Comprehensive Analysis of the Influential Factors of Karst Cave Tourism Development

There are many karst caves in China and each karst cave is a special part of natural landscape resources.How to exploit karst cave resources to develop tourism relates to the the effective exploitation of karst caves resources.The author comprehensively analyzed the main influential factors of karst cave tourism development and concluded that the influential factors were the feature of karst caves resources,transportation condition,construction condition,regional economic development level,source market,regional combination of scenic spots,spatial competition,investors' decision-making behavior,local residents' attitudes and so on.The integrated action of these factors codetermines whether karst cave tourism development successes or not.Only by thoroughly realizing the status and role of every influential factor karst cave tourism development could be reasonably conducted,exploiting strong points and avoiding shortcomings.

A new method determining safe thickness of karst cave roof under pile tip

Cave roofs are used to support pile foundation in many engineering projects. Accurate stability analysis method of cave roof under pile tip is important in order to ensure the safety of the pile foundation structure. Firstly the mechanical model to analysis the stability of cave roof under pile tip is founded aiming to solve the problems that the simplified mechanical model has. Secondly, the boundary of cave roof is simply supposed to be supported according to the integrity of the rock mass in the boundary of cave roof. Thirdly, based on the theory of plates and shells, the simplified model is calculated and the theoretical calculation formula to determine the safe thickness of cave roof under pile tip can be obtained when the edges of the cave roof are simply supported. In the end, the analysis of the practical engineering project proves the feasibility and the rationality of the method which can be a new method to calculate the safe thickness of cave roof under pile tip.

Stability analysis of subgrade cave roofs in karst region

According to the engineering features of subgrade cave roof in karst region, the clamped beam model of subgrade cave roof in karst region was set up. Based on the catastrophe theory, the cusp catastrophe model for bearing capacity of subgrade cave roof and safe thickness of subgrade cave roof in karst region was established. The necessary instability conditions of subgrade cave roof were deduced, and then the methods to determine safe thickness of cave roofs under piles and bearing capacity of subgrade cave roof were proposed. At the same time, a practical engineering project was applied to verifying this method, which has been proved successfu1ly. At last, the major factors that affect the stability on cave roof under pile in karst region were deeply discussed and some results in quality were acquired.

An attribute recognition model for safe thickness assessment between concealed karst cave and tunnel

An attribute recognition model for safe thickness assessment between a concealed karst cave and a tunnel is established based on the attribute mathematic theory.The model can be applied to carrying out risk classification of the safe thickness between a concealed karst cave and a tunnel and to guarantee construction’s safety in tunnel engineering.Firstly,the assessment indicators and classification standard of safe thickness between a concealed karst cave and a tunnel are studied based on the perturbation method.Then some attribute measurement functions are constructed to compute the attribute measurement of each single index and synthetic attribute measurement.Finally,the identification and classification of risk assessment of safe thickness between a concealed karst cave and a tunnel are recognized by the confidence criterion.The results of two engineering application show that the evaluation results agree well with the site situations in construction.The results provide a good guidance for the tunnel construction.

Collapse mode of rock mass induced by a concealed karst cave above a deep cavity

Reliable prediction of the potential collapse region of rock mass is a key challenge for deep underground cavity excavation, especially if a concealed karst cave is located above the excavated cavity. Because of the effect of the blast vibration, a possible collapse would occur at a certain region between the concealed karst cave and the excavated cavity. This paper aims to study the roof collapse of a deep buried cavity induced by a concealed karst cave base on a two-dimensional failure mechanism by using upper bound theorem. The failure mechanism is constituted by arbitrary curves which is similar to the collapse observed in an actual cavity excavation. The shape and range of the collapse block is determined by virtual work equation in conjunction with variational approach. The results obtained by the presented approach are approximate with the numerical results provided by finite difference code, which indicates that the proposed method in this work is valid.

Karst Cave Tourism System in Zhejiang Province Based on Resource Regional Analysis

Karst cave tourism plays an important role in the overall tourism of Zhejiang Province, China. In analyzing the current status of karst cave tourism resources, it is crucial to develop a scientific system for optimizing resource exploitation and tourism development in the future. This study conducted an analysis of resource characteristics and regional structure in Zhejiang Province. Nearest neighbor index （NNI） method and accessibility index method were used for a comprehensive understanding of the effects of scale, strength, combination, and accessibility of karst cave tourism resources. Results indicated that karst cave tourism resources in Zhejiang Province have a significant regional influence, and that resource quality and exploitation are diverse in different regions. Among the regions, Jinhua had the highest exploitation proportion of over 60% and the lowest NNI value of 0.098. Furthermore, regional analysis inferred that different karst caves demonstrate diversity in accessibility to tourism markets, among which the Lingshan Cave, Fengshui Cave, and Xianqiao Cave reveal the highest accessibility index of 2.41. Finally, we put forward a karst cave tourism system in Zhejiang Province based on the Growth Pole Theory and set up an overall scheme for karst cave tourism development. From a regional perspective analysis, the study refined the methods for regional resource re- search and provided a strategic proposal for karst cave tourism in Zheiiang Province.

A New Species of Odorrana Inhabiting Complete Darkness in a Karst Cave in Guangxi, China

A new species of the genusOdorrana is described from a completely dark karst cave of northeastern Guangxi, southern China. The new species,Odorranalipuensissp. nov., can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters： medium size （SVL： 40.7–47.7 mm in males, 51.1–55.4 mm in females）;tips of all but ifrst ifnger expanded with circummarginal grooves; smooth, grass-green dorsum with irregular brown mottling; pineal body invisible; throat to upper abdomen with gray mottling; dorsal surfaces of limbs with brown bands; dorsolateral fold absent; tiny spinules on lateral body, temporal region, and anterior and posterior edge of tympanum;white nuptial pad present on ifnger I; males lacking vocal sacs; females having creamy yellow eggs, without black poles. Uncorrected sequence divergences betweenO.lipuensissp. nov. and all homologous 16S rRNA sequences ofOdorrana available on GenBank is equal to or greater than 4.9%. Currently, the new species is only known from the type locality.

The Diversity of Soil Fauna Communities in the Karst Cave Wetland of Maolan Nature Reserve

From March 2014 to February 2015, the soil fauna community in the karst cave wetland of Maolan Nature Reserve was investigated. A total of 3,820 soil fauna was obtained, belonging to 31 orders, 11 classes, and 3 phyla. The dominant groups were Araneae, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera, accounting for 48.90% of the total catch. There were 18 common groups and 10 rare groups. The diversity analysis showed that the Banzhai karst cave wetland had the largest soil fauna community diversity index and evenness index and that the Dongsai karst cave wetland had the largest number of groups and individuals. The seasonal variation of the soil fauna in the karst cave wetlands was analyzed: the number of soil fauna individuals showed a downtrend in summer, autumn, spring and winter; there were the highest number of phytophagous soil fauna, followed by predatory soil fauna and saprophagous soil fauna.

Speleogenesis of Selected Caves beneath the Lunan Shilin and Caves of Fenglin Karst in Qiubei, Yunnan

Yunnan is famous for its attractive karst landscapes especially shilins, fengcong and fenglin. The development of caves beneath the shilins in the vicinity of Lunan is closely connected with the formation of shilins. Most of the waters percolating through shilins run through the caves beneath them and are responsible for their formation. The study of cave speleogenesis deepens knowledge about both the development of shilins and karst structure. In the vicinity of the Lunan Shilin, speleological, morphological and structural geological studies of four karst caves have been accomplished. At Puzhehei, Qiubei, which is characterised by numerous fenglin, fengcong and caves, speleological and morphological studies have been performed. Cave sediments for paleomagnetic analyses have been taken from all studied areas (samples CH 1-9). Karst caves in SE Yunnan are probably much older than the age of the cave sediments (<780,000 years B.P.). The studied areas are located in the vicinity of the Xiaojiang fault (N-S direction I and the Red River fault (NW-SE direction). The general directions of both active faults are assumed to influence the direction of the most frequent fissures as well as the cave passages near the Lunan Shilin. The Xiaojiang fault more strongly influences cave passage orientation, while the more distant Red River fault most strongly influences fissure orientation.

Baiyun Cave in Naigu Shilin,Yunnan Karst,China

The Baiyun cave is a 380 m long karst cave in the Naigu Shilin, situated 70 km southeast of Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. The prevailing orientations of the cave passages are N110°–120°E and N0°-10°W and those of the fissures in the cave are N30°–40°W and N20°–30°W. The cave is developed in the thick-bedded Lower Permian Qixia Formation. The cave has an active water flow and is currently at the near water-table stage. There are large amounts of different infills of cave sediments. The cave shows different stages of paragenesis. The palaeomagnetic analysis of cave sediments shows that their ages are younger than 780 ka B.P. (the Brunhes Chron). The upper part of the sampled profile belongs to the reverse Blake event (112.3–117.9 ka B.P.). The formation of the Baiyun cave is directly connected with the development of the Naigu Shilin. The formation of karst underground and surface features depends on the regional tectonic deformation and the Cenozoic extension of the study area.

Formation of Baiyun Karst Cave Landscapes in the Kongshan Mountain of Lincheng County, Hebei Province

Baiyun Cave in the Kongshan Mountain is a cave which developed mostly in thick-layer oolitic limestone of the Middle Cambrain Zhangxia Formation in the Quaternary period.The spatial distribution of the karst cave was cotrolled by the NNW,NE and near-EW faults.The karst cave system consists of three layers,includes mainly hall type and corridor type,within which there are diversified sedimentary landscapes and corrosion landscapes,especially"Reticular helictite","Jade-hairpin pointing at bottle","Yin and yang jade columns"and many other special landscapes can hardly be found in other karst caves.Influenced by the strong tectonic activities since the Quaternary period,the cave collapsed several times,and landscapes within the cave have been seriously damaged.Study on the landscape formation of karst caves and influence of cave environment changes on its landscape development will contribute to the reasonable development and protection of tourist resources in the cave.

THE CASE STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF CO_2 IN CAVE ATMOSPHERE ON STABILITY OF SPELEOTHEM SCENERY IN YAOLIN CAVE, ZHEJIANG PROVINCE, CHINA

Because of the development of tourist activities and the facilities in the show cave, the closed system of show cave has been changed into the complicated open system. The great number of the visitors and the landscape lights give great deal of thermoenergy to the show cave system, especially the high intensive lights make the temperature nearby goes up very fast and reduce the humidity. After the visitors leaving and the lights switching off, the temperature goes down and humidity increases even upto saturation, the condensation taken place. In the dry seasons, the cave humidity is relative low, even down to 40 50 percent. The administrations of show cave rushes the water to clean the touristic trails and keep the high humidity as to protect the cave environment. Under the function of artificial readjustment, the humidity of Yaolin cave atmosphere reaches to 97-100 percent throughtout the year.

Karren of Mushroom Mountain(Junzi Shan) in the Eastern Yunnan Ridge,Yunnan,China:Karstological and Tourist Attraction

Mushroom Mountain karren with predominantly flat tops that formed along the stylolites and bedding planes dictated the special features of this karst landscape. Their features and rock relief clearly reflect the geological conditions and development. The subsoil karren with conical tops dissected by subsoil rock relief were exposed from beneath the soil. Below tree vegetation, the subsoil karren are to a great extent covered by moss and lichen, under which they acquire their characteristic shape. On the bare surface they were reshaped by rainwater that carves flutes and solution pans. The old cave that opens below the top of one of the cones reveals the period before its dissection into hills and cones when this part of the karst aquifer was still deep under the water table.

Analysis and key control technologies to prevent spontaneous coal combustion occurring at a fully mechanized caving face with large obliquity in deep mines

In order to prevent spontaneous coal combustion occurring at a fully mechanized caving face with large obliquity in deep mines in China, we have analyzed the characteristics of spontaneous coal combustion and explain theoretically the factors affecting spontaneous coal combustion, such as rock bursts, high temperatures, high ventilation resistance, slow advancing speed and large obliquity mining. Key technologies to prevent spontaneous combustion occurring in sharply inclined seams in deep mines are pro- posed; these include pouring water, stopping leakage in upper and lower comers of the working face, choking off the goaf and cov- eting the coal. CO concentrations were controlled within two years to less than 15×10^-6 at the upper comer by applying these tech- nologies at the 1410 working face of the Huafeng coal mine. Our method has significant theoretical value and is of practical impor- tance in controlling spontaneous coal combustion occurring at a fully mechanized caving face with large obliquity in deep mines.

Temporal and spatial variations in hydrogeochemistry of cave percolation water and their implications for four caves in Guizhou, China

Soil water and cave drip water from four cave systems in Guizhou, Southwest China, were monitored and sampled monthly from April 2003 to May 2004 to understand spatio-temporal variations in hydro-geochemistry of cave percolation water. The results indicated that among the 5 drip water sites from the Liangfeng Cave (LFC), there were no significant differences among the hydro-geochemical parameters. In the Xiniu Cave (XNC), the drip rates were variable and responded quickly to precipitation events in the 3# (No. 3) drip site with variable water head; both bulk and variation in drip rates were smaller in the 2# with constant water head. However, in the Qixing Cave (QXC) and Jiangjun Cave (JJC), drip rates, concentrations of major ions and saturation index for calcite (SI C ) were smaller, and Mg/Ca ratios in Group I (1#, 2#, 6#, 7# and 8# in the QXC; 2# and 3# in the JJC) were larger than those in Group II (3#, 4#, 5# and 9# in the QXC; 1# and 4# in the JJC). These differences might be the result of different hydrogeological processes above the caves, which are divided into five categories based on hydro-geochemistry data. The formation of some proxies in speleothem, such as Mg/Ca, is likely to be affected by those processes.

Characteristics and development model of karst reservoirs in the fourth member of Sinian Dengying Formation in central Sichuan Basin,SW China

The reservoir space,types and distribution characteristics of karst carbonate gas reservoirs in the fourth member of Sinian Dengying Formation(Deng 4 Member)in central Sichuan Basin are analyzed based on the drilling,logging and seismic data.A development model of karst reservoirs is constructed to support the high-efficiency development of gas pools.The research shows that the reservoirs in Deng 4 Member have mainly small-scale karst vugs and fractures as storage space,and can be divided into three types,fracture-vug,pore-vug and pore types.The development patterns of the karst reservoirs are determined.On the plane,the karst layers increase from 65 m to 170 m in thickness from the karst platform to the karst slope,and the high-quality reservoirs increase from 25.0 m to 42.2 m in thickness;vertically,the reservoirs at the top of Deng 4 Member appear in multiple layers,and show along-bedding and along fracture dissolution characteristics.The reservoirs at the bottom are characterized by the dissolution parallel to the water level during the karstification period,and have 3-5 large-scale fracture-cave systems.Based on the reservoir development characteristics and the genetic mechanism,three types of reservoir development models of karst reservoir are established,i.e.,bed-dissolved body,fracture-dissolved body and paleohorizon-dissolved body.The construction of karst reservoir development models and seismic response characteristics of the three types of reservoirs can provide parameter for well placement and trajectory design,and substantially improve productivity and development indices of individual wells and gas reservoirs.The designed production capacity of the gas reservoir has enhanced from the initial 3.6 billion to 6 billion cubic meters,making the profit of the reservoir development increase noticeably.

Stability evaluation of the Gümüshane-Akcakale cave by numerical analysis method

The Ak?akale Cave is located in the vicinity of the Arsa neighborhood within the boundaries of the Ak?akale village, Gümü?hane, Turkey. The cave is rich in cave formations(stalactite, stalagmite, cave pearl, cave flower, wall travertines). Thus, the appropriateness of opening the cave to visitors to boost tourism is of importance for the local and national economy. This study analyzes the stability of the Ak?akale Cave using a numerical analysis method. According to the results of the total displacement analysis, there are displacements in the entrance, ceiling, and sidewalls of the cave ranging from 1 mm to 48 mm. It seems that the entrance, ceiling, and sidewalls of the cave face a high risk of local or sudden collapse. According to the deformation analysis of the length section of the cave examined, local collapses may occur especially in the first 75 m from the entrance of the cave. We believe that this situation would not carry a risk for the Arsa neighborhood for now. In conclusion, the results of the stability analysis and in-situ observations showed clear evidence of former and ongoing cave-ins(collapses) and the Ak?akale Cave faces a high risk of local or sudden collapse. Thus, although the Ak?akale Cave is one of the most prominent karst caves in Turkey, it seems to be not appropriate to open the cave to tourist visits.

Karst Relief Development History of Zemo Imereti Plateau, Georgia, Caucasus

The history of karst terrestrial development has been restored on the background of many years’ field, experimental and laboratory researches (underground water tracing, structural deciphering of aerophotocytes, analysis of boreholes and geological wounds) and analysis of the current literary sources carried out by us in the Zemo Imereti Plateau. Within the study area, karst and karst forms of the Jurassic-Cretaceous, Lower Tertiary (Paleocene-Eocene) and Post-Miocene (Sarmati) period were revealed. Lithobiostratigraphic analysis of cave subterranean sediments enabled us to identify the cave age. In Zemo Imereti Plateau, in the caves located on higher hypsometric levels, the sedimentation of subterranean sediments began in the Middle-Upper Pleistocene and it seemed that the caves’ formation was mainly completed in the mentioned territory.

Internal Pressure Sculpting and Speleogenesis in Autogenic Karst

Understanding the ongoing speleogenic processes that produce sinkholes and control the vital drinking water supplies of Florida and much else of the world is necessary research. This article （and the associated poster presentation） discusses theoretical processes that may act in addition to mass dissolution kinetics in producing voids, conduits and caves in autogenic karst landforms. Possible theoretical factors that affect these speleogenic processes are： microscopic mixing corrosion （low constant flow, low constant flow against current, temperature-induced mixing corrosion, and pressure-induced mixing corrosion in karst matrix）, random dissolution models, simulation of gravity-induced microscopic breakdown, and storm surge effects. Finally, a theoretical model is discussed that unifies these various microscopic processes into a macro-scale process, called internal pressure sculpting. Computer models were designed to illustrate these theoretical processes： Non-calibrated computer models simulating each process discussed in this paper are presented for illustration, as well as the preliminary results of calibrated models depicting random dissolution, mechanical breakdown, and storm surge effects. The theoretical processes discussed and simulated may have major effects on cave morphology. Computer simulations appear to accurately portray the shape and form of some cave features with dissolutional morphologies. Theoretical discussion concludes with a general discussion of possible improvements to the presented models as well as the ability to generalize theoretical processes to hypogenic, halogenic, and autogenic speleogenesis.

深埋岩溶隧道爆破开挖对围岩损伤及渗流特性的影响

深埋岩溶隧道开挖会造成围岩特殊的损伤破坏形式,并且损伤区也会影响围岩渗流场及隧道边界的涌水状况,对深埋岩溶隧道爆破开挖作用下围岩的损伤及渗流特性有重要的研究意义。为了研究爆破开挖对深埋岩溶隧道围岩损伤及渗流的影响规律,基于COMSOL Multiphysics软件建立数值模型并嵌入应力-渗流-损伤耦合方程式进行计算,采用解析法计算了简化条件下岩溶隧道开挖时围岩的应力分布,并与数值计算结果进行比较。结果表明:解析法与数值法计算的围岩应力分布有一致性,爆炸荷载使靠近溶洞侧隧道肩部及脚部区域会产生较大的拉应力;爆破后会在隔水岩柱形成“齿”状损伤区,同时引起肩部及脚部区域流速的增加,其可作为判断溶洞方位的参考依据;溶洞净距减小、洞径及水压增加会引起“齿”延伸倾角及最大涌水位置变化、隧道边界涌水量的增加,可根据“齿”延伸方向判断损伤区检测的合理方位,根据最大涌水位置变化、隧道边界涌水量的变化,合理调整涌水防治措施强度及重点防治部位。研究成果可为溶洞位置判定、隧道损伤区检测以及边界涌水防治措施提供参考。