Citation

Williams JH, Vineyard JD. Transp. Res. Rec. 1976; 612: 31-37.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1976, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Although the records of 97 catastrophic collapses in Missouri karst terrain have emphasized such man-made causes as dewatering, vibration, or water saturation, there is an underlying commonality of geologic features that offers insight into ways to avoid collapse problems in highways and other construction. Collapse events are more likely to occur in areas overlain by moderately thick residual soil, in losing valleys, and in wet seasons. Significant collapses have occurred where there was no indication of sinkholes or other typical karst landforms. Of the numerous collapses related to highway construction, most have involved upward stopping of residuum from underlying cavernous channels in carbonate bedrock, and have been triggered by constructional or operational activities that altered drainage conditions. Exploration for incipient collpases is costly and more effective in limited areas. Analysis of geologic indicators such as losing streams, relict karst landforms, and residuum type and thickness, as well as speleological data offer more cost-effective techniques to define target locales for subsequent detailed exploration. Initial exploration with a backhoe generally gives more useful near-surface data than drilling. Drilling is necessary, however, to validate evidence inferred by surface geologic indicators and geophysical methods such as fixed-depth resistivity and high-precision gravity surveys.