Guatemala sinkholes 1

[msucog]

i haven't seen this posted yet so thought i'd throw it up. it's crazy-wicked sinkholes that opened up.

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Flood...atemala-City/ss/events/wl/053110guatemalahole

 

[msquared48]

Isn't limestone great stuff!

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[kelowna]

I saw a couple of better resolution pictures reading the newspaper

http://www.elpais.com/fotogaleria/t...rica/Central/elpgal/20100531elpepuint_2/Zes/3

And

http://www.elpais.com/fotogaleria/t...rica/Central/elpgal/20100531elpepuint_2/Zes/2

They blame the tropical storm they just went through in Guatemala, but newsreporters are not to be trusted on this kind of thing.

It really surprised me how deep, smooth and regular it is!

 

[msquared48]

Looks like a direct link to the underworld.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[Mccoy]

Sam Bonis, the resident geologist, said it's not limestone, rather volcanic sediments and that's not a karst feature (sinkhole), rather a piping phenomenon.

Go figure...

 

[msquared48]

Piping?

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[apsix]

Erosion of the soil, known as "piping", can lead to failure of the structure and to sinkhole formation. Seeping water removes soil, starting from the exit point of the seepage, and erosion advances upgradient.

From the fount of all knowledge; wikipedia.

 

[Mccoy]

Which flowrate should the seepage be to cause such a monster is a question which naturally arises.

In 2007 in the same city and not far from the event there was a similar occurrence, about the same size

 

[rconner]

[fyi

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Talk:Broken_stormwater_drain_led_to_Guatemala_sinkhole

-- I think local correspondents of Nat'l Geographic and/or Reuters are claiming new hole is on same, it appears quite large (I suspect concrete) pipeline]

 

[JedClampett]

If it was caused by a storm drain, maybe they should span grating over it and just live with it as the "world's largest catch basin."
It might become a tourist attraction.

 

[geoman110]

Mccoy; by volcanic sediment, do you mean volcanic bedrock?
In order for piping to create such a large hole there should be long term seepage of water. I am not sure if volcanic bedrocks generally have such large and/or interconnected cavities to maintain a long term seepage and movement of soil.
On the other hand, a storm pipe can cause long term seepage. However, the pipe should have been very deep to cause such a deep sinkhole.

 

[msquared48]

Someone pulled the plug and everything drained out of the tub. All they have to do is find the plug and put it back in place.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[rconner]

[

http://www.waterworld.com/index/display/news_display/1201816465.html

]

 

[msucog]

could be underground creek. looks too big for storm drain unless the storm drain is 40'+ deep or so

 

[Mccoy]

Mccoy; by volcanic sediment, do you mean volcanic bedrock?In order for piping to create such a large hole there should be long term seepage of water. I am not sure if volcanic bedrocks generally have such large and/or interconnected cavities to maintain a long term seepage and movement of soil. On the other hand, a storm pipe can cause long term seepage. However, the pipe should have been very deep to cause such a deep sinkhole.

Geoman, your doubts are legitimate, at this point it would be highly desirable to just stop the guesswork and get down the hole himself, they're planning to do that as far as I know, if they manage it will be real interesting to know the results.