Modelling of cave-in occurrence using AHP and GIS

Abstract

Abstract. The analysis of mining-induced sinkholes occurrence is a very important issue as far as the spatial development optimization is concerned. Research conducted for this paper was focussed on examining the applicability of GIS and the associated AHP method (analytic hierarchy process) for estimating the risk of discontinuous deformation occurrence on the surface. Qualitative factors were accounted for in the sinkhole risk assessment, thus creating bases for the research. These elements play an important role in the process of sinkholes formation; however, they were not used in prediction models. Another assumption lay in minimizing the number of variables in the model. Accordingly, the most important qualitative and quantitative risk factors were finally selected on the basis of whether the risk of cave-ins occurrence on the surface could be calculated. The results of the estimation of potential sinkhole zones were verified. The locations of actual and high-risk potential discontinuous deformation were compared. The congruence between predicted values and the actual observations of sinkholes was very high. The results of research presented prove the necessity to evaluate sinkhole hazards in view of qualitative factors.

Sinkhole hazard maping with the use of Spatial analysis and analitycal hierarhy process in the light of mining-geological factors

“…These discrepancies originated from a number of non-measurable risk factors which could not be accounted for hazard evaluation. The considerations made on the basis of the existing prediction methods applied in Poland prove the low efficiency of such solutions because of the big number of factors which had not been accounted for in these methods (Malinowska and Dziarek, 2014;Matonóg, 2015), especially when the post-extraction voids were formed in a distant time perspective and when the present condition of the workings had been poorly recognized. Therefore a deeper analysis of additional factors, which could amplify the discontinuous deformations on the ground surface, should be performed.…”

“…During the wet seasons heavy rains cause considerable sinkhole hazard in areas prone to water infiltration from the ground surface to shallow mine workings. In this case the sinkhole hazard will be related to rain falls density, slope of terrain, geomechanical properties of layers in the vicinity of underground workings and complexity of tectonic disturbances in the area of interest (Kowalski, 2005;Baryakh and Fedoseev, 2011;Malinowska andDziarek, 2013, Taheri et. al, 2015).…”

“…Moreover dealing with uncertain data or subjective factors is often supported by combination fuzzy theory with analytic hierarchy process techniques (Di et al, 2016;Feizizadeh et al, 2015;Leonardi et al, 2016). The AHP has been also successfully applied for sinkhole susceptibility mapping in Iran and Poland (Malinowska and Dziarek, 2014;Taheri et al, 2015).…”

“…Many years' observations reveal that the deeper is the deposit, the smaller is the probability of sinkhole occurrence (Chudek, 1998;Malinowska and Dziarek, 2014;Whittaker and Reddish, 1989). Two coal beds deposited at small depth below the terrain surface of 50 to 130 m were analyzed.…”

Sinkhole occurrence monitoring over shallow abandoned coal mines with satellite-based persistent scatterer interferometry

“…This necessitates a strong dependence on expert knowledge when aiming for the prediction of potential sinkhole occurrence sites, e.g. in relation to mining operations, susceptible geology, and land development (Malinowska and Dziarek, 2014;Malinowska and Hejmanowski, 2016). For example, expert knowledge has been applied for sinkhole evaluations in karst evaporate areas (Gutierrez et al, 2008).…”