Mechanics of upward propagation of cover-collapse sinkholes

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Engineering Geology

Abstract
Keywords

Volume 52, Issues 12, March 1999, Pages 2333

1. Introduction
2. Factors associated with sinkhole for
3. Initial formation of soil cavity
4. Time dependent failure of soil
5. Steady state pore pressure models
6. Transient pore pressure
7. Discussion and conclusions
References

Mechanics of upward propagation of cover-collapse sinkholes

Thomas M. Tharp
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Figures and tables

Radius of soil void is ri, radial distance to

water table is rw, depth of soil ...
Tangential normal stress versus radial
distance from the free surface of a ...

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0013-7952(98)00051-9

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P/r divided by r/r versus ri/ro.

Relative crack lengths and orientations at
selected locations for the finite ...

Abstract
Cover collapse sinkholes occur by failure of the walls of a soil void above cavernous
bedrock. I examine conditions for failure in compression by crack propagation and
coalescence, and for failure by sloughing in which pore water pressure produces a net
tension perpendicular to the wall of the void. Compressive failure without relaxation of
stress does not explain observed long-term stability of thick soils, nor failures in thin
residual soils. If stress relaxation occurs with compressive failure, soil voids tend to
stabilize and sinkholes are not predicted. Sloughing failure is not predicted for steady
state pore pressure fields, even for a perched water table at the surface over a drained
void. Transient pore pressure conditions that could produce sloughing may result from:
(1) rapid drawdown causing soil consolidation and transient high pore pressure
gradients; (2) approach of a wetting front in unsaturated soil, with high permeability
behind the front; (3) dissolution of air from bubbles in the soil and exsolution near the void
producing a low permeability zone near the void.

Keywords
Karst; Sinkholes; Pore pressure; Finite element
Tel: +1 765 494 8678; Fax: +1 765 496 1210; e-mail: ttharp1@purdue.edu
Copyright 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

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