Geophysical Investigation of the Delaware Avenue Sinkhole, Nixa, Missouri

In August, 2006, the kitchen and attached garage of single-family home in Nixa Missouri collapsed into a catastrophic sinkhole. To help assess the potential geologic hazard to adjacent residential properties, a geophysical investigation, consisting of surface wave and electrical resistivity data, was performed in combination with a standard geotechnical engineering boring exploration. The borehole control was used, in part, to constrain the interpretation of the geophysical data. Analyses of the surface wave and electrical resistivity data supports the conclusion that the sinkhole developed at the intersection of two near-orthogonal joint systems. The geophysical data suggest that karst-related subsidence at the bedrock level occurred in the study area in the geologic past. No evidence was found that the void associated with the catastrophic sinkhole extended onto adjacent properties.