Effects of former coal Mining upward drillings and sinkhole formation
report
Following the closure of the coal mines, the South Limburg region has been
experiencing uplift and moreover several sinkholes formed in recent times (Figure
1):
• In 2008 a sinkhole formed in the parking lot of the DSM building in Heerlen.
• In 2011 a sinkhole formed under the shopping center ‘t Loon in Heerlen leading
to a partial demolition of the building.
• In 2019 a sinkhole occurred near the fountain of castle Erenstein in Kerkrade.
Striking is that the upward drillings (UD’s) are present either directly under these
sinkholes or within several meters away. This observation has led to the hypothesis
that the UD’s enable the sinkhole formation. More specifically, if the UD’s were/are
migration paths for unconsolidated material transported by groundwater flows -
eventually inducing the sinkholes at these three locations
experiencing uplift and moreover several sinkholes formed in recent times (Figure
1):
• In 2008 a sinkhole formed in the parking lot of the DSM building in Heerlen.
• In 2011 a sinkhole formed under the shopping center ‘t Loon in Heerlen leading
to a partial demolition of the building.
• In 2019 a sinkhole occurred near the fountain of castle Erenstein in Kerkrade.
Striking is that the upward drillings (UD’s) are present either directly under these
sinkholes or within several meters away. This observation has led to the hypothesis
that the UD’s enable the sinkhole formation. More specifically, if the UD’s were/are
migration paths for unconsolidated material transported by groundwater flows -
eventually inducing the sinkholes at these three locations
Topics
TNO Identifier
988496
Publisher
TNO
Collation
24 p.
Place of publication
Utrecht