Catastrophic subsidence: An environmental hazard,shelby county,Alabama

Induced sinkholes (catastrophic subsidence) are those caused or accelerated by human activities These sinkholes commonly result from a water level decline due to pumpage Construction activities in a cone of depression greatly increases the likelihood of sinkhole occurrence Almost all occur where cavities develop in unconsolidated deposits overlying solution openings in carbonate rocks. Triggering mechanisms resulting from water level declines are (1) loss of buoyant support of the water, (2) increased gradient and water velocity, (3) water-level fluctuations, and (4) induced recharge Construction activities triggering sinkhole development include ditching, removing overburden, drilling, movement of heavy equipment, blasting and the diversion and impoundment of drainage Triggering mechanisms include piping, saturation, and loading Induced sinkholes resulting from human water development/management activities are most predictable in a youthful karst area impacted by groundwater withdrawals Shape, depth, and timing of catastrophic subsidence can be predicted in general terms Remote sensing techniques are used in prediction of locations of catastrophic subsidence. This provides a basis for design and relocation of structures such as a gas pipeline, dam, or building Utilization of techniques and a case history of the relocation of a pipeline are described     

Water availability and land subsidence in the Central Valley,California, USA

The Central Valley in California (USA) covers about 52,000 km² and is one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. This agriculture relies heavily on surface-water diversions and groundwater pumpage to meet irrigation water demand. Because the valley is semi-arid and surface-water availability varies substantially, agriculture relies heavily on local groundwater. In the southern two thirds of the valley, the San Joaquin Valley, historic and recent groundwater pumpage has caused significant and extensive drawdowns, aquifer-system compaction and subsidence. During recent drought periods (2007–2009 and 2012-present), groundwater pumping has increased owing to a combination of decreased surface-water availability and land-use changes. Declining groundwater levels, approaching or surpassing historical low levels, have caused accelerated and renewed compaction and subsidence that likely is mostly permanent. The subsidence has caused operational, maintenance, and construction-design problems for water-delivery and flood-control canals in the San Joaquin Valley. Planning for the effects of continued subsidence in the area is important for water agencies. As land use, managed aquifer recharge, and surface-water availability continue to vary, long-term groundwater-level and subsidence monitoring and modelling are critical to understanding the dynamics of historical and continued groundwater use resulting in additional water-level and groundwater storage declines, and associated subsidence. Modeling tools such as the Central Valley Hydrologic Model, can be used in the evaluation of management strategies to mitigate adverse impacts due to subsidence while also optimizing water availability. This knowledge will be critical for successful implementation of recent legislation aimed toward sustainable groundwater use.     

Management and mitigation of sinkholes on karst lands: an overview of practical applications

When karst lands are developed for residential or commercial purposes, sinkholes are to be properly managed or mitigated. This paper discusses various types of sinkholes and their possible formation mechanisms, presents some guidelines for sinkhole management, and summarizes several engineering measures for sinkhole remediation. Because a sinkhole is often not an isolated feature but a component of an integrated groundwater and surface water system, knowledge of the sinkhole geology and hydrology is essential in selection of the proper management tools and remediation options. Adverse effects including flooding, additional sinkholes, and groundwater contamination can result from poorly managed or improperly repaired sinkholes.     

The applicability of the Florida mandatory endorsement for sinkhole collapse coverage. Part I. Legal aspects

Florida statute §627 706 was enacted to provide sinkhole collapse coverage The legislative intent of the Statute was to protect the property owner from the unexpected damage to structures and personal property arising from the occurrence of sinkholes However, since the Statute was enacted, litigation involving considerable expense to the insurance companies and property owners has occurred because of various interpretations of the Statute The technical and legal interpretations do not appear always to be the same. This article discusses some of the interpretations accepted by the court, and it addresses the role of the engineer, geologist, and hydrologist in the technical interpretations of the Statute. In an attempt to reduce litigation and associated court costs, recommendations are made to resolve some of the vagueness and ambiguities in the Statute and still maintain the Statute's flexibility and intent to protect public welfare     

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.     

Simulation of land subsidence using finite element method: Rafsanjan plain case study

Land subsidence caused by the excessive use of groundwater resources has caused serious damage to Rafsanjan area. In this study, using finite element method, a 2D plain strain simulation of land subsidence has been conducted. A linear elastic constitutive law has been used for the simulation of the soil material skeleton. Actual water level during the analysis period has been modeled via specifying nodal water pressure at piezometer wells situation. The solution procedure consists of two parts. First, an initial static analysis is carried out in order to find initial steady-state solution for the pore pressure and stress distribution. Then, the above solution is used as initial condition for dynamic computation of consolidation equations during pumpage period. Tectonic effect has been considered as a rigid body motion. Numerical results showed that if the rate of pumpage remains constant in the future, settlement due to water withdrawal near Rafsanjan city will reach up to 110 cm by the year 2022.     

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.     

Roadway construction in karst areas: management of stormwater runoff and sinkhole risk assessment

In karst-rich regions, it is inevitable that roadways cross karst landscapes. Road building across such terranes faces environmental and engineering challenges because of impacts on water quality from stormwater runoff and concerns of sinkhole collapse under or near roadways. When highway runoff drains rapidly into subsurface conduit networks through open sinkholes and/or sinking streams, the impact of the runoff on the karst aquifer can be qualitatively evaluated by mixing cell models. Formulation of a comprehensive stormwater runoff management plan prior to roadway construction can minimize the associated adverse impacts. The commonly used best management practices help manage the stormwater runoff effectively in some sites. Site-specific management plans are preferable for other sites because of concerns of flooding and land stability. Proactive measures should be taken to identify areas of the greatest sinkhole collapse risk along the proposed route and the associated groundwater drainage patterns.     

Sinkhole formation and subsidence along the Dead Sea coast,Israel

More than 4,000 sinkholes have formed since the 1980s within a 60-km-long and 1-km-wide strip along the western coast of the Dead Sea (DS) in Israel. Their formation rate accelerated in recent years to >400 sinkholes per year. They cluster mostly in specific sites up to 1,000 m long and 200 m wide, which align parallel to the general direction of the fault systems associated with the DS Rift. The abrupt appearance of the sinkholes reflects changes to the groundwater regime around the shrinking DS. The eastward retreat of the shoreline and the lake-level drop (1 m/year in recent years) cause an eastward and downward migration of the fresh/saline groundwater interface. Consequently, a subsurface salt layer, which was previously enveloped by saline groundwater, is gradually being invaded and submerged by relatively fresh groundwater, and cavities form due to the rapid dissolution of the salt. Collapse of the overlying sediments into these cavities results in sinkholes at the surface. An association between sinkhole sites and land subsidence is revealed by interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) measurements. On a broad scale (hundreds of meters), subsidence occurs due to compaction of fine-grained sediments as groundwater levels decline along the retreating DS shoreline. At smaller scales (tens of meters), subsidence appears above subsurface cavities in association with the sinkholes, serving in many cases as sinkhole precursors, a few weeks to more than a year before their actual appearance at the surface. This paper overviews the processes of sinkhole formation and their relation to land subsidence.     

Geology and evolution of lakes in north-central Florida

 Fluid exchange between surficial waters and groundwater in karst environments, and the processes that control exchange, are of critical concern to water management districts and planners. High-resolution seismic data were collected from 30 lakes of north-central Florida. In each case study, lake structure and geomorphology were controlled by solution and/or mechanical processes. Processes that control lake development are twofold: (1) karstification or dissolution of the underlying limestone, and (2) the collapse, subsidence, or slumping of overburden to form sinkholes. Initial lake formation is directly related to the karst topography of the underlying host limestone. Case studies have shown that lakes can be divided by geomorphic types into progressive developmental phases: (1) active subsidence or collapse phase (young); (2) transitional phase (middle age); (3) baselevel phase (mature); and (4) polje (drowned prairie) – broad flat-bottom that have one or all phases of sinkhole. Using these criteria, Florida lakes can be classified by size, fill, subsurface features, and geomorphology. Received: 28 July 1998 · Accepted: 9 September 1998     

Excessive groundwater withdrawal and resultant land subsidence in the Su-Xi-Chang area,China

Excessive groundwater withdrawal has caused severe land subsidence in the Su-Xi-Chang (SXC) area, China. The restriction and prohibition on groundwater pumping have been carried out since the late 1990s. Based on the latest updated field data, the changing pattern of groundwater level and the distribution of land subsidence are analyzed. The distribution of land subsidence in SXC is closely related to that of the cone of depression in the second confined aquifer in time and space. But land subsidence is not in synchronization with the changing groundwater level. Both aquitards and aquifers compacted continuously in the early period of groundwater level rising and behaved as creep materials. A series of laboratory tests were conducted on aquifer sands, which indicated that the creep deformation under virgin compression is much greater than that under recompression and unloading, and that the creep of sands decreases rapidly with the cycles of repeating load. The test results reveal the mechanism of sand creep under the condition of long-term groundwater pumpage. As a consequence of the restriction and prohibition on groundwater pumping, groundwater level has obviously recovered in the vast majority of the SXC area, and land subsidence has slowed down and even a little rebound has occurred in some sites in Suzhou and Changzhou. If the pumpage is strictly limited continuously, the groundwater level will not decline below the historical lowest value but fluctuate within a certain range. In such a case, land subsidence in SXC will no longer develop obviously.     

The applicability of the florida mandatory endorsement for sinkhole collapse coverage. Part II. Case history: Foundation settlement of a residential structure—was it a sinkhole?

The Winter Park sinkhole created publicity for sinkhole activity in the state of Florida. In fact, Florida requires insurance companies to provide sinkhole coverage to residential homeowners However, to receive payment on a sinkhole claim, the homeowner must have sustained “sinkhole loss” according to the definition presented in Florida statue §627 706 In this article, the author presents an analysis used to evaluate the applicability of the Florida Mandatory Endorsement for Sinkhole Collapse Coverage clause taken from Florida statute §627 706 for a residence located in Lakeland, Florida. Pertinent geologic and hydrologic information was reviewed, borings were drilled, laboratory tests were performed, and groundwater was monitored during the author's investigation. From the investigation, the author concluded that, although the residence was generally within an ancient sinkhole, the foundation settlement appeared to be influenced by compression of a peat layer found under part of the residence. It appears the compression of the peat occurred because of the induced loading on the peat from (1) seasonal groundwater fluctuation, (2) the structural loading of the residence on the foundation soils, and (3) the placement of fill before construction of the house Consequently, the Florida Mandatory Endorsement for Sinkhole Collapse Coverage clause was not applicable.     

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.     

State and local response to damaging land subsidence in United States urban areas

Land subsidence caused by man-induced depressuring of underground reservoirs has occurred in at least nine urban areas in the United States. Significant efforts to control it have been made in three areas: Long Beach, California; Houston-Galveston, Texas; and Santa Clara Valley, California. In these areas coastal flooding and its control cost more than $300 million. Institutional changes were required in each area to ameliorate its subsidence problem.

In Long Beach and Houston-Galveston, efforts were made to mitigate subsidence only after significant flood damage had occurred. To arrest subsidence at Long Beach, the city lobbied for a special state law, the California Subsidence Act, that required unitization and repressuring of the Wilmington oil field. In the Houston-Galveston region, the Texas State Legislature authorized formation of the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District with authority to regulate ground-water pumping by permit. This solution, which was achieved through efforts of entities affected by subsidence, was the product of a series of compromises necessitated by political fragmentation and disjointed water planning in the region. Amelioration of subsidence in the Santa Clara Valley was a collateral benefit from the effort by water users to curtail ground-water overdraft in the valley. Importation of surface water and a tax on ground-water pumpage reduced ground-water use, thereby allowing the recovery of water level and the arresting of subsidence.     

广州金沙洲岩溶区地下水位变化与地面塌陷及地面沉降关系探讨

金沙洲可溶性灰岩分布面积广,岩溶洞隙发育,洞隙及地下水的连通性强,上覆第四系松散土体中软土广泛分布,客观存在岩溶地面塌陷及地面沉降的地质环境条件。2007年4月起,受某高铁隧道施工抽排地下水的影响,金沙洲地下水出现异常波动,引发了地面塌陷及地面沉降。文章根据监测数据,经对比分析结果表明,区内岩溶地面塌陷及地面沉降受控于地下水位的变化,地下水位波动至基岩面附近时,是地面塌陷较活跃的时期,地面沉降与地下水位变化呈正向相关。文章进一步对地面沉降与地下水位变化关系的机理进行了探讨,认为目前地下水位尚未恢复正常的区域仍存在地面塌陷及地面沉降的隐患。     

Drainage and flooding in karst terranes

Flooding in karst terranes is a commonly occurring geo-hazard. It causes damage to property, businesses, and roadways. It can lead to the formation of cover-collapse sinkholes and groundwater contamination. Generally, three types of flooding or their combinations are related to karst: recharge-related sinkhole flooding, flow-related flooding, and discharge-related flooding. Understanding of the type of flooding is essential for solving the flooding problem. Areas prone to karst flooding should be recognized, and restrictions and laws on land use should be implemented. Runoff and erosion control plans should address the unique characteristics of karst features. Digging out clogged sinkholes, creating retention basins, or installing Class V Injection Wells are possible solutions to improve drainage of storm water. Solutions to flooding problems in karst areas should also be coordinated with the water quality control to prevent groundwater contamination.     

地下水位变化对透—阻型岩溶塌陷影响的分析

文章从一维地下水运动和渗透力学的角度,分析比较潜水位上升与承压水位下降对岩溶地区透—阻型盖层中阻水层渗透稳定性的影响,重点讨论了承压水位下降速度(降速)与下降深度（降深）对阻水层中渗透坡降的影响,结果表明:地下水位变化（潜水位上升或承压水位下降）产生的非稳定渗流不利于岩溶洞穴开口上方阻水层的稳定,承压水位的下降对岩溶开口附近处阻水层中渗透力的影响远大于潜水位的变化;在承压层水位最大降深确定的条件下,承压水位下降速度愈快,岩溶开口附近处阻水层中向下渗透力愈大。因此,在覆盖型岩溶地区抽取地下水时,为了减缓或避免覆盖型塌陷的发生,应同时控制好最大降深和最大开采速度。      

The hydrologic effects of intense groundwater pumpage in east-central Hillsborough County,Florida, U.S.A.

Well problems, water shortages, local flooding, and induced sinkholes have been periodic problems for residents in east-central Hillsborough County, Florida. This agricultural area has experienced dramatic short-term water-level declines in the Floridan aquifer from seasonal groundwater withdrawals. The sudden declines in the potentiometric surface have been caused from intense irrigation pumpage, primarily for frost and freeze protection and fruit setting. Citrus and strawberry crops are protected from occasional freezes by the application of warm groundwater to maintain minimum soil temperatures of 32°F(0°C). Local residents with inadequately constructed wells lose their source of water when the potentiometric surface is lowered to depths where their wells do not function. Some residents have lost their water supply for a week or more, and many have incurred damage to their pumps. The drawdown of the potentiometric surface in some areas has induced sinkholes causing property damage for some residents and concern for others. In addition, the high application rates for frost and freeze irrigation have created run-off problems resulting in local flooding to some residents. Fortunately, there has been no damage to resident homes from the flooding or sinkholes. This report summarizes the area's hydrogeology, and the consequences of heavy freeze irrigation. A finite-difference, numerical model is used to quantify the regional impacts to the potentiometric surface of the Floridan aquifer from estimated irrigation pumpage. Management recommendations for alleviating the problems are also discussed in the report.     

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。     

Landslide dam failure and flood hydraulics. Part I: experimental investigation

Landslide dam failure can trigger catastrophic flooding in the downstream. However, field observation of such flooding is rarely available, while laboratory experimental studies are sparse. The mechanism of landslide dam failure and the flood has so far remained insufficiently understood. Here, we present an experimental investigation of landslide dam failure and the flood. A total of 28 runs of experiments are carried out in a flume of 80 m × 1.2 m × 0.8 m, with differing inflow discharge, dam composition, dam geometry, and initial breach dimension. An array of twelve automatic water-level probes is deployed to measure the stage hydrographs along the flume, and the video recording of the dam failure processes facilitates an estimation of the widening of initial breach. Under the present experimental conditions with dams composed of homogeneous materials, landslide dam failure is primarily caused by erosion of overtopping flow, and lateral mass collapse is also considerable during the cause of breach widening. Cohesive clay may act to mitigate the seepage through the dam and thus its subsidence and appreciably modulate the dam failure process and the flood. However, the impacts of clay may be readily overwhelmed by a large inflow discharge and initial breach. Gravels in the dam may appreciably depress the rate of the dam failure process and thus modify the flood. The present work provides new experimental data set for testing mathematical models of the flood flow due to landslide dam failure.