Rapid subsidence in damaging sinkholes: Measurement by high-precision leveling and the role of salt dissolution G. Desir, F. Guti´errez, J. Merino, D. Carbonel, A. Benito, J. Guerrero, I. Fabregat PII: DOI: Reference:
S0169-555X(17)30509-3 doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2017.12.004 GEOMOR 6245
To appear in:
Geomorphology
Received date: Revised date: Accepted date:
28 June 2017 1 December 2017 1 December 2017
Please cite this article as: Desir, G., Guti´errez, F., Merino, J., Carbonel, D., Benito, A., Guerrero, J., Fabregat, I., Rapid subsidence in damaging sinkholes: Measurement by high-precision leveling and the role of salt dissolution, Geomorphology (2017), doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2017.12.004
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ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT Rapid subsidence in damaging sinkholes: measurement by high-precision leveling and the role of salt dissolution
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Short title: Rapid subsidence in sinkholes measured by leveling
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Desir, G. (1), Gutiérrez, F. (1*), Merino, J. (2), Carbonel, D. (1), Benito, A. (3),
(1)
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Guerrero, J. (1), Fabregat, I. (1)
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Zaragoza, 5000 Zaragoza,
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Spain
(2) Sección de Topografía, Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro, Zaragoza,
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Spain
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(3) Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana, Burgos,
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Spain
* Corresponding author: Gutiérrez, F. Earth Science Department. University of Pedro
Cerbuna,
12.
50009
Zaragoza
(Spain).
e-mail:
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Zaragoza.
[email protected]; phone: 34 976 761090
Abstract Investigations dealing with subsidence monitoring in active sinkholes are very scarce, especially when compared with other ground instability phenomena like landslides. This is largely related to the catastrophic behaviour that typifies most sinkholes in carbonate karst areas. Active subsidence in five sinkholes up to ca. 500 m across has been quantitatively characterised by means of high-precision
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT differential leveling. The sinkholes occur on poorly indurated alluvium underlain by salt-bearing evaporites and cause severe damage on various human
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structures. The leveling data have provided accurate information on multiple
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features of the subsidence phenomena with practical implications: (1) precise
relationships
with
surveyed
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location of the vaguely-defined edges of the subsidence zones and their spatial surface
deformation
features;
(2)
spatial
deformation patterns and relative contribution of subsidence mechanisms
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(sagging versus collapse); (3) accurate subsidence rates and their spatial
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variability with maximum and mean vertical displacement rates ranging from 1.0 to 11.8 cm/yr and 1.9 to 26.1 cm/yr, respectively; (4) identification of sinkholes that experience continuous subsidence at constant rates or with significant
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temporal changes; and (5) rates of volumetric surface changes as an approximation to rates of dissolution-induced volumetric depletion in the
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subsurface, reaching as much as 10,900 m 3/yr in the largest sinkhole. The high subsidence rates as well as the annual volumetric changes are attributed to
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rapid dissolution of high-solubility salts.
Key words Subsidence
monitoring,
sagging,
collapse,
transportation infrastructure, early warning
1. Introduction
high-precision
levelling,
ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT Active subsidence phenomena caused by natural (endogenous and exogenous) and human-induced processes may affect areas with a broad range of
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dimensions (
