Abstract
A ground cave-in tends to happen above and around a buried structure. It is assumed that the permeability at the interface between a structure and the ground may be higher than that in the ground, causing the formation of water pathway at the interface. Such water pathway may be a trigger for the further subsurface erosion, which accelerate the formation of cavity and loosening in the ground.
In this study, a series of model test was conducted to investigate the effects of a buried structure on the formation of water pathway and ground loosening. It was observed that ground loosening and cavity tended to occur around a buried structure, probably because the structure seemed to alter the path of seepage water. [This abstract is not included in the PDF]
