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.



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