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https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-668
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-668
30 Aug 2022
 | 30 Aug 2022

The Münsterdorf sinkhole cluster: Void origin and mechanical failure

Georg Kaufmann, Douchko Romanov, Ulrike Werban, and Thomas Vienken

Abstract. Since 2004, collapse sinkholes occur on the sports field of Münsterdorf, a village north of Hamburg in Germany. The sinkholes, around 2–5 m in diameter and 3–5 m deep, develop in peri-glacial sand, which in around 20 m depth is underlain by cretaceous chalk. The chalk has been pushed up close to the surface by a salt diapir. The sinkhole formation initiated suddenly and occurs with a frequency of one every two years.

We use a variety of geophysical results (e.g. gravity, electrical resistivity imaging, ground-penetrating radar) from previous field-work campaigns together with a new data set from direct-push based methods to infer mechanical and hydrological properties of the material beneath the sports field (peri-glacial sand, glacial marl, cretaceous chalk).

Based on the derived material properties, we develop a mechanical model for the sinkhole collapse, starting from simple analytical considerations and then moving towards a three-dimensional distinct-element model explaining the sudden onset of collapse sinkholes for the sports field.

The mechanical model supports our hypothesis that the sudden onset of sinkholes is triggered by changes in groundwater level.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

14 Mar 2023
The Münsterdorf sinkhole cluster: void origin and mechanical failure
Georg Kaufmann, Douchko Romanov, Ulrike Werban, and Thomas Vienken
Solid Earth, 14, 333–351, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-14-333-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/se-14-333-2023, 2023
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The requested preprint has a corresponding peer-reviewed final revised paper. You are encouraged to refer to the final revised version.

Short summary
We discuss collapse sinkholes occuring since 2004 on the sports field of Münsterdorf, a village...
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