The growth and evolution of sinkholes are a considerable proportion of the damage related to subsidence disaster in alluvial areas after ground water extraction for irrigation. In this research it was tried to study the evolution of the sinkholes from the birth point to the stabilization or final step. In the Eqlid-Abarkooh alluvial fan was selected an area about 300 km2 with giant sinkholes where consist; the city of Abarkooh, arable irrigated lands and desert rangelands. The major aspect on the study area was southwest to northeast where it ended to Abarkooh playa. For investigating the formation and evolution of these sinkholes in the study area, field observation for 2 years were done. Soil samples were taken from surface soils (0-25 cm) near and far of the sinkholes. Moreover, 4 soil samples were obtained from the deepest sinkhole as control sample in the study area. Chemical, physical and mechanical soil analyses were performed. Finally, the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) method were done for detection subsurface holes to depth of 4 m around the sinkholes. The chemical soil properties results include Electro Conductivity (EC) and the ratio of Ca2+/Mg2+ in lime which was important factors to formation of sinkholes changed from 2.05 to 19.3 dS/m, 0.15 to 6 respectively. The mechanical soil parameters such as Coefficient of Linear Extensibility (COLE) and Plasticity Index (PI) changed from 0.05 to 1.67, 0.99% to 15% respectively. According to sinkhole development, the results obtained that there was a relationship between diameter of sinkhole obtained from 0.6 to 15 m and groundwater extraction quantity changed from 0.18 to 18.14 m3/ha over 25 years. The groundwater level dropped 15 m and sinkhole volume variation obtained 0.014 to 2650 m3 over 25 years. Field discovery and google earth images showed that sinkholes were developed in 3 phases as (1) growth phase (2) mature and (3) steady phases up to about 25 years. The GPR results found some land breaks and a hole underground in the activation and growth phase of sinkhole evolution. Finally, according to some soil parameters and GPR results, the sinkhole hazard map was created in the study area.

Potholes caused by road surface wear and sinkholes caused by soil subsidence can lead to accidents and vehicle damage. Monitoring their area and depth for timely repairs and road maintenance is crucial to ensure road safety. The camera vision device uses advanced imaging techniques to determine the shape and size of potholes, calculating their area and estimating volume based on the depth and contour information gathered. This study compared the results from the camera vision device with those obtained through traditional manual methods. The system measurements achieved a margin of error within 5 %, making it a reliable alternative for field applications. Additionally, this paper highlights the effectiveness of camera vision technology in modernizing road maintenance, thus facilitating a fast, accurate, and reliable method for assessing pothole damage. The findings indicate that implementing this technology can greatly enhance the management and repair of road infrastructure, lower costs, and improve safety.

The present study documents coastal processes of movement and subsidence that affect the clayey sediments of the exposed mudflats ('mudflat sediments') on the receding western shore of the Deep Dead Sea ('western Dead Sea shore') and the formation of subsidence features: subsidence strips and clustered sinkholes. The properties of the clayey sediments that promote movement and subsidence and the development of the subsidence features in the exposed mudflats are the unconsolidated fine-particle texture composed of clay and carbonate minerals, their being dry near the surface and wet at the subsurface, their soaking with saline water and brine and the abundance of smectitic clays saturated with sodium and magnesium. Field observations indicate that narrow subsidence strips with/without clustered sinkholes were developed by movement and subsidence in mudflat sediments via lateral spreading. Wide subsidence strips with clustered sinkholes were developed via increased subsidence in mudflat sediments due to the progress of dissolution within a subsurface rock-salt unit. The emergence of sinkholes occurs via subsidence of mudflat sediments into subsurface cavities resulting from dissolution within a subsidence rock-salt unit. The coastal processes on the receding Dead Sea shore and the formation of the subsidence features are part of the adjustment of the Dead Sea periphery to the lowering of the base level. A contribution of slow mass movement seaward to the coastal processes on the receding Dead Sea shore is indicated.

In Turkey sinkhole formations have been observed in recent years, the number of which has increased over time. These sinkholes have started to cause damage to infrastructure and superstructures, especially in rural areas. In this study, considering the rapidly increasing number of sinkholes, first of all, the sinkhole formation mechanism of the region and the characteristics of the sinkhole were examined. Then, an analysis was made on the superstructure inventory of the region. According to the investigations, a numerical study was carried out considering the general characteristics of the sinkholes and the building stock. With this study, three different heights of buildings representing the building stock of the rural area were selected and thus the pressure (S) exerted by the buildings on the ground became a main parameter. In addition to these, a total of 81 finite element models with three different sinkhole widths (D) and four different sinkhole depths (L) selected at four different distances (A) from these structures were created with the finite element program. The structure and sinkhole interaction parameters obtained from the quite comprehensive data set were evaluated in the context of settlements that may occur in the structure. While creating the model, the geotechnical properties of the soil of the region were taken within the scope of the sinkhole formation mechanism. As a result of the analyses, it was observed that the depth of the sinkhole (L), the diameter of the sinkhole (D) and the distance between the sinkhole and structure (A) had a direct effect on the sinkhole-structure interaction, and the structure load had a limited effect. The results also have indicated that the sinkholestructure interaction is limited in the sinkholes formed in diameter and high distance.

Covered sinkhole, due to its hidden, uncertain, and sudden characteristics, often becomes a key and difficult issue in the prevention and control of karst geological disasters. This paper takes the sinkhole in Yaoshan Huamu Farm, Guilin City as an engineering case, and uses field investigation, indoor and outdoor experiments, and theoretical analysis to systematically analyze the main patterns, influencing factors, and evolution laws of sinkhole. The results show that: (1) High-density resistivity tests show that there are many significant low-resistance anomalies at different locations and depths in the study area, indicating that karst fissures are developed in the study area. This is the basic condition for the occurrence of sinkhole. (2) Drilling results show that the groundwater level in the study area is shallow and groundwater is abundant. Groundwater changes the state and strength of the soil, or dissolves the mineral components of the soil layer and dissolves and transports the soil particle aggregates through subsurface erosion and seepage. Therefore, groundwater destroys the soil structure, resulting in the formation of soil caves or sinkholes. (3) Rainfall monitoring shows that the rainy season from May to July each year provides abundant groundwater for the karst area and changes the physical and mechanical properties of the rock and soil mass; while the small rainfall peak around November may trigger the occurrence of sinkhole through mechanisms such as groundwater level fluctuations and enhanced seepage. (4) The vibrations caused by long-term pumping irrigation, surface water leakage, and planting activities in the study area provide important external dynamic conditions for sinkhole. This study can provide theoretical basis and technical support for the prevention and control of collapse disasters in karst areas.

Urban cover-collapse sinkholes pose a significant global challenge due to their destructive impacts. Previous studies have identified groundwater fluctuations, subsurface soil conditions, pipeline leakage, precipitation, and subterranean construction activities as key contributors to these phenomena. However, unique geological settings across different urban environments lead to variations in the primary factors influencing sinkhole formation. This study focuses on Shanghai, a city notable for its extensive urbanization and rich historical context, to explore the dynamics of sinkholes within urbanized areas worldwide. We employ spatial analysis and statistical methods to examine data on sinkholes recorded in the past two decades in Shanghai, correlating these events with the city's shallow sand layer, ground elevation, and proximity to surface water. Our goal is to identify the dominant factors governing sinkhole occurrence in Shanghai and to lay the groundwork for their effective scientific management and prevention. Key findings indicate that most sinkholes in the area are associated with a thin shallow sand layer, low to moderate ground elevations, and the absence of nearby rivers. Additionally, many sinkholes correlate with subterranean voids within the confined aquifer beneath the cohesive soil layer. The lack of historical river channels, obscured by urban development, also indirectly contributes to sinkhole formation. We recommend enhancing urban river management and drainage systems to mitigate potential damage from water accumulation.

Leakages from damaged or deteriorated buried pipes in urban water distribution networks may cause significant socio-economic and environmental impacts, such as depletion of water resources and sinkhole events. Sinkholes are often caused by internal erosion and fluidization of the soil surrounding leaking pipes, with the formation of soil cavities that may eventually collapse. This in turn causes road disruption and building foundation damage, with possible victims. While the loss of precious water resources is a well-known problem, less attention has been paid to anthropogenic sinkhole events generated by leakages in water distribution systems. With a view to improving urban smart resilience and sustainability of urban areas, this study introduces an innovative framework to localize leakages based on a Machine learning model (for the training and evaluation of candidate sets of pressure sensors) and a Genetic algorithm (for the optimal sensor set positioning) with the goal of detecting and mitigating potential hydrogeological urban disruption due to water leakage in the most sensitive/critical locations. The application of the methodology on a synthetic case study from literature and a real-world case scenario shows that the methodology also contributes to reducing the depletion of water resources.

In this study, a single-layer SPH approach that takes into account full soil-water interactions is proposed. The approach updates the propagation of pore pressure through combination of volumetric strain and Darcy's law, accounting for the momentum equation, soil constitutive behavior, and the development of pore pressure at each timestep of the simulation. The proposed method is validated by analytical solutions of consolidation problems. To showcase its capability in simulating large-deformation problems with hydro-mechanical interactions, a physical test of a seepage-induced sinkhole was simulated using the proposed SPH method. The good agreements suggest that the proposed method can capture the key features of sinkhole developments and serve as a promising tool to explore the associated failure mechanism. A series of parametric studies are then conducted to reveal the influences of material properties and hydraulic conditions on the failure behavior of sinkholes, including failure patterns, influence zone, and surface settlement.