Abstract
Italian sinkholes, which are mainly related to karst phenomena (i.e., solution sinkholes, collapse sinkholes, etc.), are widespread along the Apennine ridge and in pedemontane areas where there are carbonatic bedrock outcrops. However, other collapses, which seem unrelated to karst dissolution, have been identified in plain areas with a thick sedimentary cover over buried bedrock. The main goal of this work is to study the geological, geomorphological, and structural setting of these areas to identify the possible mechanism of the generation and evolution of these collapses. About 750 cases were identified by research based on historical archives, specific geological literature, and information from local administrations. Geological, geomorphological, and hydro-geochemical surveys were conducted in 300 cases, supported by literature, borehole, and seismic data. A few examples were discarded because they could be ascribed to karst dissolution, volcanic origin (i.e., maar), or anthropogenic causes. Field studies regarding the other 450 cases are in progress. These cases occur along the Tyrrhenian margin (Latium, Abruzzo, Campania, Tuscany) in tectonic, coastal, and alluvial plains close to carbonate ridges. These plains are characterized by the presence of pressurized aquifers in the buried bedrock, overlaid by unconsolidated sediments (i.e., clay, sands, pyroclastic deposits, etc.). The majority of these collapses are aligned along regional master and seismogenetic faults. About 50% of the studied cases host small lakes or ponds, often characterized by highly mineralized springs enriched with CO2 and H2S. The Periadriatic margin does not seem to be affected by these phenomena, and only a few cases have been found in Sicily, Sardinia, and Liguria. The obtained scenarios suggests that this type of collapse could be related to upward erosion through vertical conduits (i.e., deep faults) caused by deep piping processes whose erosive strength is increased by the presence of acidic fluids. In order to distinguish these collapses from typical karst dissolution phenomena, they are defined as deep piping sinkholes (DPS).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Annunziatellis A, Beaubien SE, Ciotoli G, Lombardi S, Nisio S, Nolasco F (2004) Studio dei parametri geologici e geochimici per la comprensione dei meccanismi genetici degli sprofondamenti nella piana di S. Vittorino. In: Proceeding: state of the art on the study of sinkhole phenomena and role of the national and local government in the territory administration. Rome, 20–21 May 2004, pp 63–82
APAT (2004) In: Proceeding: state of the art on the study of sinkhole phenomena and role of the national and local government in the territory administration. Rome, 20–21 May 2004, 709 pp
Argentieri A, Capelli G, Di Filippo M, Loretelli S, Salvati R, Toro B, Vecchia P (2002) Il sinkhole di Marcellina (Roma) del 25/1/2001: primi dati stratigrafici, idrogeologici e geofisici. In: Proceeding: Il dissesto idrogeologico: inventario e prospettive, vol 181. Rome, 5 Jun 2001, pp 243–255
Balia R, Gavaudo E, Ghiglieri G (2001) Geophysical survey of a karst area. A case study from Sardinia, Italy. Eur J Environ Eng Geoph 6:167–170
Bates RL, Jackson J (1983) Dictionary of geological terms, 2nd edn. American Geological Institute, 571 pp
Beck BF (1984) Sinkholes: their geology, engineering and environmental impact. In: Proceedings of the first Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes, Orlando, FL. A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 429 pp
Beck BF, Wilson WL (1987) Karst hydrogeology: engineering and environmental applications. In: Proceedings of the second multidisciplinary conference on sinkholes and the environmental impacts of karst, Orlando, FL. A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands, 429 pp
Bondesan M (1995) Osservazioni sui Gorghi e su altre cavità di erosione nei territori di Rovigo e Ferrara ipotesi sulla loro origine. Act Acc Sci Ferrara 70–71:129–156
Bono P (1995) The sinkhole of Doganella (Pontina Plain, Central Italy). Environ Geol 26:48–52
Brook GA, Anderson TL (1985) Fracture mapping and ground subsidence susceptibility modeling in covered karst terrain: the example of Dougherty County, Georgia. Balkema, Rotterdam
Buchignani V, Chines C (2002) Indagini relative al fenomeno di crollo verificatosi nell’ottobre 1995 in località “le Funi” Camaiore capuolog. In: Proceeding: Le voragini catastrofiche, un nuovo problema per la Toscana. Att. Conv. 31 mars 2000, GR. Regione Toscana, pp 176–201
Campobasso C, Graciotti R, Nisio S, Letizia V (2004) Il progetto sinkhole: le attività svolte dal Dipartimento Difesa del Suolo dell’APAT. In: Proceeding: state of the art on the study of sinkhole phenomena and role of the national and local government in the territory administration. Rome, 20–21 May 2004, pp 171–188
Canuti P (1982) Ambienti geologici investigati nell’ambito del sottoprogetto fenomeni franosi. In: Progetto Finalizzato Conservazione del Suolo. CNR, Rome
Capelli G, Salvati R (2002) Il Progetto Sinkhole del Lazio. Dip. Sc. Geologiche Univ. Roma TRE & Regione Lazio Ass. to U.T.V.R.A., Rome
Capelli G, Petitta M, Salvati R (2000) Relationships between catastrophic subsidence hazards and groundwater in the Velino Valley (Central Italy). In: Proceedings: Sixth International Symposium on Land Subsidence SISOLS 2000, vol 1. Ravenna, Italy, pp 123–136
Caramanna G (2001) Scientific utilization of scuba diving and ROV techniques in an inland flooded sinkhole in the Latium Region (Central Italy) for the hydrogeologic and geochemical study of the karst water resource. In: Proceeding of GeoItalia 2001, III Forum Italiano di Scienze della Terra. FIST, Chieti 5–8 Settembre 2001, pp 302–303
Caramanna G, Nisio S, Vita L (2004) Fenomeni di annegamento dei sinkholes: casi di studio su alcuni laghetti di origine incerta. In: Proceeding: state of the art on the study of sinkhole phenomena and role of the national and local government in the territory administration. Rome, 20–21 May 2004, pp 229–248
Caramanna G, Ciotoli G, Nisio S (2005) A review of natural sink phenomena in Italian plain areas. In: 6th International Conference of Geomorphology, 7–11 Sept 2005, Zaragoza, Spain, p 347
Caredda G, Cinus S, Farris M (2004) Isinkholes del Sulcis-Iglesiente”casi di studio e ruolo delle amministrazioni pubbliche. In: Proceeding: state of the art on the study of sinkhole phenomena and role of the national and local government in the territory administration. Rome, 20–21 May 2004, pp 249–262
Castiglioni GB (1986) Geomorfologia. Opere UTET di geografia e discipline affini, 436 pp
Centamore E, Nisio S, Rossi D (2004) Aspetti geologico-strutturali in relazione alla formazione della “sinkhole plain” di S. Vittorino. In: Proceeding: state of the art on the study of sinkhole phenomena and role of the national and local government in the territory administration. Rome, 20–21 May 2004, pp 285–298
Chang K, Basnett C (1995) Delineation of sinkhole boundary using DutchCone soundings. Eng Geol 52:113–120
Ciotoli G, Di Filippo M, Nisio S, Romagnoli C (2000) La Piana di S. Vittorino: dati preliminari sugli studi geologici, strutturali, geomorfologici, geofisici e geochimici. Mem Soc Geol It 56:297–308
Colombi A, Salvati R, Capelli G (2001) Sinkhole in Latium region (Central Italy). Purposes of the main project. In: Beck BF, Gayle Herring J (eds) Geotechnical and environmental applications of karst geology and hydrology. Balkema, Louisville, KY, USA
Cramer H (1941) Die Systematik der Karstdolinen. Neues Jb Miner Geol Paläont 85:293–382
Cvijic J (1893) Das Karstphaenomenon. Geol. Abhandl, Wien
Del Prete S, De Riso R, Santo A (2004) Primo contributo sui sinkholes di origine naturale in Campania. In: Proceeding: state of the art on the study of sinkhole phenomena and role of the national and local government in the territory administration. Rome, 20–21 May 2004, p 361, 376
Delle Rose M, Parise M (2002) Karst subsidence in south-central Apulia. Int J Speleolog 31:181–199
Delle Rose M, Federico A, Parise M (2004a) Problematiche connesse a Fenomeni di subsidenza carsica E sinkholes in Puglia. In: Proceeding: state of the art on the study of sinkhole phenomena and role of the national and local government in the territory administration. Rome, 20–21 May 2004, pp 377–388
Delle Rose M, Federico A, Parise M (2004b) Sinkhole genesis and evolution in Apulia and their interrelations with the anthropogenic environment. Nat Hazards Earth Syst Sci 4:747–755
Di Filippo M, Palmieri M, Toro B (2002) Studio gravimetrico del sinkhole di Doganella di Ninfa (Latina). In: Proceeding: Le voragini catastrofiche, un nuovo problema per la Toscana, 31 mars 2000, GR. Regione Toscana, pp 62–70
Faccenna C, Florindo F, Funiciello R, Lombardi S (1993) Tectonic settings and sinkhole features: case histories from Western Central Italy. Quat Proc 3:47–56
Faccenna C, Funiciello R, Montone P, Parotto M, Voltaggio M (1994) Late Pleistocene strike-slip tectonic in the Acque Albule basin (Tivoli, Latium). Mem Descr Carta Geol d’It 49:37–50
Fairbridge J (1968) The encyclopedia of geomorphology. Reinhold, New York, 1295 pp
Galloway DL, Jones DR, Ingebritsen SE (1999) Land subsidence in the United States. USGS
Gary MO, Sharp JM, Caramanna G, Havens RS (2003) Volcanically influenced speleogenesis forming “El Sistema Zacatòn” (Mexico) and “Pozzo del Merro” (Italy), the deepest phreatic sinkholes in the world. Geological Society of America, Seattle
Hyatt JA, Wilson R, Givens JS, Jacobs MP (2001) Topographic, geologic, and hydrogeologic controls on dimensions and locations of sinkholes in thick covered karst, Lowndes County, Georgia. In: Geotechnical and environmental applications of karst geology and hydrology. Proceedings of Eighth Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes, 1–4 April 2001, A. A. Balkema, Lisse, The Netherlands, pp 37–45
Jennings JN (1985) Karst geomorphology. Kateprint Co. Ltd, Oxford, 293 pp
Kaufmann O, Quinif Y (1999) Cover-collapse sinkholes in the Tournasis area, southern Belgium. Eng Geol 52:15–22
Macaluso T, Madonia G, Palmieri A, Sauro U (2002) Atlante dei karren nelle evaporiti della Sicilia (Atlas of the karren in the evaporitic rocks of Sicily). In: Quaderni del museo Geologico “G.G. Gemellaro” no. 5. Dip. Di Geologia e Geodesia, Università degli studi di Palermo, 143 pp
Melidoro G, Panaro V (2000) Sprofondamenti carsici nei gessi costieri di Marina di Lesina (Gargano) e mitigazione del rischio. Geol Tec Ambienale (J Tech Environ Geol) 3:13–24
Monroe WH (1970) A glossary of karst terminology. U.S. Geol. Surv. Water Sup
Neuendorf K, Mehl J, Jackson J (2005) Glossary of geology, 5th edn. American Geological Institute, 779 pp
Newton JG, Hyde LH (1971) Sinkhole problem in and near Roberts Industrial Subdivision Birmingham, Alabama. Geological Survey of Alabama
Nisio S (2003) I fenomeni di sprofondamento: stato delle conoscenze ed alcuni esempi in Italia centrale. Il Quat (Ital J Quat Sci) 16:121–132
Nisio S, Salvati R (2004) Fenomeni di sprofondamento catastrofico. Proposta di classificazione applicata alla casistica italiana. In: Proceeding: state of the art on the study of sinkhole phenomena and role of the national and local government in the territory administration. Rome, 20–21 May 2004, pp 573–584
Nisio S, Scapola F (2005) Individuazione di aree a rischio sinkhole: nuovi casi nel Lazio meridionale. Il Quat (Ital J Quat Sci) 18(2):223–239
Nisio S, Graciotti R, Vita L (2004) I fenomeni di sinkhole in Italia: terminologia, meccanismi genetici e problematiche aperte. In: Proceeding: state of the art on the study of sinkhole phenomena and role of the national and local government in the territory administration. Rome, 20–21 May 2004, pp 557–572
Nisio S, Caramanna G, Ciotoli G (2005) Sinkholes hazard in Italy: first results on the inventory and analysis of some case studies. General assembly of the European Geosciences Union (EGU), Vienna, April 24–29, Geophysical Research Proceeding 7, 03922
Nisio S, Caramanna G, Ciotoli G (2007) In: Parise M, Gunn J (eds) Sinkholes hazard in Italy: first results on the inventory and analysis of some case studies. Geological Society London Special publications: Natural and anthropogenic hazards in karst: Recognition, Analysis and Mitigation 279:23–45
Ogden AE, Curry WA, Cummings JL (1989) Morphometric analysis of sinkholes and caves in Tennessee comparing the Eastern Highland Rim and Valley and Ridge physiographic provinces. In: Engineering and environmental impacts of sinkholes and karst. Proceedings of Third Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes, 2–4 October 1989, A. A. Balkema, Brookfield, Vermont, pp 135–142
Salvati R, Sasowsky ID (2002) Development of collapse sinkholes in areas of groundwater discharge. J Hydrol 264:1–11
Salvati R, Capelli G, Sasowsky ID (2000) Conceptual model for development of collapse sinkhole in areas of groundwater discharge, Central Italy. Geological Society of America, Reno, Nevada
Salvati R, Capelli G, Colombi A (2001) Catastrophic subsidence risk assessment: a conceptual matrix for sinkhole genesis. In: Beck BF, Gayle HJ (eds) Geotechnical and environmental applications of karst geology and hydrology. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 159–162
Sasowsky ID, White WB, Webb JA (1995) Acid mine drainage in karst terranes: geochemical considerations and filed observations. A. A. Balkema
Sauro U (2003) Dolines and sinkholes: aspect of evolution and problem of classification. Acta Carsol 32:41–52
Steeples DW, Knapp RW, Miller RD (1984) Examination of sinkholes by seismic reflection. In: Sinkholes: their geology, engineering & environmental impact. Proceedings of first multidisciplinary conference on sinkholes, 15–17 October 1984, A. A. Balkema, Accord, Massachusetts, pp 217–223
Sweeting MM (1972) Karst landform. Macmillan, London, 362 pp
Tharp TM (1997) Mechanics of formation of cover-collapse sinkholes. In: The engineering geology and hydrogeology of karst terrains. Proceedings of Sixth Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes, 6–9 April 1997, A. A. Balkema, Brookfield, Vermont, pp 29–36
Tharp TM (1999) Mechanics of upward propagation of cover-collapse sinkholes. Eng Geol 52:23–33
Tharp TM (2000) Cover-collapse sinkhole formation and piezometric surface drawdown. P. E. LaMoreaux and Associates, Louisville, Kentucky
Tihansky AB (1999) Sinkholes. West-Central Florida, pp 121–141
Tuscany Region Administration (2000) Proceeding: Le voragini catastrofiche, un nuovo problema per la Toscana. 31 mars 2000, GR. Regione Toscana
Veni G (1987) Fracture permeability: implications on cave and sinkhole development and their environmental assessments. In: Karst hydrology: engineering and environmental applications. Proceeding of second multidisciplinary conference on sinkholes, 9–11 February 1987, A. A. Balkema, Accord, Massachusetts, pp 101–105
Waleed AA, Goodings DJ (1996) Modelling of sinkholes in weakly cemented sand. J Geotech Eng 122:998–1005
Waltham T (2002) The engineering classification of karst with respect to the role and influence of caves. Int J Speleolog 31:19–35
Waltham T, Bell F, Culshaw M (2005) Sinkholes and subsidence. Praxis Publishing Springer
White WB (1988) Geomorphology and hydrology of karst terrains. Oxford University Press, New York
White WB, Culver DC, Herman JS (1995) Karst lands. Am Sci 83:450–459
Williams P (2004) Dolines. In: Gunn J (ed) Encyclopaedia of cave and karst science. Taylor and Francis Group, New York, London, pp 304–310
Wilson W, Moore J (1998) Glossary of hydrology. American Geological Institute, 248 pp
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Caramanna, G., Ciotoli, G. & Nisio, S. A review of natural sinkhole phenomena in Italian plain areas. Nat Hazards 45, 145–172 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-007-9165-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-007-9165-7