Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Civil and Environmental Engineering

University of South Florida

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Articles 1 - 17 of 17

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Evaluation Of First Order Error Induced By Conservative-Tracer Temperature Approximation For Mixing In Karstic Flow, Philippe Machetel, David A. Yuen Oct 2015

Evaluation Of First Order Error Induced By Conservative-Tracer Temperature Approximation For Mixing In Karstic Flow, Philippe Machetel, David A. Yuen

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Fluid dynamics in karst systems is complex due to the heterogeneity of hydraulic networks that combine the Porous Fractured Matrix (PFM) and the interconnected drains (CS). These complex dynamic systems often need to be treated as “black boxes” in which only input and output properties are known. In this work, we propose to assess the first-order error induced by considering the temperature as a conservative tracer for flows mixing in karst (fluvio-karst). The fluvio-karstic system is treated as an open thermodynamic system (OTS), which exchanges water and heat with its surrounding. We propose to use a cylindrical PFM drained by …


Numerical Simulation Of Karst Soil Cave Evolution, Long Jia, Yan Meng, Zhende Guan, Lipeng Liu Oct 2015

Numerical Simulation Of Karst Soil Cave Evolution, Long Jia, Yan Meng, Zhende Guan, Lipeng Liu

Sinkhole Conference 2015

This study is focused on numerical simulation of the formation and development of karst soil caves related to cover-collapse sinkholes. The so-called ‘karst soil cave’ refers to the caves formed in the soil layers above bedrock of sinkhole regions. Because the soil caves are formed and developed under groundwater seepage, studying groundwater level changes can help understand soil cave development and collapse. Based on the improved Terzaghi loosening pressure theory and using excess pore water pressure, two kinds of critical groundwater level decline are discussed. The first, denoted as ∆H0, is the critical groundwater level decline related to soil cave …


Building Codes To Minimize Cover Collapses In Sinkhole-Prone Areas, George Veni, Connie Campbell Brashear, Andrew Glasbrenner Oct 2015

Building Codes To Minimize Cover Collapses In Sinkhole-Prone Areas, George Veni, Connie Campbell Brashear, Andrew Glasbrenner

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Cover- collapse sinkholes are forming with increasing frequency under buildings. Analyses of sinkhole distribution in Beacon Woods, Florida, preliminarily indicate their occurrence is an order of magnitude greater in urban versus undeveloped areas, suggesting the structures themselves are enhancing the collapse process. The most likely causes are induced recharge via at least one of two sources. First, runoff and drainage from roads, structures, and impoundments that is not adequately dispersed will promote sinkhole development. Second, leaking water, sewer, and septic systems beneath or adjacent to a structure will also promote collapse. The process of cover-collapse from induced recharge is well …


Hazard Of Sinkhole Flooding To A Cave Hominin Site And Its Control Countermeasures In A Tower Karst Area, South China, Fang Guo, Guanghui Jiang, Kwong Fai Andrew Lo, Qingjia Tang, Yongli Guo, Shaohua Liu Oct 2015

Hazard Of Sinkhole Flooding To A Cave Hominin Site And Its Control Countermeasures In A Tower Karst Area, South China, Fang Guo, Guanghui Jiang, Kwong Fai Andrew Lo, Qingjia Tang, Yongli Guo, Shaohua Liu

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Zengpiyan Cave, one of the most important cave hominin sites of the Neolithic in the South of China, was listed on the national register of cultural preservation sites in 2001. Large quantities of precious material in the Zengpiyan site were unearthed since the beginning of the trial excavation in 1973. These materials include hominin skeletal remains, fire pits, human burials, stone implements, tools fashioned from mollusk shells and animal or plant fossils. According to the historical record, ancient people lived in caves in the karst plain of Guilin. They moved out of the caves approximately 7000 years ago. These cave …


A Method Of Mapping Sinkhole Susceptibility Using A Geographic Information System: A Case Study For Interstates In The Karst Counties Of Virginia, Alexandra L. Todd, Lindsay Ivey-Burden Oct 2015

A Method Of Mapping Sinkhole Susceptibility Using A Geographic Information System: A Case Study For Interstates In The Karst Counties Of Virginia, Alexandra L. Todd, Lindsay Ivey-Burden

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Karst terrain is landscape underlain by limestone that has been chemically dissolved by acidic groundwater, producing subsurface voids that pose risks for sinkholes if the overlaying soils can no longer support their own weight and collapse. The western counties of Virginia are heavy in karst due to their natural, geographic boundary of the western Ridge Province and the eastern Blue Ridge Mountain Range. As a result, the Commonwealth of Virginia Hazard Mitigation Plan recommends that the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) develop a method to determine the roadways and regions most susceptible to experiencing sinkholes, in an effort to reduce …


Evaluation Of Cavity Distribution Using Point-Pattern Analysis, Raghav Ramanathan, Yongli Gao, M. Melih Demirkan, Bulent Hatipoglu, Mazen Adib, Michael Rosenmeier, Juan Gutierrez, Hesham El Ganainy Oct 2015

Evaluation Of Cavity Distribution Using Point-Pattern Analysis, Raghav Ramanathan, Yongli Gao, M. Melih Demirkan, Bulent Hatipoglu, Mazen Adib, Michael Rosenmeier, Juan Gutierrez, Hesham El Ganainy

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Presence of solution cavities of different sizes poses major engineering problems in some areas of Abu Dhabi City Municipality (ADM) underlain by soluble rocks such as gypsum, calcarenite, or mudstone. This is especially critical if they are located at a relatively shallow level and are likely to cause settlement or sudden soil collapse. The Gachsaran Formation, which is composed of interlayered mudstone and gypsum, underlies all of the ADM and is known to be vulnerable to cavity formation in the area. The mudstone and gypsum beds within the upper part of the Gachsaran Formation are prone to dissolution. Numerous sinkholes …


Development Of Cavity Probability Map For Abu Dhabi Municipality, Yongli Gao, Raghav Ramanathan, Bulent Hatigoplu, M. Melih Demirkan, Mazen Adib, Juan Gutierrez, Hesham El Ganainy, Daniel Barton Oct 2015

Development Of Cavity Probability Map For Abu Dhabi Municipality, Yongli Gao, Raghav Ramanathan, Bulent Hatigoplu, M. Melih Demirkan, Mazen Adib, Juan Gutierrez, Hesham El Ganainy, Daniel Barton

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Cavity collapse and settlement due to the presence of shallow solution cavities cause significant geotechnical and other engineering problems in certain areas within the Abu Dhabi City Municipality (ADM). A cavity probability map helps to identify regions that are more susceptible to the formation of cavities by identifying and analyzing influential factors contributing to its formation. Information relating to cavities was cataloged and reviewed based on available data from the Geotechnical Information Management System (GIMS), which is a consolidated geotechnical database developed by the ADM. Geological and geotechnical subsurface conditions are obtained from previous site investigation campaigns performed in the …


Study On Monitoring And Early Warning Of Karst Collapse Based On Botdr Technique, Zhende Guan Oct 2015

Study On Monitoring And Early Warning Of Karst Collapse Based On Botdr Technique, Zhende Guan

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Brilliouin Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (BOTDR) is a newly developed measurement and monitoring technique, which utilizes Brilliouin spectroscopy and Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (Jiang et al., 2006; Zhang et al., 2009; Xu et al.,2011) to measure strain generated in optical fibers as distributed in the longitudinal direction. This paper introduces the principle and characters of BOTDR technique firstly, and makes an example of karst collapse monitoring at section K14 of highway from Guilin to Yangshuo. And we talk about how to use this technique in underlying karst collapse monitoring in karst highway, discuss environmental factors, like temperature and vehicle dynamic …


Down The Rabbit Hole: Identifying Physical Controls On Sinkhole Formation In The Uk, Tamsin Green Oct 2015

Down The Rabbit Hole: Identifying Physical Controls On Sinkhole Formation In The Uk, Tamsin Green

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Heavy precipitation in the UK in February 2014 induced ground subsidence and consequently a rapid increase in the frequency of sinkhole occurrences. These new sinkhole collapses emphasise the need to further analyse the causes of the increased occurrence by investigating the relative importance of various surficial factors. Malham and the Mendips are two areas of particular interest, since both are underlain by limestone bedrock and are susceptible to subsidence. This is due to limestone being primarily permeable in joints, and so it dissolves to form an extensive network of karstic caves. It was therefore useful to compare two sites of …


Successful Foundation Preparations In Karst Bedrock Of The Masonry Section Of Wolf Creek Dam, David M. Robison Oct 2015

Successful Foundation Preparations In Karst Bedrock Of The Masonry Section Of Wolf Creek Dam, David M. Robison

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Extensive foundation preparations during construction of the Wolf Creek Dam concrete masonry section precluded the need for additional rehabilitation to mitigate seepage through karstic limestone bedrock. Wolf Creek Dam on the Cumberland River in southern Kentucky has become well known for karst related seepage issues underneath the embankment section, and yet has had little to no seepage issues associated with the concrete masonry portion of the dam. Post-construction efforts to control seepage underneath the embankment began in 1967 and 1968. Emergency grouting commenced and continued through 1970. Between 1975 and 1979 a more permanent solution of a concrete diaphragm cut-off …


Pre-Construction Rock Treatment And Soil Modification Program Using Low Mobility Grout To Mitigate Future Sinkhole Development In A 2,787.1 Square Meter (30,000 Sf) Maintenance Facility, Steven W. Shifflett Oct 2015

Pre-Construction Rock Treatment And Soil Modification Program Using Low Mobility Grout To Mitigate Future Sinkhole Development In A 2,787.1 Square Meter (30,000 Sf) Maintenance Facility, Steven W. Shifflett

Sinkhole Conference 2015

The US Army required construction of a 2,787.1 square meters (30,000 sf) maintenance facility supported on shallow foundations at the Fort Campbell Military Installation. During the subsurface investigation a seven foot air-filled void was encountered in the bedrock within the building footprint. Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) was conducted in an attempt to determine the lateral extent of the encountered void and to establish the general prevalence of karst features at the site. Due to uncertainty in the subsurface conditions, a rock treatment and soil modification program was developed which consisted of a series of targeted exploratory grout holes advanced in …


Monitoring The Threat Of Sinkhole Formation Under A Portion Of Us 18 In Cerro Gordo County, Iowa Using Tdr Measurements, Kevin O'Connor, Matthew Trainum Oct 2015

Monitoring The Threat Of Sinkhole Formation Under A Portion Of Us 18 In Cerro Gordo County, Iowa Using Tdr Measurements, Kevin O'Connor, Matthew Trainum

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Sinkhole formation is a common occurrence in northeast Iowa, and U.S. 18 in Cerro Gordo County was constructed over an area where sinkhole formation had only been locally known. It had not been recorded or identified in the Iowa DNR database at the time. Since 2004, sinkholes have developed along the right of way. Geophysical surveys contributed very little in the identifying the cause. However a Soil Survey (drilling program) identified numerous voids within carbonate bedrock. The soil borings indicated that shale overlying the carbonate rock has been removed/eroded, and resulted in the development of a karst subsurface through the …


Sinkhole Physical Models To Simulate And Investigate Sinkhole Collapses, Mohamed Alrowaimi, Hae-Bum Yun, Manoj Chopra Oct 2015

Sinkhole Physical Models To Simulate And Investigate Sinkhole Collapses, Mohamed Alrowaimi, Hae-Bum Yun, Manoj Chopra

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Florida is one of the most susceptible states for sinkhole collapses due to its karst geology. In Florida, sinkholes are mainly classified as cover subsidence sinkholes that result in a gradual collapse with possible surface signs, and cover collapse sinkholes, which collapse in a sudden and often catastrophic manner. The future development of a reliable sinkhole prediction system will have the potential to minimize the risk to life, and reduce delays in construction due to the need for post-collapse remediation. In this study, different versions of small-scale sinkhole physical models experimentally used to monitor the water levels in a network …


Spatiotemporal Response Of Cvoc Contamination And Remedial Actions In Eogenetic Karst Aquifers, Ingrid Y. Padilla, Vilda L. Rivera, Celys Irizarry Oct 2015

Spatiotemporal Response Of Cvoc Contamination And Remedial Actions In Eogenetic Karst Aquifers, Ingrid Y. Padilla, Vilda L. Rivera, Celys Irizarry

Sinkhole Conference 2015

The northern karst region of Puerto Rico has a long and extensive history of toxic spills, chemical waste, and industrial solvent release into the subsurface. High potential for exposure in the region has prompted aggressive remediation measures, which have extended for over 40 years. Of particular concern is contamination with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) because of their ubiquitous presence and potential health impacts. This work evaluates historical groundwater quality data to assess the spatiotemporal distribution of CVOC contamination in the karst aquifer system of northern Puerto Rico, and its response to remedial action in two superfund sites contaminated with …


Seeps And Springs At A Platteville “Observatory” On The River Bluffs, Bj Bonin, Greg Brick, Julia R. Steenberg Oct 2015

Seeps And Springs At A Platteville “Observatory” On The River Bluffs, Bj Bonin, Greg Brick, Julia R. Steenberg

Sinkhole Conference 2015

Residential building construction along the Mississippi River bluffs in the 1970s created a unique enclosed outcrop of the Late Ordovician Platteville Formation at Lilydale, Minnesota. This outcrop was examined in early 2013 after a newly-formed spring flooded an elevator shaft the previous year, drawing attention to the foundation conditions. The Lexington Riverside property is a six story condominium complex constructed within the top of the bluff. A two-level underground parking garage was built into the bluff. Bedrock was mechanically excavated to accommodate the construction of the building, creating an unweathered rock surface. The space between the structure and the excavated …


Karst Spring Cutoffs, Cave Tiers, And Sinking Stream Basins Correlated To Fluvial Base Level Decline In South-Central Indiana, Garre A. Conner Oct 2015

Karst Spring Cutoffs, Cave Tiers, And Sinking Stream Basins Correlated To Fluvial Base Level Decline In South-Central Indiana, Garre A. Conner

Sinkhole Conference 2015

The Mitchell Aquifer averages 80m in thickness and underdrains a karst region in the Crawford Upland and Mitchell Plateau region in south-central Indiana (110,000 km2). The Springville Escarpment is a transitional boundary between the upland and plateau. Cave stream linking between cave tiers in the aquifer and correlation of cave tier inception horizons to a base level decline surface is interpreted for the Kirby Watershed, encompassing the prekarst headland of Indian Creek (42km2). The watershed was severed from lower Indian Creek at Eller Col by limestone cavern drainage on the ridge between White River and East Fork. Correlation of recharge …


Tracer Studies Conducted Nearly Two Decades Apart Elucidate Groundwater Movement Through A Karst Aquifer In The Frederick Valley Of Maryland, Keith A. White, Michael K. Cobb, Thomas Aley, Ethan Weikel Oct 2015

Tracer Studies Conducted Nearly Two Decades Apart Elucidate Groundwater Movement Through A Karst Aquifer In The Frederick Valley Of Maryland, Keith A. White, Michael K. Cobb, Thomas Aley, Ethan Weikel

Sinkhole Conference 2015

A pair of groundwater tracer studies at a single karst test site were completed 18 years apart. The results of these studies have provided evidence of both relatively rapid advective transport via conduits and an extreme capacity for dye storage and retardation. The tracer results, coupled with other subsurface investigation data, are used to develop a conceptual model for groundwater movement through this karst aquifer in the Frederick Valley of Maryland, as well as identify implications for remediation. Three fluorescent tracer dyes used in the initial study were detected in several background monitoring locations established for the second study conducted …