Ram BEN-DAVID

Languages: Hebrew, French & English

MAIN OCCUPATIONS:

1. Consultant on geological engineering and environmental issues including earthquake hazards, geomorphological and soil problems. 

2. Mine geologist for the building industry.

EDUCATION:

# APh.D. student in the Institute of Earth Sci., Hebrew U., Jerusalem. My thesis focuses on the environmental changes in the desert border during the Late Pleistocene-Holocene, as reflected from the geological record of the Nizanna-Lavan area. The study reconstruction the hydrological and tectonic activities during this period.

# 1986-1991- MSc.- Dep. Geology & Mineralogy, Ben-Gurion U. My thesis deals with the understanding of the evolution of Makhtesh Ramon (Ramon erosional Cirque) including its drainage patterns and the tectonic changes. 

#1980-1983- BSc.- Earth Sci.. Ins., Hebrew U., Jerusalem.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS:

Course of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)- under the supervision of

Prof. Y. Avnimelech, TECHNION, the Division of Continuing Education and External Studies (1996).

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

# Since August 1992- An independent free-lance environmental and engineering geologist. My clients include- 

(1) The Electric Company of Israel.

(2) The Israel Land Authorities; 

(3) The Ted-Arison Inv. Group;

(4) The Nature Reserve Authority;

(5) Soil and Foundation Engineers

I am also included in the consultant list of the Ministries of Infrastructure,the Water Commission of Israel, Ministry of Environment, Bureau of Public Infrastructure Constructions (MA’AZ).

# Examples of projects I conducted:

a. A geological-geomorphological mapping of the NW Negev (Israel) and its seismic potential for a newNuclear Power Station(an under going project).

b. Geo-technical surveyfor the LPG pipeline design and examination ofalternatives routs between Ashqelon and Rishon LeZion (ShafDan) (an under going project).

c. Geotechnical surveys for a new neighborhoods on different lithologies and topographies all over the country. Partly with emphasizing on problems of land slides and earthquakes, Such as: Har Yona (Nazareth), Tiberia,Carmel, Modiin, Bet-Shemesh area, Dimona, Elat (areas along and influenced by the Dead Sea Rift Valley which area known by their earthquake potential). 

d. Geotecnical problems for road constructions: (1) 10 m deep excavations for Road #6; (2) Road #446 deep excavations and its slope stabilities.

e. Problems along the Medit. coast cliffs and way to improve its stability (see paper list). Member in the Medit. Coast commity of the Bureau of Invironment.

f. The dune fields along the Mediterranean coast- Geological surveys, including the mapping, its mineralogical and chemical properties. Also focusing on the relationship between the dune field and the water-table.

g. The Barnea Kurkar ridge- A geological survey, including mapping, its mineralogical and chemical properties. Also focusing on the relationship between the dune field and the water-table.

h. A EIA forLion new neighborhood, in a sensitive Biospher area (cooperation with Enosh- Environmental Systems).

i. Sderot, new Indus. Zone, a geo-hydrological survey as part of the EIA .

j. The salt mount of Har Sdom, near the Dead Sea- the Salt Cave stability.

k. Gypsum, dolomite and other ore materials in Makhtesh-Ramon, in the Jordan Valley and in Jordan- geological studies for mining purposes.

l. Mizpe-Ramon- a geological surveys for ornamental stones for the building industry .

m. Hasharon beaches (Shfaim-Gaash)- a geological course of the cliff's phenomena for the plained Hof HaSharon National Park (architect: S.Aaronson, Jerusalem).

# An employee of the Eng. David-David firm- following are some examples of projects I carried out:

a. EIA of the Nordia sand quarry, including the engineering design of its filling.

b. EIA of the Sharon beach, including the problematic ridge instability due to landslides and earthquake hazard.

c. The Atlit-Rift-Valley salt water canal- a preliminary geotechnical survey.

d. Slope stability- in various lithologies.

e. Geotechnical survey of many new neighborhood all over the country.

# 1980-1983- the geologist of Makhtesh-Ramon, National Geological Park ofthe Nature Reserve Authority, under the supervision of Prof. E. Mazor of the Weizman Institute.
 

PUBLICATIONS:

#Reviewed papers-

Ben-David, R., Eyal, Y, Zilberman E. and Bowman, 2000. Fluvial systems’response to a rift margin tectonics - an example from Makhtesh Ramon area,southern Israel. Geomorphology (manuscript) (see abstarct)

Ben-David, R. & David, D. 1998. Problems along the Israeli Mediterranean Coast (the case of the beach cliffs in the city of Netanya) and ways for improving its stability . 8th Congress of the Association of Engineering Geology and Environment (ENGEOL),Vancouver, p.1545-1550. (see abstract)

Greenbaum, N., Ben-David, R. & Lettis, W. 1998. Study of the geology, geomorphology and neotectonics in the lower Besor basin. Ann. Meet. Isr. Geol. Soc., Field Trips Guidebook, Mizpe Ramon, p: 27E-40E.

Ben-David, R., 1993. Stages in the Evolution of Landscape in theMakhtesh Ramon and Nahal NeqarotArea - Field Excursion.Is. J. Earth Sci.Vol. 42, No 3-4, p:189-196. 

Ben-David, R., 1992., The geology of the Beerot Oded and western Makhtesh Ramon areas and stages in the evolution of Makhtesh Ramon. A MSc Thesis, GIS/32/91, 127 p., in Heb., Eng. abs.

Ben-David, R., 1992. The Geology and Geomorphology of Har Oded Area.

In: Rozen, S.- "The Oded Site Investigations atTwo Early Islamic Pastoral Camps in the Central Negev". Beer-Sheva Monograph of the Dep. of Biblical and Ancient Studies, Ben-Gurion Univ. Press.

Ben-David, R., 1988. Stages in the Evolution of Makhtesh Ramon and its Drainage Pattern. Isr. J. Earth Sci., Vol: 37, Nos: 2-3, p: 125-136.

Ben-David, R., 1988.The Geology and Geomorphology of the Bsor Drainage System. In: Livne, A., "The Eshkol District- a landscape survey and field-trips". Nature Reserve Authority, p: 21-25. (in Heb).

Ben-David, R., 1988. The Evolution of Makhtesh Ramon. In: Bartov, Y.(ed.):"Geological Trips in the Makhtesh Ramon Area". The Geol. Soc. Ann. Meet., Mizpe-Ramon (in Heb.).

Ben- David, R.,1987 Stages in the Evolution of Makhtesh Ramon. in: Gerson, `R. (ed.):Workshop on Erosion, Transport and Deposition Processes with Emphasis on Semi- Arid and Arid Areas: "Late Cenozoic Morphotectonics and Effects on Climatic Changes in the Negev". 

I will be glad to provide any details and recommendations.