01698303

Component

Groundwater flow in karst terrain with fissured soluble carbonate bedrock often creates underground cavities due to continuous internal soil erosion. Consequently, raveling of soil occurs and subsurface cavities grow and reach to the surface, resulting in a sudden collapse. In this study, finite element (FE) numerical simulations are performed to construct sinkhole vulnerability (stability) charts. Two sinkhole sites in central Florida were selected for the analysis, and cone penetration test (CPT) soundings were conducted for site subsurface characterization. Those CPT data were used to estimate inputs to the FE numerical simulation, and Hardening Soil Model (HSM) was used as constitutive model. Constitutive soil parameters were determined using published correlations. The shear strength reduction (SSR) method was employed to determine the factor of safety as soil raveling occurs where the soil gradually loses its strength and the cavity increases in size. The stability charts were then developed accounting for ultimate strength considerations (i.e., factor of safety against failure). These charts are aimed to help engineers to evaluate the stability of sinkhole for a given site and soil condition that can be characterized by in-situ testing.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFP20 Standing Committee on Geotechnical Site Characterization.

19-05723

English

16p

2019

Transportation Research Board 98th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; References; Tables

Groundwater; Sinkholes; Soil stabilization; Stability (Mechanics)

Central Florida

Geotechnology; Highways

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2019 Paper #19-05723

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 7 2018 9:51AM