Research of features related to land subsidence and ground fissure disasters in the Beijing Plain

This study overviews the development history, current situation, impact, and hazards of land subsidence and ground fissure disasters in the Beijing Plain (BP) and focuses on the disaster distribution and features of disaster- causing mechanisms. Currently, the BP is still in a rapid developmental stage of land subsidence. The development and distribution of land subsidence are affected by various factors including the thickness of Quaternary compressible clay, groundwater overexploitation, and the rapid development of urban construction. The causes of ground fissures in the BP are complex and diverse, with evidence of structure fissures, non- structure fissures, and mixed genesis fissures. Investigations of the Gaoliying ground fissure have shown that this fissure has evidence of fracture activity, with vertical deformation that is more significant than horizontal deformation. Furthermore, this ground fissure has characteristics of inter- annual periodicity and annual jumping. The land subsidence and ground fissures are all under structural control and impact each other, and more severe hazards may be induced under the superimposition of these two types of disasters. Effective measures and suggestions for disaster prevention and control are recommended on the basis of this study.