Sinkholes Become An Item Of Study: Thailand

[webfact]

Sinkholes become an item of study

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- In the wake of frequent sinkholes occurring around the globe and recently in Thailand, the Civil Technology Education Faculty of King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi is studying the phenomena via simulation and a numerical technique.

Sinkholes are also the subject of an undergraduate thesis by seniors Jakkraphong Sirichairawan and Khatiphong Ornchai, which said the causes were underground erosion and the collapse of soil layers, excessive use of groundwater, and riverside or coastal erosion, which were expanding.

The objective of the thesis is to find out how large sinkholes might affect the shallow foundations of average houses.

Working on a miniature simulation, Khatiphong built a model on a scale of 1:22, with a sinkhole of 2.42 metres in diameter shrinking to 11 centimetres. He said this simulation found that the sinkholes' depth would not drastically weaken the entire structure, while its width would directly affect the strength of shallow foundations.

In their joint quantitative technique, dubbed the finite element method, which is a mechanism to find approximate solutions to partial differential equations, formulas were generated to mathematically simulate different depths of a sinkhole with a diameter of 2.42 metres and a foundation depth of 1.8 metres. The diameters varied from 0.5, 1, 2.4 to 3.4 metres with depths increasing 0.5 times each diameter.

This FEM study showed that houses near sinkholes with diameters 0.97 times larger than the shallow foundation of 1.8 metres would collapse.

Asst Prof Thaweechai Kalasin, a lecturer, said the thesis was remarkable in that both students selected their own topic and its content was useful and would serve as a basis for further study in the future.

-- The Nation 2012-07-09

[softgeorge]

I do not know much about geology, so speaking as a layperson I would say that after years of sucking oil, natural gases and the like out of the earths core would be having some effect. A little like letting air out of a balloon and something has to eventually give. I am sure that there are a number of people on here who have already solved the bigbang theory who will have all the answers.

[saltandpepper]

Now, maybe we can organize a big "politicians reunion" in a location prone to sinkholes. Provide them with food, booze and endless debates about any topic we can think of......., and hope for the best.If we get lucky, they all disappear at once...

[Payboy]

He said this simulation found that the sinkholes' depth would not drastically weaken the entire structure, while its width would directly affect the strength of shallow foundations.

So, a rather large wide sinkhole is more dangerous than a narrow deep one. Someone please give him the grant that he wants already.

[rakman]

I do not know much about geology, so speaking as a layperson I would say that after years of sucking oil, natural gases and the like out of the earths core would be having some effect. A little like letting air out of a balloon and something has to eventually give. I am sure that there are a number of people on here who have already solved the bigbang theory who will have all the answers.

Oil and gas are taken from the crust. 5 - 70 km deep. The core is believed to be liquid iron, with a solid mantle around it. Too far and hot to reach with present technology. The Russians have the deepest hole at 12,262 m. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kola_Superdeep_Borehole

In some places, subsidence has been found from extraction, but in many cases water is pumped underground to replace the oil or gas taken out to minimize subsidence.

[hellodolly]

I do not know much about geology, so speaking as a layperson I would say that after years of sucking oil, natural gases and the like out of the earths core would be having some effect. A little like letting air out of a balloon and something has to eventually give. I am sure that there are a number of people on here who have already solved the bigbang theory who will have all the answers.

Black Matter

[fxe1200]

AS this is Thailand, may I propose a crackdown on sinkholes. I think,that will hit the spot and solve the problem immediately!

[saltandpepper]

AS this is Thailand, may I propose a crackdown on sinkholes. I think,that will hit the spot and solve the problem immediately!

Charlerm, where are you? You're needed here!

[Colabamumbai]

With all of the political infighting I think that most of Thailand could effectively be called a Sinkhole.

And all of us foreigners sink a lot into it.

[thaicbr]

AS this is Thailand, may I propose a crackdown on sinkholes. I think,that will hit the spot and solve the problem immediately!

No. No make Thailand a HUB of sinkholes. Much more appropriate.

sent from my Wellcom A90+

[fraksken]

Asst Prof Thaweechai Kalasin, a lecturer, said the thesis was remarkable in that both students selected their own topic and its content was useful and would serve as a basis for further study in the future.

Where I come from that's not remarkable -.-

As in: Students picking their own topic AND then still being useful for further study ... in the future.

[Skywalker69]

I do not know much about geology, so speaking as a layperson I would say that after years of sucking oil, natural gases and the like out of the earths core would be having some effect. A little like letting air out of a balloon and something has to eventually give. I am sure that there are a number of people on here who have already solved the bigbang theory who will have all the answers.

Black Matter

It does matter doesn´t it. Edited July 9, 2012 by Skywalker69

[h90]

I do not know much about geology, so speaking as a layperson I would say that after years of sucking oil, natural gases and the like out of the earths core would be having some effect. A little like letting air out of a balloon and something has to eventually give. I am sure that there are a number of people on here who have already solved the bigbang theory who will have all the answers.

Black Matter

We could try to fill that hole with politicians.

[cdnski12]

I do not know much about geology, so speaking as a layperson I would say that after years of sucking oil, natural gases and the like out of the earths core would be having some effect. A little like letting air out of a balloon and something has to eventually give. I am sure that there are a number of people on here who have already solved the bigbang theory who will have all the answers.

If the above were true, then Saudi Arabia a& Texas would have massive sink holes. Oil & Gas are generally foundin Porous Rocks, such as sand stone. The rock structure doesn't dissappear. The Hyrocarbons in the Porous rock structures is normally replaced by ground water, carbon dioxide or other Hydrocarbon Gases. The well boreholes generally (but not always ) do not collapse. A significant portion of the upper well bore is cased with Steel Pipe, cemented in place.

[sunshine51]

I do not know much about geology, so speaking as a layperson I would say that after years of sucking oil, natural gases and the like out of the earths core would be having some effect. A little like letting air out of a balloon and something has to eventually give. I am sure that there are a number of people on here who have already solved the bigbang theory who will have all the answers.

Softgeorge...

Big Bang Theory explained in 8 words....

At first there was nothing....Then it exploded.

[whybother]

Workers try to get sinkhole sealed for holiday traffic

The Nation on Sunday

Highway Department workers repair the sinkhole area on Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Deputy Transport Minister Chatchart Sithipan yesterday said repairs on a 3m-wide, 1.5m-deep sinkhole near the IT Square Mall on Bangkok's Chaeng Wattana Road would be complete by 12am this morning.

Traffic congestion around the area was reported after the road section from Bang Khen Roundabout to Phra Nakhon Rajabhat University was closed to facilitate the repairs.

Inspecting the Highway Department's progress in repairing the sinkhole - which first appeared Friday and later caused another 10-meter-long subsidence underneath the road - yesterday, Chatchart said it should be complete by midnight because many holiday-makers returning to work in Bangkok would use Chaeng Wattana Road. In a bid to prevent future subsidence, he instructed department officials to use radar to search for any underground cavities that needed to be filled in, starting from the Prem Prachakorn Bridge.

Lak Si Highway Office head Santi Traipayak, who led the repair work, said officials had opened the road surface on both lanes to fill the cavities before resealing the road surface. Motorists were advised to avoid the route. He suggested that the sinkhole was caused by the 2011 flood, which caused its soil base of sand and crushed rock to leak into a canal.

-- The Nation 2012-08-05

[whybother]

RT@ChadapornLin: 7 roads at risk of sinkholes following flooding last year: Chaengwattana, Ngamwongwan, Vibhavadi, Paholyodhin,Suwintawong,Petchkasem,Ra

[whybother]

Man Dies after Falling into Huge Sinkhole in Taipei

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xZ75XA1ZgE

[Scott]

RT@ChadapornLin: 7 roads at risk of sinkholes following flooding last year: Chaengwattana, Ngamwongwan, Vibhavadi, Paholyodhin,Suwintawong,Petchkasem,Ra

Thanks. I live on one of those roads. I haven't seen any sinkholes, but there were some potholes that were big enough that I gave them names.

[Ricardo]

Could sinkholes also be blamed, for any runway/taxiway-subsidence at Swampy, it would be more convenient for some than having used sub-standard materials or construction ?

Or refill the holes with non-functional bomb-detectors, and hide two problems with one solution, perhaps ?

[harrry]

Thailand....Hub of sinkholes.

[Payboy]

Thailand....Hub of sinkholes.

Not just the "sink" type.

[katana]

This was the IT Square one before they filled it.

http://www.thairath.co.th/content/newspaper/281079