doi:10.3850/978-981-08-7920-4_S2-G23-cd
An Overview of Geology Incidents of Cavity, Fractures and Sinkholes in the Karst Terrain using Geophysical Methods
Zeinab Bakhshipour, Majid Mirzaie, Vahed Ghiasi and Hossein Moayedi
Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
ABSTRACT
An important pre-requisite for civil engineering investigation of soluble rocks is the identification
and description of dissolution features such as sinkholes and caves. Karst features,
developed over and within soluble rocks, are a well-known potential geohazard, and can cause
significant engineering problems, such as subsidence and irregular rock head. Cover-collapse
sinkhole development can be a direct result of increasing downward groundwater velocities
and subsurface erosion associated with the enlargement of a conduit. Some events such as a
quarry blast can also provide a significant new linkage between the groundwater and the quarry,
allowing rapid drainage of the groundwater reservoir. A fracture trace analysis with geophysics
can confirm the locations of major faults and fractures. Karst aquifers are often protected by a
thin mantle of unconsolidated sediment. Mechanized geophysical equipment for performing
rapid surveys speeds up the site screening process during reconnaissance exploration for
deep structure. Geophysics methods also are sequenced to reveal increasing detail in critical
areas. In the covered karst terrain where sinkhole collapse occurs there is a need to develop
affordable and reliable investigation methods to delineate areas of potential sinkhole collapse.
With developing of the fractures and cavities in the limestone bedrock, geohazard (geological
hazard) is occurred. The geohazard is the naturally accruing and is potential danger to life or
possessions. Geophysics techniques are extremely important as a direct detection geophysical
tool utilized in mapping tool for mining, environmental, petroleum, and engineering purpose.
Keywords: Karst, Sinkholes, Fractures, Cavities, Geophysics.
Back to TOC
FULL TEXT(PDF)
|