Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie Vol.

55,3, 395–405 Article

published online July 2011

Morphotectonic study of Foussana trough

(central Tunisian Atlas):
new data of a Holocene neotectonic deformation

El Mabrouk Essid, Amor Bkhairi, Mohsen Rabhi, Mustapha Ben Haj Ali,
and Mohamed Raouf Karray

with 8 figures

Summary. In the “Foussana Trough”, area of the Central Tunisia, a morphostructural ana-
lysis allowed the identification of structural discontinuities that mainly correspond to
N-160- en- echelon normal faults. The organization of Quaternary deposits and the hydro-
graphic network structure have been widely influenced by the relative movements of these
faults. The seismicity recorded in the region of “Foussana” shows that these tectonic elements
are still active. These faults indicate a local distensive context that can be compatible with an
N-S active compression affecting the Atlas and Tell domain of Tunisia.

Key words: Tunisia, Trough, Neotectonic, Quaternary, Holocene, Geomorphology

Introduction

The troughs constitute a characteristic structural element of the eastern end of the
Atlas chain, in North Africa. These troughs that exist also at pelagic sea are generally
of NW-SE direction and are often relayed by other branches of E-W direction. They
are filled by a thick Neogene and Quaternary deposits (Zargouni & Rhuland 1981,
Ben Ayed 1986, Chihi 1984, 1988, 1995, Philip et al. 1986, Chihi & Ben Ayed 1991,
Dlala & Ben Ayed 1988, Rebai 1993).
In Tunisia, these troughs have been considered by Roumiguières & Uguet (1946),
Castany (1953) as being of Pliocene-Quaternary age. Subsequently, Chihi (1984),
Dlala (1984), Ben Ayed (1986), Philip et al. (1986) reinterpreted these structures in a
more regional geodynamic context. They have considered it as the consequence of the
NE-SW collision between Africa and Europe since the lower to middle Miocene.
This work aims to characterize the quaternary tectonic activity of the Foussana
trough and their effect on the spatio-temporal distribution of the sedimentary series
and the hydrographic network organization by using morphological and geological
approaches.

Regional setting

Located in Central Tunisia, the Foussana trough constitutes a vast NW-SE trending
depression, 27 km-long and 14 km-wide. This trough is perpendicular to two anti-
© 2011 Gebr. Borntraeger Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, Germany www.borntraeger-cramer.de
DOI: 10.1127/0372-8854/2011/0055 0372-8854/11/0055 $ 2.75
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E. M. Essid et al.

Fig. 1. Location map of study area. A. Structural sketch of Tunisia (Bouaziz et al. 2002), B. structural Sketch of Foussana and Kasserine troughs.
 Morphotectonic study of Foussana trough 397

forms: one is the Djebel Hamra and the other is the alignment of Djebel Semmama
and Djebel Chambi. It was carved by a hydrographic network that feeds the main
stream: Hatab Wadi (fig. 1).
The reliefs that dominate the Foussana trough show a series of Cretaceous age
that are structured as NE-SW trending folds disturbed by NS, NW-SE and E-W
trending faults.
Boarded by NW-SE faults, this trough offers a wide range of Quaternary facies
(encrusting, limestone, travertine, alluvia, colluviums, deposits with gypsum) attest-
ing of diverse sedimentary environments and successive paleoclimates. These series
were dated by various materials gathered from different prehistoric and historical
sites and by radiocarbon dating (Bkhairi & Karray 2008, Bkhairi 2009).

Methods and analyses

The morphostructural analysis was based on a digital elevation model extracted from
the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data; a hydrographic network digi-
tized from topographic maps at 1/50,000 scale and Landsat 7 etm+ satellite images
data. These analyses consist to highlight and characterize morphological anomalies
on each layer of data. Subsequently, a field work has involved stratigraphical and

Fig. 2. Structural geomorphological interpretation of 7-4-2 canal composite image of Land-

sat 7etm+.

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398 E. M. Essid et al.

structural study of the areas affected by these discontinuities. So litho-stratigraphic

analyzes and microtectonic measurements were performed to characterize those
identified structural elements and to define their contribution on the spatio-temporel
distribution of Quaternary deposits areas and the organization of the hydrographic
network.

Fig. 3. A. Digital elevation model of study area. B. Topographic profile of southern Foussana
trough.

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 Morphotectonic study of Foussana trough 399

The dating of Quaternary series was undertaken using the rich archaeological
data that are in the form of prehistoric sites, snails, remains of ancient buildings and
ceramic set of furniture. The archaeological material has occupied a variety of strati-
graphic positions; it has allowed us to date the Quaternary formations from the
Middle Pleistocene till the historical fillings. The chronology has been supported
by absolute dates conducted in the basin of Kasserine, a few kilometers downstream
from the study area (Molle & Brosche 1976, Medus & Laval 1997, Bkhairi &
Karray 2008, Bkhairi 2009).

Results and interpretations

Morphostructural analysis

The analysis and interpretation of composite images of channels 7, 4 and 2 of the

satellite Landsat 7 etm+ in the level of Foussana trough show a marked dissymme-
try in spectral signature in both sides of the main courses of Wadi Hatab (fig. 2).
North of the Wadi, affluent and tributaries provided three alluvial fans those are

Fig. 4. Hydrographic network of Foussana trough.

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easily identifiable: the fan of Gsab Wadi, the fan of Bireno Wadi and the fan of
Kmouda Wadi. To the South, a NW-SE trending organization in strap can be seen.
This structuration appears abnormal considering the evolution that led to respect the
global slope tendency of the trough where a filling silico-clastic facies is observed on
the border, as the case on the northern edge. To explain this anomaly, we attributed
these strap features to structural discontinuities.
The topographic analysis based on a shaded digital elevation model and topo-
graphic profile extracted from SRTM data showed altimetrical anomalies which coin-
cide with the structural discontinuities already suspected (fig. 3). These anomalies
located in the south part of Hatab Wadi are expressed by breaks in slope and linea-
ments of topographic denivellations. In the north part of the Wadi, as also seen in the
satellite image, the digital elevation model shows a normal evolution of the slope
without any notable disturbance.
The analysis of hydrographic network in the Foussana trough shows a differen-
tial density which depends on the lithological facies of the outcropping rocks. This
network is relatively dense to the NW side of the trough where a silty-clay series of
a Holocene age extends when it is sparse to SE where over Miocene clays outcrops.
The superposition of the hydrographic network map to the characterized structural
discontinuities shows a light distribution coincidence. The two most proximal dis-
continuities to the southern border of the trough correspond to an abrupt direction
change while the most distal is manifested by the stopping of some rivers that stretch
forming alluvial fans or alluvial streets (fig. 4).

Fig. 5. Paleo-chenal of Charchara Wadi showing the effect of quaternary fault in the organi-
zation of hydrographic network. A. Roman ceramics. B. Capsian artifacts.

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