Environmental characteristics of karst in China and their effect on engineering

Abstract

Due to the diverse geology and environmental conditions in China, karst development is characterized by great variety and regional regularities. At the same time, the engineering effect involved in the construction and development work undertaken in karst regions varies considerably. This article describes the regional characteristics of karst development in China, analysis of its karst hydrogeological conditions and the main geological engineering problems in karst area. Karst environmental conditions usually include both resource factors and hazard factors. For the exploitation of different resources in karst regions, it is very important to avoid geohazards such as karst collapses, landslides, and debris flows as well as causing karst water invasion. Otherwise, according to the local hazard conditions, treatment can be implemented for decreasing the natural hazard and reducing potential harm. © 2013 The Author(s).