Subsidence

The following documents and links provide access to information on ground subsidence resulting from mining operations. These documents includereports on the accuracy of geodetic measurements and technical reports on ground subsidence. Measuring plans, geodetic measurement records and GPS measurements are posted on a separate sub page (in Dutch). Other, more common causes of subsidence in the Netherlands are only discussed briefly.

Liability for damage is regulated in legislation and regulations and, in particular, in production and monitoring plans. The Technical Commission on Ground Movement (in Dutch: technische commissie bodembeweging = Tcbb) advises the Minister on relationships between exploration for and mining of mineral resources and ground movement. The Tcbb can instigate technical studies to examine whether and, if so, to what extent damage caused by ground movement is the result of mining operations.

Geodetic basic guideline for the Mining Industry 

This guideline covers the design of monitoring networks, and how data on ground movement as a result of mining or storage should be gathered and processed. It also sets requirements for the reliability of monitoring networks and the accuracy of measurements. The guideline (available in Dutch only - Industrieleidraad Geodetische basis voor Mijnbouw) is used as an assessment tool by the supervisory authority. The Tcbb also administers the industry guideline.

Documents

Waddenzee


Noordwest Friesland

Other


Software

The vanopstal.m matlab function is an adaption of Appendix A of Van Opstal (1974). This routine is used to calculate the subsidence profile. A effect function  provides the subsidence at the surface resulting from 1 bar of pressure drop in the reservoir. In the Van Opstal routine, the ratio between the depth of the reservoir and the depth of the rigid basement defines the shape of the subsidence bowl.

Reference: Van Optal (1974) The effect of base-rock rigidity on subsidence due to reservoir compaction, in Advances in rock mechanics, 3rd congress Denver