• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.251-263
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• 2015

Geological mapping, borehole drilling, electrical resistivity, and seismic tomography surveys were conducted in order to map underground cavities and better understand the mechanisms driving subsidence in a limestone region in Korea. Limestone outcrops in the study area generally alternate between calcite-rich and calcite-poor rock. The results reveal that in areas experiencing subsidence, cavities occur mainly around soil-rock boundaries at depths of 7~14 m. These results are based on comparative analyses of electrical resistivity, seismic tomography, and borehole logging data. The volumes of the cavities are relatively small in a range of 558~835 ㎥ and they have a shape typical of suffosion sinkholes, which are typically found where sandy soils overlie bedrock cavities.