The use of sinkhole models in advanced geotechnical engineering teaching

Abstract

This paper demonstrates an approach to integrate geotechnical research into an advanced geotechnical engineering course. It involves the use of a simple 3D small-scale sinkhole model, a 2D numerical model of an idealized sinkhole, and an advanced 3D numerical model. A three-week teaching activity that integrates this material into the course is developed, ranging from the introductory material through to experiment conduction and reporting. By incorporating some advanced topics such as this into the course, it is expected that the students will have an increased awareness and understanding of natural geotechnical phenomena. It is also hoped that the model will help foster further interest in the geotechnical discipline, for either research or practice.