SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 57


 Geological and Geotechnical Investigation Procedures For Evaluation of the
 Causes of Subsidence Damage In Florida

A Report Submitted to the Florida State University, College of Business, Department of Risk
Management and Insurance, In Response to Requirements of Chapter 627.7077 Florida Statutes

 Compiled and Prepared by
 Walter Schmidt, P.G. #1
 With contributions from the participants of Sinkhole Summit II, November 2004

 Background

In 1992, the Florida Geological Survey (FGS) hosted a "Sinkhole tSinlini" in response to
legislation that requested the Florida State University (FSU) Center for Insurance Research,
under the direction of the Florida Department of Insurance to address numerous issues dealing
with insurance coverage of sinkhole damages. One small part of that effort dealt with listing
what competent professionals do to determine if karst processes are the likely or probable cause
of observed damage. In addition, the legislation requested input on recommendations for a
continuing research facility on sinkhole science. Our summit was a brainstorming and consensus
building session among a cross-section of Professional Geologists, Geotechnical Engineers and
other associated experts to compile such a listing and address the questions. A summary of those
deliberations were included in the final legislative report, and those specific sections were
reproduced by the FGS as Open File Report No. 72, titled: Geologic and Geotechnical
Assessment for the Evaluation of Sinkhole Claims (available on line, see FGS web site -
<http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/>, list of publications).

This past legislative session (2004) the Florida Legislature again requested an assessment of
insurance coverage in response to sinkhole damage, and a study was requested to be done by the
FSU College of Business, Department of Risk Management and Insurance, in consultation with
the State Board of Administration and the Florida Geological Survey to provide
recommendations on the feasibility of creating a "Sinkhole Insurance Facility," and to
recommend "uniform standards" for the insurance industry to evaluate sinkhole loss claims; to
analyze the potential for the facility to provide training and educational services to the public,
engineers, and others; and to maintain a public database for confirmed sinkholes and paid
sinkhole loss claims (among numerous other things, see Chapter 627.7077 Florida Statutes).
FSU is to provide their report to the Financial Services Commission and the presiding officers of
the Legislature. To assist FSU in this regard, the FGS convened "Sinkhole Summit IT' to
essentially update the 1992 effort and to offer our professional guidance responding to these
requests for analysis from the Legislature. Many technologies and the understanding of
subsurface karst processes have advanced during the last twelve years since the first Summit, and
a modem update is in order. The FGS has numerous licensed professional geological staff with a
vast knowledge and experience base with which to compile such a summary. Nevertheless, our
desire was to gather a group of experts in one place to discuss the currently accepted practices
used by the professional geoscience community, and compile a listing of those technologies and
activities a competent professional would utilize in an assessment of a site to determine if karst
processes are present or responsible for observed features. On August 27, 2004, ASC