics of the Gulf Coast region and helping in natural hazard mitigation in Houston area which in turn could be applied in other urban areas.
Publications
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Engelkemeir R., and Khan S. D.
"Near
Surface Geophysical Studies of Houston Faults
." The Leading Edge, 26 (8), 1004-1008. -
Engelkemeir R., and Khan S. D. "LiDAR Mapping
of Faults in Houston, Texas, USA." Geosphere, 4(1), 170-182.
Abstracts
- Ramirez, C., Engelkemeir, R., and and Khan, S. D. 2008. Study of Active Surface Faults in Fort Bend County, Texas, USA.
- Engelkemeir, R. M., Khan, S. D., 2007. Active surface faults, a manifestation of Houston area neotectonics. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 39(6), 440.
- Ramirez, C. R., Khan, S. D., and Engelkemeir, R. M., 2007. IFSAR and Lidar studies to estimate the rate of displacement for active faults in Houston, Texas, USA. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, 39(6), 121.
- Engelkemeir, R., Khan, S. D., 2006. Norman, C. Mapping active faults in the Houston area using lidar. Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies, 56th annual convention, Search and Discovery #90056; 1-7.
- Engelkemeir, R. M., Khan, S. D., 2006. Norman, C., Mapping Active Faults in the Houston Area Using LIDAR Data. AAPG annual convection.
Theses/Dissertations
- Engelkemeir, R. M., 2008. Evaluating Houston area neotectonics using remote sensing techniques. Ph.D., Dissertation, University of Houston.
