Risk of the loess pseudo-karst development during construction and its link with natural and technogenic processes

Abstract

Crowning the tops of geological cuts and occupying considerable territories in favorable physiographic conditions, loess rocks are the very basis, which have been actively used by human society since ancient times. For example, the Loess plateau in China is the place of origin of the Chinese civilization. The loess pseudo-karst began to develop actively in loess massifs because of development of a technogenesis and active construction of civil, industrial and hydraulic engineering constructions, water supply on earlier not-developed territories for agricultural development. This dangerous geological phenomenon leads to the destruction of structures, initiates development of landslides, collapses, mud streams, ravines and as the result, quite often forms pseudo-karstic bad land. Cases, when the increase in danger of a loess pseudo-karst at high degree of vulnerability of structures, resulted both in economic and social risk are known. Knowledge of principles of danger assessment of the loess pseudo-karst development during construction and maintenance of structures of different purposes as well as the developments which have not been involved in economic activity earlier will allow minimizing economic and social damages.