Sinkhole opens up at DFW adjacent to runway 18L; runway closed for now

[FWAAA]

This isn't good. Sinkhole is in a grassy area between runway 18L and a taxiway.

Update at 10:05 a.m.: Magaña said officials dont know how long it will take to repair the 25-foot-by-25-foot sinkhole.

He said the closure of Runway 18L did not affect any flight departure times this morning. The FAA is operating around the closure, Magaña said.

http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com/2015/05/faa-sinkhole-opens-up-at-d-fw-airport-forcing-authorities-to-close-a-runway.html/

 

[traderjake]

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/business/aviation/sky-talk-blog/article22329858.html


Hundreds of flights were delayed at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport on Tuesday after one of its four main runways was shut down because of a nearby sinkhole.

Airport airfield inspectors found the sinkhole in a grassy area between a taxiway and runway 18L, which sits just west of Terminals B and D, airport spokesman David Magaa said in a statement. The sinkhole, estimated at 25 feet by 25 feet, is toward the south end of the runway.

Crews discovered that a section of a storm drain had become dislodged from the main storm drain line, creating erosion of the soil around the storm drain, Magaa said. The engineering analysis determined that the integrity of the runway itself is intact, and the runway was unaffected by the soil erosion.

The runway reopened about 6 p.m.

Construction crews will excavate and repair the storm drain starting on Wednesday morning. The runway will not need to be closed to complete the repairs, Magaa said.

Air traffic controllers routed arriving and departing flights to alternate runways at the airport to keep delays at a minimum throughout the day, said FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford.

According to Flightstats.com, DFW had 231 delayed arrivals and 218 delayed departures as of 4 p.m. Although 18L is a heavily used runway  one of the four longest at DFW  the airport has seven runways and room to move flights around.

American Airlines, the largest operator at Dallas/Fort Worth, also had over 200 flight delays across its network, mostly caused by weather.

We have seen a few delays because of the runway closure at DFW Airport, but the delays are minimal as we have other runways that we can use, said American spokeswoman Andrea Huguely.

Natural sinkholes, caused when water breaks down underground limestone or carbonate soils, are commonly found in Florida. However, sinkholes have occured in the San Antonio region because of subsurface limestone layers washing away, said Anand Puppala, a civil engineering professor at the University of Texas at Arlington.

The sinkhole at DFW Airport is an artificial sinkhole caused by water-induced erosion near a pipe or a drain, Puppala said.

It is most likely a pipeline break or leak that could have triggered it, Puppala said. With the water were getting, it is causing the ground to move and it could cause significant shifts or changes which can cause a collapse in the soil.

Earlier this month, a 40-foot sinkhole opened up in a grocery store parking lot in Granbury, partly caused by the collapse of a storm drain.

Andrea Ahles, 817-390-7631
 

 

[WorldTraveler]

let us know if the ark and dove are seen anywhere in the metroplex.

Supposedly N. Texas alone has had enough rain in the last couple weeks to cover the entire state of Texas with 8 inches of rain.

 

[700UW]

35 trillion gallons in the past month.

 

[WeAAsles]

DENTON (CBSDFW.COM) – Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has resumed in the City of Denton. The natural gas drilling process is once again happening after a new state law made the city’s ban illegal.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2015/05/28/vantage-energy-the-first-company-to-resume-fracking-in-denton/

 

[Rogallo]

DENTON (CBSDFW.COM) – Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has resumed in the City of Denton. The natural gas drilling process is once again happening after a new state law made the city’s ban illegal.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2015/05/28/vantage-energy-the-first-company-to-resume-fracking-in-denton/

 
What's your point?

 

[WeAAsles]

What's your point?

You're kidding right?

http://fusion.net/video/2934/is-fracking-causing-sinkholes-and-earthquakes-in-texas/

 

[Rogallo]

Fracking causing earthquakes? Possibly. 
 
Sinkholes? After 9.5" of rain I've got bigger sinkholes in my septic field!

 

[WeAAsles]

Fracking causing earthquakes? Possibly. 
 
Sinkholes? After 9.5" of rain I've got bigger sinkholes in my septic field!

Ok. Good point. Sinkholes too but probably not this time.

 

[UPNAWAY]

Any update is the Runway still closed?

 

[Vortilon]

Any update is the Runway still closed?

It's open..

 

[Vortilon]

Hole is now filled in,  just drove by it this morning.