PURPOSES: The objective of this study is to evaluate road subsidence based on model chamber tests. METHODS : A theoretical review of road subsidence mechanisms was carried out, and a series of soil chamber tests with initial cavities were conducted under various conditions. Road subsidence risk was analyzed based on these results. RESULTS: The cavity collapse risk was affected by multiple factors, including cavity location, traffic loading, and asphalt layer thickness. The Nf number of loading required to reach cavity collapse increased as the cavity width increased, cavity depth decreased, and asphalt layer thickness increased. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of asphalt thickness on the risk of road subsidence was assessed to have an additional 1.5-fold effect on the subgrade thickness. This study proposed an effective cavity depth (Deff), considering the strength of the asphalt layer. Based on the results of the model chamber test, a four-class road subsidence risk model was proposed with effective cavity depths and widths. It was found that the risk of road subsidence increased as the cavity width increased and the effective cavity depth decreased. This trend is also well matched to the road subsidence risk models of Japan and Seoul.

PURPOSES: The purpose of this study is to identify the mechanism of road subsidence caused by damaged water and sewer pipes. METHODS: A series of soil chamber test using damaged water and sewer pipe models were conducted under various conditions. RESULTS : Characteristics of cavity expansion and collapse caused by damaged pipes were affected by the damaged location in the sewer pipe, the head on the water pipe, the distance between the damaged water pipe and outlet, and relative soil density. CONCLUSIONS: Sewer-pipe damage was considered a direct cause of road subsidence, and the cavity expanded discontinuously. When the outlet was located under the damaged water pipe, the cavity expanded in the water pipe’s direction, and collapse occurred above the pipe. However, when the outlet was located atop the damaged water pipe, the cavity expanded toward the outlet direction and resulted in a subsidence. Cavity expansion speed was affected by various conditions, such as the pipe’s water head, outlet position, distance between the damaged water pipe and outlet, and relative soil density. However, the cavity expansion shape did not affect factors, except for outlet position.