Buildings collapse after subsidence in South China (Guangzhou)

General, Geotechnical information,

On Monday afternoon (28/1/2013), three buildings collapsed after subsidence in Guangzhou. The incident happened near a metro tunnel construction site.

It is reported that metro workers spotted land subsidence near the project site and immediately the area was evacuated, hence no casualties have been reported. The subsidence area was about 10m deep and extended about 100m2.

It is also reported that the area is temporary stabilized by backfilling concrete into thesubsidence. The site is monitored for risk assessment.

(Source: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn)

Tunnel construction with a fast pace and lowered standards could lead to disaster. Land subsidence can be caused by a variety of factors. Tunneling in urban areas always includes careful consideration and monitoring of land movement.

subsidence causes buildings collapse in china

About Elina Apostolou

Elina Apostolou is an Engineering Geologist. She received her bachelor degree in Geology from National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in 2002, graduating from the Department of Dynamic, Tectonic & Applied Geology and specializing in Structural Geology and Geological Cartography. She received her master’s degree from Imperial College London in 2003, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering specializing in “Engineering Geology”. She worked as an Engineering geologist at Geodata Greece (Salonica), performing field work and composing geotechnical evaluations for various tunnel projects. For a short period of time she worked at the head office of Geodata SpA. in Turin Italy, acting as a liaison between the Greek branch and the Turin based office, considering a specific project. She worked as a geotechnical engineer – engineering geologist at General Consulting Ltd Istria for 4 years, specializing in various geotechnical engineering aspects. Her field of expertise includes geotechnical design of cut and cover tunnel portals, geotechnical evaluations of tunnels, earthworks (embankments, cuts) and structures, design of embankments and cuts, slope stability analysis, rockfall analysis and countermeasures. Meanwhile she received her second master’s degree from National Technical University of Athens in 2010, Department of Civil Engineering and Mining & Metallurgical Engineering, i.e. postgraduate award in “Design and Construction of Underground Works”.