ASSESSMENT OF ACTIVE TECTONICS FROM ALTERITES AND GEOMORPHIC INDICES IN A PART OF THE CRYSTALLOPHYLLIAN BASEMENT OF GRANDE KABYLIE (NORTHERN ALGERIA), IMPACT ON LANDSLIDES
Mohamed KACIMI1*, Chaouki BENABBAS2, & Nabil MANCHAR3
1Department of Geology Sciences, Constantine 1, Frères Mentouri university, Campus Zouaghi Slimane, Constantine 25000, Algeria; kacimi.mohamed@umc.edu.dz
2Territory Planning Research Center (CRAT), Campus Zouaghi Slimane, Constantine 25000, Algeria; chaoukibenabbas03@gmail.com
3Department of Geology Sciences, University of Larbi Ben M’hidi - Oum El Bouaghi 04000, Algeria; manchar.nabil@univ-oeb.dz
*Corresponding author: kacimi.mohamed@umc.edu.dz
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Abstract
DOI: 10.26471/cjees/2026/021/354
The evaluation of active tectonics in a crystallophyllian basement context is of scientific interest because these terrains record polyphase deformations and exhibit some of the most complex structures that can be observed. In Grande Kabylie, an integral part of the internal domain of the Maghrebides chain, the initial structural anisotropy of the basement formations (schistosity and foliation) is intersected by other discontinuities of tectonics origin, and their geometry is strongly affected by the regional geological heritage. Neotectonics are constantly modifying the relief of the terrain, causing changes in the organization and hierarchy of the hydrographic network and in the geomorphological evolution of the region. The tectonics processes resulting from the convergence of the African and Eurasian plates generate active deformations causing variable uplifts in the relief. The crystallophyllian formations in the study area are also exposed to intense weathering and natural hazards (landslides and floods). We therefore present a new approach to assessing active tectonics in anisotropic metamorphic terrain. It consists of correlating alterites (alloterites and isalterites) and the relative tectonic activity index (Iat) derived from geomorphic indices, namely the basin shape index (Bs), the hypsometric integral (Hi), the stream length gradient (SL), the mountain front sinuosity (Smf), the basin asymmetry factor (Af) and the valley floor width to valley height ratio (Vf). The results obtained from the multi-criteria analysis of these indices using GIS and the correlation with alterites and field surveys corroborate the values of the relative tectonic activity index (Iat) obtained, thus validating the usefulness of the method as a tool for assessing neotectonics.
Keywords:
- Grande
- Kabylie
- Ain
- El
- Hammam
- Alterites
- Isalterites
- Alloterites
- Maghrebides
- Geomorphic
- indices
How to cite
Mohamed KACIMI, Chaouki BENABBAS, & Nabil MANCHAR (2026). ASSESSMENT OF ACTIVE TECTONICS FROM ALTERITES AND GEOMORPHIC INDICES IN A PART OF THE CRYSTALLOPHYLLIAN BASEMENT OF GRANDE KABYLIE (NORTHERN ALGERIA), IMPACT ON LANDSLIDES, Carpathian Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, February 2026, Vol. 21, No. 1, p. 81 – 94; https://doi.org/10.26471/cjees/2026/021/354