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Service Offered
The Making of a Sinkhole
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WESTECH | Western Earth Technologies, Inc.
As trusted experts, Western Earth Technologies is proud to deliver the utmost in quality and service to our residential, commercial, professional and insurance clients. Our goal is total satisfaction in everything that we do. The Westech Advantage: Professional Engineer and Geologist Supervision:Our professionally registered engineer and geologist supervisors are experts by both education and experience in the unique geologic conditions found in Florida. this gives us greater insight into the history, mechanics and implications of the soil conditions underlying your home, business or property Experience You Can Trust With hundreds of projects under our belt, our staff is highly experienced in geotechnical testing and sinkhole repair. We have the experience, equipment, resources and expertise to complete your project quickly, accurately and effectively while strictly adhering to applicable industry standards and the specifications given by the Engineer or Geologist of Record. Responsive, "Extra Mile" Service We treat the homes, businesses and properties entrusted to us with the greatest care and respect. Our staff is well versed in the protection and restoration of your valuable property. We work to ensure the project is performed to the complete satisfaction of the owner and Engineer or Geologist of Record. About Florida Sinkholes
The vast majority of Florida consists of limestone bedrock that is primarily overlain by sand and sand mixed with clay and/or silt. As rainwater travels downward through these sand soils, it becomes increasingly acidic before joining the groundwater. The limestone is slowly dissolved away by this acidic water, forming voids (holes) and fissures (cracks) in the limestone. Depending on the local geologic conditions, this can result in different types of sinkholes. The two most common types of sinkholes affecting Florida homes, called "Cover Subsidence" and "Cover Collapse" sinkholes, are discussed below:
Cover Subsidence Sinkholes The most common type of sinkhole affecting homes in Florida, cover subsidence sinkholes occur when the soils overlying the limestone begin to fall (by gravity) or get washed (from groundwater flow) into the voids and/or fissures. As this occurs, the soils overlying the limestone become less dense (a process called “raveling”). This raveling trend eventually travels upward as more soils enter into the voids and fissures, weakening the shallow soils and sometimes causing noticeable depressions in the ground surface. Any homes, buildings, or other structures that are supported by these weakened soils can experience ongoing damage that becomes progressively worse as the soils lose their strength. These sinkhole conditions typically develop slowly over thousands of years and rarely result in catastrophic damage. Cover Collapse Sinkholes Cover collapse sinkholes occur when a void forms beneath a layer of strong soil or limestone, which then acts as a "bridge" over the void. Over time, the strong soil or limestone layer may become weakened and/or the void may grow in size until the "bridge" collapses. As this occurs, the overlying soils move into the void quickly, and a large hole can rapidly develop at the ground surface in a matter of days, hours, or (rarely) minutes. While cover collapse sinkholes are less common than cover subsidence sinkholes, they have been known to cause sudden, catastrophic damage to houses, buildings, roads and other structures. |
