Evaluation,repair and stabilization of the boling sinkhole

Abrupt ground subsidence occurred along FM 442, approximately 3 miles east of Boling, in Wharton County, Texas, in August 1983 The subsidence created a depression of approximately 250 feet in diameter with a maximum depth of about 25 feet. Roadway collapse, pavement breakage, and inundation of the sinkhole by subsurface waters forced the closure of FM 442 to thru-traffic The vicinity of the sinkhole is underlain, by alluvial deposits of the Colorado River drainage basin and unconsolidated Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene sediments to a depth of about 500 feet. The sediments consist largely of sand, silts, clays, and gravels. The Boling Salt Dome and its associated caprock occur directly beneath the section of unconsolidated sediments Major and minor axes of the dome are about 5 miles and 35 miles, respectively, and the sinkhole occurred approximately 1 mile east-northeast of the dome's center An investigation was conducted in the immediate area of the sinkhole to determine the cause of the subsidence and also to determine the feasibility of dewatering the sinkhole Four monitoring wells were installed around the perimeter to evaluate the potential recharge from shallow sand units Two 300-foot holes were drilled and geophysically logged to determine the stratigraphy adjacent to the sinkhole, and two slope indicators were installed in order to evaluate further earth movements A total of six million gallons of saline water were removed and disposed of from the sinkhole Based on information provided by the geologic and dewatering investigation, the Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation elected to fill the existing sinkhole and reconstruct the roadway A total of 3,500 cubic yards of rock borrow and 26,000 cubic yards of soil borrow were placed in the depression Construction began in February 1984, and the roadway was completed in May A monitoring program to evaluate subsequent earth movements will continue into 1985     

Spatial distribution, morphometry and activity of La Puebla de Alfindén sinkhole field in the Ebro river valley (NE Spain): applied aspects for hazard zonation

A highly active collapse sinkhole field in the evaporitic mantled karst of the Ebro river valley is studied (NE Spain). The subsidence is controlled by a NW-SE trending joint system and accelerated by the discharge of waste water from a nearby industrial state. The morphometry, spatial distribution and temporal evolution of the sinkholes have been analysed. The volume of the sinkholes yields a minimum estimate of average lowering of the surface by collapse subsidence of 46 cm. The clustering of the sinkholes and the tendency to form elongated uvalas and linear belts, in a NW–SE direction have a predictive utility and allow the establishment of criteria for a hazard zonation. With the precipitation record supplied by a pluviograph and periodic cartographic and photographic surveys the influence of heavy rainfall events on the triggering of collapses has been studied.     

基于地下水动力特征监测的岩溶塌陷预警阈值探索——以广州金沙洲岩溶塌陷为例

监测预警是岩溶塌陷地质灾害防治领域急需解决的技术难题。文章在总结当前岩溶塌陷监测预警研究现状的基础上,以广州金沙洲地区岩溶塌陷监测为例,通过对不同岩溶塌陷阶段地下水动力条件监测数据分析,发现数据异常值反映了不同工况地下水动态和岩溶塌陷发展阶段的突变关系,以此为基础,通过曲线拟合和残差分析确定了岩溶塌陷预警的置信带。通过对比分析异常值出现最多次数时间,最大及最小异常值出现时间和实际岩溶塌陷发生时间,验证了运用异常数据分析法进行岩溶塌陷预警是可行的,监测数据间隔越密,捕获的异常值越多,预警越准确。      

Quantitative sinkhole hazard assessment. A case study from the Ebro Valley evaporite alluvial karst (NE Spain)

Quantitative sinkhole hazard assessments in karst areas allow calculation of the potential sinkhole risk and the performance of cost-benefit analyses. These estimations are of practical interest for planning, engineering, and insurance purposes. The sinkhole hazard assessments should include two components: the probability of occurrence of sinkholes (sinkholes/km² year) and the severity of the sinkholes, which mainly refers to the subsidence mechanisms (progressive passive bending or catastrophic collapse) and the size of the sinkholes at the time of formation; a critical engineering design parameter. This requires the compilation of an exhaustive database on recent sinkholes, including information on the: (1) location, (2) chronology (precise date or age range), (3) size, and (4) subsidence mechanisms and rate. This work presents a hazard assessment from an alluvial evaporite karst area (0.81 km²) located in the periphery of the city of Zaragoza (Ebro River valley, NE Spain). Five sinkholes and four locations with features attributable to karstic subsidence where identified in an initial investigation phase providing a preliminary probability of occurrence of 0.14 sinkholes/km² year (11.34% in annual probability). A trenching program conducted in a subsequent investigation phase allowed us to rule out the four probable sinkholes, reducing the probability of occurrence to 0.079 sinkholes/km² year (6.4% in annual probability). The information on the severity indicates that collapse sinkholes 10–15 m in diameter may occur in the area. A detailed study of the deposits and deformational structures exposed by trenching in one of the sinkholes allowed us to infer a modern collapse sinkhole approximately 12 m in diameter and with a vertical throw of 8 m. This collapse structure is superimposed on a subsidence sinkhole around 80 m across that records at least 1.7 m of synsedimentary subsidence. Trenching, in combination with dating techniques, is proposed as a useful methodology to elucidate the origin of depressions with uncertain diagnosis and to gather practical information with predictive utility about particular sinkholes in alluvial karst settings: precise location, subsidence mechanisms and magnitude, and timing and rate of the subsidence episodes.     

岩溶塌陷研究现状及趋势分析

为全面掌握当前国际岩溶塌陷研究动态,促进岩溶塌陷综合防治水平提升,重点从成因机制、识别评价和监测预警三个方面总结了当前国内外岩溶塌陷研究现状,以此为基础,综合运用文献和项目数据对国内外岩溶塌陷研究趋势进行了分析。结果显示:人类工程活动与岩溶环境相互作用关系是当前国际岩溶塌陷研究的热点;成因机理定量化、隐患识别快速化、监测预警精细化和风险防控时效化将是未来的重点攻关方向。      

土洞型岩溶塌陷发育过程气体示踪试验研究——以广州金沙洲为例

运用气体示踪进行土洞型岩溶塌陷监测预警是一种比较新的技术方法,其原理是通过气体在不同形状、规模的土体孔隙、裂缝和土洞中的运移规律研究,分析气体特征值与土体变形破坏的关系,进而间接判断土洞的发育情况,实现岩溶塌陷监测预警.本文以广州市金沙洲岩溶塌陷区为例,通过室内物理模型试验再现了土洞发育、形成到地面塌陷的全过程.运用气...     

深圳市龙岗中心城岩溶塌陷光纤传感监测研究

岩溶塌陷具有的突发性、隐蔽性、不确定性,使其监测、预警预报问题一直未解决。通过多年的研发,光纤传感器监测技术已成为当今最为先进的岩土变形现场监测技术,特别是BOTDR技术,它的分布式、长距离、远程实时监控以及光纤耐久性好的特点正好弥补了传统监测技术的不足。目前光纤传感技术在岩溶塌陷（沉陷）灾害的监测上开展工作较少,本次工作主要目的为利用光纤传感技术实时监测岩溶塌陷。     

The influence of urbanization of sinkhole development in central Pennsylvania

The karsted limestone valleys of central Pennsylvania contain two populations of sinkholes. Solution sinkholes occur in the Champlainian limestone units along the margins of the valleys. Solution sinkholes are permanent parts of the landscape and, although a nuisance to construction, do not present other problems. The second population is the suffosional or soil-piping sinkholes These occur on all carbonate rock units including the Beekmantown and Gatesburg dolomites that comprise the two principal carbonate aquifers in the valley. Suffosional sinkholes are the principal land-use hazard. Suffosional sinkholes are transient phonomena. They occur naturally but are exacerbated by runoff modifications that accompany urbanization Suffosional sinkholes are typically 1.5–2.5 m in diameter depending on soil thickness and soil type. The vertical transport of soil to form the void space and soil arch that are the precursors to sinkhole collapse is through solutionally widened fractures and cross-joints and less often through large vertical openings in the bedrock. The limited solution development on the dolomite bedrock combined with soil thickness, seldom greater than 2 m, limits the size of the sinkholes. All aspects of suffosional sinkhole development are shallow processes: transport, piping, void and arch formation, and subsequent collapse take place usually less than 10 m below the land surface Factors exacerbating sinkhole development include pavement, street, and roof runoff which accelerates soil transport Such seemingly minor activities as replacing high grass and brush with mowed grass is observed to accelerate sinkhole development. Dewatering of the aquifer is not a major factor in this region     

Incipient vertical traction carpets within collapsed sinkhole fills

Small vertically oriented traction carpets are reported from the collapsed sandy fills of 100 m deep Devonian limestone sinkholes underlying the Lower Cretaceous Athabasca oil sands deposit in north‐eastern Alberta, Western Canada. Dissolution of 100 m of underlying halite salt beds caused cataclysmic collapse of the sinkhole floors and water saturated sinkhole sand fills to descend very rapidly. Turbulent currents flushed upper sinkhole fills of friable sandstone blocks and disaggregated sand and quartz pebble for tens of metres. Laminar deposits with inverse grading accumulated as many as six to eight curvilinear entrained pebble streaks, 10 to 30 cm long, vertically impinged against the sides of descending collapse blocks. These deposits were initiated as vertically oriented early stage traction carpets that interlocked fine sand grains and inversely graded overlying pebbles entrained below the dilute overlying turbulent flows. Vortexes that flushed these sinkhole fills and induced these depositional processes may have lasted only seconds before the very rapid descents abruptly halted. Some of the fabrics were suspended vertically in‐place and preserved from unlocking and obliteration. These small fabrics provide insight into the instability and ephemeral character of the transition from strong gravity‐driven grain falls to very early stages of traction carpet formation. These short‐lived deposits of very thin sand layers resulted from sufficient incipient frictional freezing that grain interlocking overcame, however briefly, the strong gravity drives of the vertical falls that would have otherwise dispersed grains and obliterated any organized fabric patterns. Tenuous frictionally locked grains were also suspended at the centres of hyperbolic grain fall flows that briefly developed between turbulent flow eddies, some of which were fortuitously preserved. Some of these suspended grain locking zones passed downward onto the relatively more stable surfaces of the rapidly descending block surfaces. The morphogenesis of these early stage traction carpets differ from more fully developed deposits elsewhere because of their short‐lived transport, dynamic instability and vertical orientation.     

Natural and human-induced sinkholes in gypsum terrain and associated environmental problems in NE Spain

The central Ebro Basin comprises thick evaporite materials whose high solubility produces typically karstic landforms. The sinkhole morphology developed in the overlying alluvium has been studied using gravimetry and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) on stream terraces, as well as analyzing the evolution of sinkhole morphologies observed in aerial photographs taken in 1928, 1957, and 1985. The sinkhole morphologies give some idea of possible subsurface processes as well as an indication of the final mechanisms involve in sinkhole development. On stream terraces and cover pediments the most commonly encountered dolines are bowl-shaped in their morphology with both diffuse and scarped edges. In contrast, dolines developed in the gypsiferous silt infilled valleys have a funnel and well-shaped morphology. The diffuse-edged bowl-shaped dolines are developed through the progressive subsidence of the alluvial cover, due to washing down of alluvial particles through small voids and cracks into deeper subsurface caves, resulting in a decrease alluvial density. Future compaction of the alluvial cover will produce surface subsidences. This type of dolines are associated with negative gravity anomalies. In contrast, the scarped-edge dolines are formed by the sudden collapse of a cavity roof. The cavities and cracks formed in the gypsum karst may migrate to the surface through the alluvial deposits by piping, and they may subsequently collapse. In this instance, the cavities can be detected by both gravity and GPR anomalies where the voids are not deeper than 4–5 m from the surface. These processes forming sinkholes can be enhanced by man-induced changes in the groundwater hydrologic regime by both inflows, due to irrigation, ditch losses, or pipe leakages, and by outflows from pumping activities.     

Investigation of a large collapse sinkhole affecting a multi-storey building by means of geophysics and the trenching technique (Zaragoza city,NE Spain)

An active sinkhole around 100 m long has been investigated in the city of Zaragoza (NE Spain). Subsidence activity on this depression, including the sudden occurrence of a collapse sinkhole 5 m across, led to the abandonment of a factory in the 1990s. At the present time, a building with 100 flats and shallow pad foundations partially built on the sinkhole, is affected by rapid differential settlement. The development of the sinkhole results from the karstification of the halite- and glauberite- bearing bedrock and the sagging and collapse of the overlying bedrock and alluvium, more than 30 m thick. GPR and electrical resistivity profiles have provided information on the distribution and geometry of the subsidence structure. The application of the trenching technique and geochronological methods (AMS and OSL dating) has allowed us to infer objective and practical data on the sinkhole including (1) Limits of the subsidence structure, (2) subsidence mechanisms, (3) cumulative subsidence (>408 cm), (4) subsidence rates on specific failure planes (>1.8 cm/year), (5) episodic displacement regime of some fault planes. The available information indicates that the progressive deformation recorded in the building will continue and might be punctuated by events of more rapid displacement. This work illustrates the practicality of the trenching technique for the study of sinkholes in mantled karst areas.     

Evaporite karst and sinkholes: a synthesis on the case of Camaiore (Italy)

In 1995 a sinkhole suddenly formed at Camaiore (Tuscany, Italy), causing destruction or heavy damages to several houses and resulting in the evacuation of many people. To understand the causes, for the formation and evolution of the collapse, surface and underground geologic features were investigated and reconstructed on the basis of geologic and geognostic surveys. The sinkhole area is underlain by thick alluvial deposits that cover a bedrock consisting of the Calcare cavernoso formation. This formation results from hydration and dissolution of Triassic evaporites and has a characteristic spongy and vacuolate texture. The bedrock contains karst cavities, generally filled by breccia and/or alluvial materials. Thus, the sinkhole disaster could be ascribed to deep collapse of a cave in the bedrock, and might be considered a distant effect of ancient karst phenomena in evaporites.     

岩溶塌陷光纤传感试验装置的标定试验

根据岩溶土洞(塌陷)变形演化特点,分析土体与传感光纤之间的力学关系,简化塌陷力学模型,加工塌陷模拟试验装置并进行试验。首先通过对光纤加载和卸载来模拟土洞形成过程顶板荷载的变化及分析传感光纤相应的变形和轴向应变特点,然后研究了土洞规模变化对光纤传感监测的影响。研究表明:在土洞形成过程中,因土洞规模和上覆土层荷载不一而导致的应力场的分布变化,以及不同光缆对应力场变化响应灵敏性的差异,是影响分布式光纤传感技术在岩溶土洞中应用的关键因子。文中所标定的光纤传感试验装置能较好地显示岩溶土洞形成演化过程中的应变变化特征,说明分布式光纤传感技术可应用于岩溶土洞的监测预警。      

Analysis of a database for anthropogenic sinkhole triggering and zonation in the Naples hinterland (Southern Italy)

Anthropogenic sinkholes are generally due to the collapse of man-made underground caves and represent a major threat, especially in urban contexts, where they could cause damage to people, buildings and lifelines. The hinterland of Naples (Campania, Southern Italy) is one of the most urbanized areas of Italy and is historically affected by frequent sinkhole phenomena. This study analyzes a database of both man-made caves and sinkholes collected by the authors over several years. The aim is to comprehend the predisposing and triggering factors of sinkholes in order to attempt a zonation of occurrence. The predisposing factor resulted to be the presence of a preexisting network of caves within the Campanian Ignimbrite tuff and their geometric features. Generally, the shallower the depth of the chamber roof and the lower the thickness of the vault, the higher is the frequency of sinkholes. Furthermore, an intrinsic fragility is represented by the access shafts of vertical wells, usually filled in and abandoned. Meanwhile, the main triggering mechanism identified consists in saturation of the subsoil, due to water leaks coming from buried sewage and water pipelines. The macrozonation of sinkhole occurrence shows that the highest class is achieved where the tuff is shallow and both man-made caves and historical sinkholes are present.

     

Legal aspects of sinkhole development and flooding in karst terranes: 1. Review and synthesis

Structures built within the area of influence of a sinkhole can be affected by collapse, subsidence, or flooding. Unanticipated property losses may be involved, and litigation commonly ensues. Insurance compensation for damages that result from sinkhole collapse or subsidence in a karst terrane are covered by statute only in Florida and by voluntary agreement of companies operating in Tennessee Liability or insurance compensation for damages resulting from sinkhole flooding is not specifically covered by any state or federal statute. Regulations of the National Flood Insurance Program have been interpreted to allow coverage by this program for homes affected by sinkhole flooding in Bowling Green, Kentucky In the present article, case law, legal concepts of groundwater and surface water, liability, and law review articles relevant to sinkhole litigation are summarized The rationales of plaintiffs and defendants are reviewed Liability for damages have been based on allegations of negligence, breach of various water law doctrines, trespass, nuisance, loss of support, breach of contract, and implied warranty of habitability Defenses against these allegations have been based on the merits of each of them and oncaveat emptor Several alternative rationales for claiming liability for losses incurred because of sinkhole development or flooding are proposed and discussed. The little-knownHenderson v Wade Sand and Gravel is highly recommended as an alternative leading case that clearly and justifiably gives protection to adjacent landowners, and ties liability for damages caused by groundwater pumpage to nuisance law and related interference with property rights. Several little-known litigated cases of sinkhole development in response to groundwater pumpage will be summarized in a second article at a later date. Concepts of liability are evolving It can be expected that the professional geologist or engineer will have an increasing number of claims made against him or her which allege responsibility for sinkhole-related damages. Such damages can often be prevented by creative zoning, sound engineering, and better husbandry of land.     

The need for recognition and implementation of a sinkhole-floodplain hazard designation in urban karst terrains

Soluble rock terrains pose increased flood hazards because of a demographic shift from the upper Middle West and metropolitan Northeast to the “Sun Belt.” Approximately one-half of the soluble rock terrains in the continental United States occur in the Sun Belt. Urbanization of karst terrains generally increases the frequency and magnitude of sinkhole flooding and the probability of collapse. Soil erosion attendant with urbanization results in silt deposition in depressions, reducing sinkhole runoff storage capacity and regolith hydraulic conductivity. A new flood-hazard designation termed the sinkhole flood-plain is advocated for use by federal mortgage agencies in karst terrains so that sinkhole-related flooding can be minimized. A four-phase methodology for assessing sinkhole flood hazards in a rapidly urbanizing karst terrain is developed, using examples from central Tennessee and southern Kentucky.     

Models and mechanisms of drilling-induced sinkhole in China

The present paper distinguishes the four general types of collapsed sinkholes induced by drilling in regions where non-indurated sediments (clay, silt, and sand) overlie unknown caves or open voids in underlying lithified karst rocks. These sinkhole models are classified into balance arch, hourglass, vibration, and subjacent drilling-induced erosion forms. A mechanical model was built for each type to assess the collapse probability. Drilling operations using boreholes facilitate rapid, turbulent, and erosive flow. These activities resulted in the 26 sinkholes that have been attributed to constructions in China in the last several years. Awareness of potential collapse conditions should allow construction projects to avoid high-risk settings that result in economic losses, environmental concerns, and life-threatening accidents caused by such rapid collapse of the land surface. Awareness and close monitoring of high-risk conditions during borehole monitoring should minimize the hazard.     

New advances in karst collapse research in China

Until 2000, more than 1,446 karst collapse events and 45,037 sinkhole pits have been documented in China. In this paper, focusing on new achievements of karst collapse research in China, a large-scale model experiment, a method of risk assessment and data management of karst collapse based on geographic information system technology are introduced for the region.     

从“漏斗”到“天坑”看岩溶学术语的演变

岩溶学是一门发展变化的科学,岩溶学术语也与时俱进。以术语“漏斗（doline）”为例,它来源于斯洛文尼亚喀斯特地区的方言,在斯洛文尼亚语中,它（dolina,单数）的意思是谷地,主要指河谷。因此,在19世纪以前的斯洛文尼亚语的科学文献中,就是指谷地。随着19世纪上半叶岩溶学的发展,喀斯特高原的漏斗状地形逐渐引起研究者们的注意,德语系的奥地利地质学家们将这种地形定义为“漏斗（dolines,复数）”,相当于德语的Trichter（漏斗）,并声明是当地人的说法。因此,在19世纪下半叶奥地利地质学家的出版物中,普遍使用这一概念。如在Cvijic′的DasKarstp¨hanomen（岩溶现象）一书中,其漏斗（dolines）的概念可谓无所不包,除岩溶干谷和坡立谷以外,所有洼地都称为漏斗,不仅包括溶蚀漏斗和塌陷漏斗,也包括竖井、落水洞、天窗,甚至某些岩溶泉和洞穴洞口。同斯洛文尼亚语相似,在塞尔维亚语中,doline也是指一般谷地。因此,Cvijic′在塞尔维亚语文献中不再使用dolina表示漏斗状地形,而是用vrtaca,这是因为vrtaca和我们今天使用的doline的内涵非常相近,而且在法语、德语、意大利语、英语、克罗地亚语均有相似的词汇。在20世纪中期以前,斯洛文尼亚的地理学家们为了避免使用dolina引起歧义,对于漏斗状的地形均用vrtaca表达。在19世纪下半叶,漏斗（dolines）的成因有两派理论,一种持塌陷成因,一种持侵蚀成因,后者包括侵蚀和溶蚀两种作用。前者以Schmidl为代表,后者支持者是Cox,Diener和Mojsisovics。根据漏斗的形态,Cvijic将其分为三种,即碗状漏斗、漏斗状漏斗和井状漏斗。随着对漏斗状地形的深入研究,V.Panos＇s根据漏斗的不同发育阶段、漏斗的成因、漏斗的覆盖类型、漏斗形成的气候因素、漏斗的沉积类型以及漏斗的形态,将漏斗分为30种。根据最新的岩溶百科全书,按     

A genetic classification of sinkholes illustrated from evaporite paleokarst exposures in Spain

This contribution analyses the processes involved in the generation of sinkholes from the study of paleokarst features exposed in four Spanish Tertiary basins. Bedrock strata are subhorizontal evaporites, and in three of the basins they include halite and glauberite in the subsurface. Our studies suggest that formation of dolines in these areas results from a wider range of subsidence processes than those included in the most recently published sinkhole classifications; a new genetic classification of sinkholes applicable to both carbonate and evaporite karst areas is thus proposed. With the exception of solution dolines, it defines the main sinkhole types by use of two terms that refer to the material affected by downward gravitational movements (cover, bedrock or caprock) and the main type of process involved (collapse, suffosion or sagging). Sinkholes that result from the combination of several subsidence processes and affect more than one type of material are described by combinations of the different terms with the dominant material or process followed by the secondary one (e.g. bedrock sagging and collapse sinkhole). The mechanism of collapse includes any brittle gravitational deformation of cover and bedrock material, such as upward stoping of cavities by roof failure, development of well-defined failure planes and rock brecciation. Suffosion is the downward migration of cover deposits through dissolutional conduits accompanied with ductile settling. Sagging is the ductile flexure of sediments caused by differential corrosional lowering of the rockhead or interstratal karstification of the soluble bedrock. The paleokarsts we analysed suggest that the sagging mechanism (not included in previous genetic classifications) plays an important role in the generation of sinkholes in evaporites. Moreover, collapse processes are more significant in extent and rate in areas underlain by evaporites than in carbonate karst, primarily due to the greater solubility of the evaporites and the lower mechanical strength and ductile rheology of gypsum and salt rocks.