Strain state of a rock mass above karst cavities

Baryakh, A. A.; Stazhevskii, S. B.; Timofeev, E. A.; Хан, Г. Н.

doi:10.1007/s10913-008-0059-1

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…In part, the approach of void growth adopted here is similar to that in a recent work on mine caving (Sainsbury, 2012). Our study builds upon the previous works of Caudron et al (2006) and Baryakh et al (2008Baryakh et al ( , 2009 but goes further in calibration of geomechanical behaviour, in complexity of process and in application to natural sinkholes. As in many previous studies, we focus here on the creation, growth and instability of a single void leading to a single sinkhole.…”

Section: Contribution Of This Papermentioning

confidence: 82%

“…For modelling sinkhole collapse, Baryakh et al (2008Baryakh et al ( , 2009 used the DEM to conduct simple stability tests and mechanical analyses for a single, instantaneously generated cavity of varying geometry, depth and overburden mechanical properties. Other studies have adopted a similar approach but also included discrete fracture networks (DFNs) that represent predefined or empirically determined discontinuities Figure 3.…”

Section: Numerical Modelling Of Sinkhole Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…studies of cavity generation and sinkhole collapse Baryakh et al (2008Baryakh et al ( , 2009 used the DEM to investigate the effect of depth, geometry and mechanical properties on the collapsed state in karst. Their approach is to some extent similar to ours; however, essentially only the position of a rectangular or an arched cavity was varied for different uncalibrated Figure 12.…”

Section: Comparison To Previous Dem and Non-demmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geomechanical modelling of sinkhole development using distinct elements: model verification for a single void space and application to the Dead Sea area

et al. 2018

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Abstract. Mechanical and/or chemical removal of material from the subsurface may generate large subsurface cavities, the destabilisation of which can lead to ground collapse and the formation of sinkholes. Numerical simulation of the interaction of cavity growth, host material deformation and overburden collapse is desirable to better understand the sinkhole hazard but is a challenging task due to the involved high strains and material discontinuities. Here, we present 2-D distinct element method numerical simulations of cavity growth and sinkhole development. Firstly, we simulate cavity formation by quasi-static, stepwise removal of material in a single growing zone of an arbitrary geometry and depth. We benchmark this approach against analytical and boundary element method models of a deep void space in a linear elastic material. Secondly, we explore the effects of properties of different uniform materials on cavity stability and sinkhole development. We perform simulated biaxial tests to calibrate macroscopic geotechnical parameters of three model materials representative of those in which sinkholes develop at the Dead Sea shoreline: mud, alluvium and salt. We show that weak materials do not support large cavities, leading to gradual sagging or suffusion-style subsidence. Strong materials support quasi-stable to stable cavities, the overburdens of which may fail suddenly in a caprock or bedrock collapse style. Thirdly, we examine the consequences of layered arrangements of weak and strong materials. We find that these are more susceptible to sinkhole collapse than uniform materials not only due to a lower integrated strength of the overburden but also due to an inhibition of stabilising stress arching. Finally, we compare our model sinkhole geometries to observations at the Ghor Al-Haditha sinkhole site in Jordan. Sinkhole depth ∕ diameter ratios of 0.15 in mud, 0.37 in alluvium and 0.33 in salt are reproduced successfully in the calibrated model materials. The model results suggest that the observed distribution of sinkhole depth ∕ diameter values in each material type may partly reflect sinkhole growth trends.

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Section: Contribution Of This Papermentioning

confidence: 82%

Section: Numerical Modelling Of Sinkhole Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Comparison To Previous Dem and Non-demmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Geomechanical modelling of sinkhole development using distinct elements: model verification for a single void space and application to the Dead Sea area

et al. 2018

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show abstract

Section: Numerical Modelling Of Sinkhole Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…studies of cavity generation and sinkhole collapse Baryakh et al (2008Baryakh et al ( , 2009) used the DEM to investigate the effect of depth, geometry and mechanical properties on the collapsed state in karst. Their approach is to some extent similar to ours; however, essentially only the position of a rectangular or an arched cavity was varied for different uncalibrated materials.…”

Section: Comparison To Previous Dem and Non-demmentioning

confidence: 99%

Answers to interactive comments Rev. 1

Al-Halbouni¹

2018

Preprint

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Mechanical and/or chemical removal of material from the subsurface may generate large subsurface cavities, the destabilisation of which can lead to ground collapse and the formation of sinkholes. Numerical simulation of the interaction of cavity growth, host material deformation and overburden collapse is desirable to better understand the sinkhole hazard but is a challenging task due to the involved high strains and material discontinuities. Here, we present 2-D distinct element method numerical simulations of cavity growth and sinkhole development. Firstly, we simulate cavity formation by quasi-static, stepwise removal of material in a single growing zone of an arbitrary geometry and depth. We benchmark this approach against analytical and boundary element method models of a deep void space in a linear elastic material. Secondly, we explore the effects of properties of different uniform materials on cavity stability and sinkhole development. We perform simulated biaxial tests to calibrate macroscopic geotechnical parameters of three model materials representative of those in which sinkholes develop at the Dead Sea shoreline: mud, alluvium and salt. We show that weak materials do not support large cavities, leading to gradual sagging or suffusion-style subsidence. Strong materials support quasi-stable to stable cavities, the overburdens of which may fail suddenly in a caprock or bedrock collapse style. Thirdly, we examine the consequences of layered arrangements of weak and strong materials. We find that these are more susceptible to sinkhole collapse than uniform materials not only due to a lower integrated strength of the overburden but also due to an inhibition of stabilising stress arching. Finally, we compare our model sinkhole geometries to observations at the Ghor Al-Haditha sinkhole site in Jordan. Sinkhole depth / diameter ratios of 0.15 in mud, 0.37 in alluvium and 0.33 in salt are reproduced successfully in the calibrated model materials. The model results suggest that the observed distribution of sinkhole depth / diameter values in each material type may partly reflect sinkhole growth trends.

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