Applicability of ground penetrating radar to subsurface studies of karst terrain in Florida

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6461478

Kuo, S S; Beck, B F; Jenkins, D T; Tannous, B S; Sweeney, M

Karstic subsidence (sinkhole, or doline, collapse) is a serious problem in Florida; subsurface detection is important in foundation studies. It is critical to delineate subsoil karren and solution pipes in the buried limestone surface, which may cause subsidence sinkholes, as well as cavities which may cause collapse. To test the capabilities of ground penetrating radar (GPR) to detect underground cavities three air-filled model cavities, 0.3 to 0.9 m in diameter, were buried above the water table and one water-filled model cavity, 1.2 m in diameter, was emplaced below the water table, at various depths. The characteristic radar response to these voids is a function of the composition of the strata penetrated, the depth of the groundwater table, and the radar antenna frequency. In field investigations in Central and North Florida, where the karstified limestone is mantled by a variable thickness of sand and clay, GPR can profile the limestone surface and detect cavernous voids in the limestone to a depth of 12 m, if the overburden is primarily sand. In many cases, ongoing karst processes have deformed the overburden strata by gradual subsidence and the radar profile of shallow clay layers may reveal karstic foundation problems even when the signal cannot detect the limestone.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Central Florida, Orlando (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6461478
• Report Number(s): CONF-8510489-
• Journal Information: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 17; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28 Oct 1985
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
CAVES
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
RADAR
USES
SOIL-STRUCTURE INTERACTIONS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
CARBONATE ROCKS
DISSOLUTION
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ENGINEERING GEOLOGY
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLORIDA
GROUND SUBSIDENCE
MAPPING
CAVITIES
EQUIPMENT
FEDERAL REGION IV
GEOLOGY
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NORTH AMERICA
RANGE FINDERS
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SURVEYS
USA
580203* - Geophysics- Geophysical Survey Methods- (1980-1989)