Experimental Study on Sinkholes: Soil–Groundwater Behaviors Under Varied Hydrogeological Conditions

• DOI: 10.1520/jte20160166
• Publication Date: 2016-10-13T16:08:41Z
• Authors: A. L. Perez; B. H. Nam; M. Alrowaimi; M. Chopra; S. J. Lee; H. Youn
• Keywords: Sinkhole

Abstract Sinkholes have been one of the major geohazards in karst terrain and resulted loss human life, as well significant civil engineering infrastructure. Approximately 20 % United States is underlain by formed from dissolution soluble rocks, susceptible to a sinkhole hazard. Particularly, Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Pennsylvania are known states. Surprisingly, understanding sinkholes still poor geotechnical engineering. This paper presents discusses preliminary study on mechanism Florida's that triggered groundwater flow. A physical soil–groundwater model was devised, multiple tests were conducted under different hydrogeological conditions (e.g., with/without aquitard overburden soil thickness). Groundwater at locations monitored during sinkhole-simulation process so integrated behaviors could be investigated. It found responds before surface collapse (showing cone depression); thus, pattern change flow can used input pre-detect sinkhole. In addition, having clayey sand layer within shows influence includes rapid larger