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Geological Society, London, Engineering Geology Special Publications; 1988; v. 5; p. 3-31;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.ENG.1988.005.01.01
© 1988 Geological Society of London

Session 1: Introduction

A review of ground movements due to civil and mining engineering operations

F. G. Bell, J. C. Cripps, M. G. Culshaw & M. A. Lovell

Department of Civil Engineering, Teesside Polytechnic, Middlesbrough TS1 3BA, UK
Department of Geology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK
Engineering Geology and Reservoir Properties Research Group, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham NG12 5GG, UK
Department of Geology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK

Man’s activity frequently causes ground movements which then may present him with problems. The most notable examples of ground movements are provided by the mining industry in the form of subsidence. Mining in the broad sense includes removal of material from the ground and that material may be solid, liquid or gas. Indeed some of the largest subsidences recorded have been in association with the abstraction of oil and groundwater, instances having occurred where the ground surface has been lowered by several metres over large areas. In Britain some of the most catastrophic ground movements have been attributable to the exploitation of brine in Cheshire.

The construction industry is also responsible for generating ground movements, admittedly usually on a small scale. For example, deep excavation causes a reduction in the vertical and horizontal pressure in the ground and thereby can induce heave of the base of the excavation, together with inward and vertical movements, both up and down, in the surrounding ground. Significant movements can occur at an appreciable distance from an excavation and horizontal movements can be noticeably larger than vertical movements. The most important factor which governs the magnitude of the movement is the type of ground involved. Ground movements may develop as a result of tunnelling, particularly in soft ground, and may resemble those associated with longwall mining of coal.

Induced seismicity provides a further instance of Man’s action giving rise to ground movements. In this case, some of the most noteworthy examples have been provided by reservoir loading and the permeation of water into the ground. Small scale seismic events also have been associated with mining activity.