Abstract: Wuhan Red Bed is a reddish colored sandstone bedrock that is widely distributed in the City of Wuhan area. The Wuhan Red Bed has the special planar distribution and the strata combination mode, as well as the lithologic properties. Further, the engineering and geological characteristics of this bedrock are; alternating of soft and hard lenses, varying degrees of cementation, a significant variation range of compressive strength, and relatively lacking groundwater, poor permeability and other hydrogeological characteristics, which, in turn, has a great impact on the engineering constructability. This paper evaluates a large number of recent subsurface investigation results and updates the plane distribution profile of Wuhan Red Bed rocks, as well as revealing the characteristics of vertical four instinct steps distributions and strata combination. The heterogeneity of material composition and strength, softening and dissolution properties of calcite-cemented Wuhan Red Bed rocks, which are induced by the change of sedimentary environment, are mainly elaborated. The first-hand data of the bearing capacity, deformation, acoustic wave velocity, and permeability of rock mass obtained from the in-situ and field tests are statistically analyzed. This paper provides important guiding significance for the investigation, design, and construction of foundations in the City of Wuhan.

Key words: wuhan red bed, spatial distribution, strata combination, lithologic characteristics, hydrogeological characteristics