Sinkhole Emergency!
The ground is collapsing, and we have a problem! How do we handle a sinkhole emergency? In this activity, students are tasked with repairing a sinkhole to prevent it from spreading and getting larger. Using the engineering design process, student groups first research sinkholes and then brainstorm, plan and design the best solution for repairing a sinkhole so that water cannot get through to dissolve additional soft minerals and become bigger. The effectiveness of each group’s design is determined by pouring water into the top of their “repaired sinkhole” to see how much water gets through. Successful designs should prevent water from leaking through.
A student shows off their design.Copyright 2022 Morgan Dallaportas, University of Florida MRET
When a sinkhole occurs, civil engineers examine it from top to the bottom to determine the likely cause(s). Often consulting other experts, such as geologists and excavation contractors, civil engineers then consider many methods of stabilization. After deciding the best course of action, the team quickly works to implement the plan. The success of the repair is determined by its ability to hold water. If the repair is not completely successful, the engineers will consider additional methods to ensure stability.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain how internal erosion can lead to sinkholes.
- Considering specific constraints (material types, material amounts, time), create a design that prevents further internal erosion under a sinkhole.
- Apply steps of the engineering design process.