Mechanisms of Earth Fissuring Caused by Groundwater Withdrawal

Research Article| April 01, 2003 Mechanisms of Earth Fissuring Caused by Groundwater Withdrawal ZHUPING SHENG; ZHUPING SHENG 1Texas A&M University System, El Paso Agricultural Research and Extension Center,1380 A&M Circle, El Paso, TX 79927 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar DONALD C. HELM; DONALD C. HELM 2Department of Civil Engineering, Morgan State University, 5200 Perring Parkway, Baltimore, MD 21251 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar JIANG LI JIANG LI 2Department of Civil Engineering, Morgan State University, 5200 Perring Parkway, Baltimore, MD 21251 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information ZHUPING SHENG 1Texas A&M University System, El Paso Agricultural Research and Extension Center,1380 A&M Circle, El Paso, TX 79927 DONALD C. HELM 2Department of Civil Engineering, Morgan State University, 5200 Perring Parkway, Baltimore, MD 21251 JIANG LI 2Department of Civil Engineering, Morgan State University, 5200 Perring Parkway, Baltimore, MD 21251 Publisher: Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1558-9161 Print ISSN: 1078-7275 Copyright © 2003 Geological Society of America Environmental & Engineering Geoscience (2003) 9 (4): 351–362. https://doi.org/10.2113/9.4.351 Article history First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation ZHUPING SHENG, DONALD C. HELM, JIANG LI; Mechanisms of Earth Fissuring Caused by Groundwater Withdrawal. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience 2003;; 9 (4): 351–362. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/9.4.351 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyEnvironmental & Engineering Geoscience Search Advanced Search Abstract Earth fissures associated with groundwater withdrawal are complex products of both human activities and natural forces, and they occur in definable geological environments. In this paper, the authors first characterize the driving forces for earth fissures caused by groundwater withdrawal. Then, the effects of various factors, such as stresses and pre-existing geological structures, are examined using conceptual models. Numerical results show that the fissuring process is controlled not only by the induced movement at depth and pre-existing structures but also by the in situ stress field. In addition, the degree to which aquifer movement and pre-existing structures actually trigger fissuring depends greatly on the in situ stress field. The authors conclude that earth fissuring related to groundwater withdrawal is a multi-step process that is influenced by a multiplicity of factors, one being the aquifer movement. With groundwater withdrawal, hydraulic and gravitational forces tend to drive aquifer material to deform both horizontally and vertically. Cumulative deformation or strain results in movement. In turn, this aquifer movement results in differential displacements at depth along planes of weakness, such as pre-existing faults and material interfaces. This differential movement (both horizontal and vertical) then generates tensile zones at depth. Once formed, such a tensile zone may migrate upward, form a crack (fail) where the vadose zone is brittle, and eventually express itself as an earth fissure at the land surface in arid or semi-arid regions. In humid regions, the same tensile zone (lateral stretching) at depth will simply express itself as a transient sub-vertical plane of enhanced porosity within and crossing the vadose zone. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.