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Simulation of land subsidence using finite element method: Rafsanjan plain case study

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Abstract

Land subsidence caused by the excessive use of groundwater resources has caused serious damage to Rafsanjan area. In this study, using finite element method, a 2D plain strain simulation of land subsidence has been conducted. A linear elastic constitutive law has been used for the simulation of the soil material skeleton. Actual water level during the analysis period has been modeled via specifying nodal water pressure at piezometer wells situation. The solution procedure consists of two parts. First, an initial static analysis is carried out in order to find initial steady-state solution for the pore pressure and stress distribution. Then, the above solution is used as initial condition for dynamic computation of consolidation equations during pumpage period. Tectonic effect has been considered as a rigid body motion. Numerical results showed that if the rate of pumpage remains constant in the future, settlement due to water withdrawal near Rafsanjan city will reach up to 110 cm by the year 2022.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Kerman Regional Water Organization, Rafsanjan Irrigation Office and Geomatic Organization of Iran for their help in supplying the data and Dr. Mashaallah Khamehchiyan for his support. The corresponding author is also grateful for the research support of the Iran National Science Foundation (INSF).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

    M. Sayyaf & B. Motamedvaziri

  2. Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

    M. Mahdavi & S. Feiznia

  3. Civil Engineering Faculty, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4416, Tehran, Iran

    O. R. Barani

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  1. M. Sayyaf
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  2. M. Mahdavi
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  3. O. R. Barani
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  4. S. Feiznia
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  5. B. Motamedvaziri
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Correspondence to O. R. Barani.

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Sayyaf, M., Mahdavi, M., Barani, O.R. et al. Simulation of land subsidence using finite element method: Rafsanjan plain case study. Nat Hazards 72, 309–322 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-013-1010-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-013-1010-6

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