KARST-SUFFOSION PROCESSES ON THE TERRITORY OF MOSCOW AND THE PROBLEM OF THEIR HAZARD ASSESSMENT

The study of the processes leading to the formation of sinkholes on the surface of the earth on the territory of Moscow began in the late 60s of the last century. To date, 42 karst-suffusion funnels have been identified. Analysis of all the studied city sinkholes with their confirmedassociation with the ancient karst showed that their average size of these forms in the plan is 13.1 m, varying from 1.5 to 53 m. At the same time, all calculations of possible diameters of the sinkholes made during engineering-geological surveys in Moscow are usually reduced tovalues less than 3 m, less often they reach 5 – 6 m. The overwhelming number of specialists speak about the urgent need to change and improve the content of the set of rules in terms of engineering-geological surveys in karst areas. Existing calculation models are often usedunreasonably, often the result is tailored to the “necessary” values for designing engineers and builders. Hazard assessment of modern karstsuffosion processes, carried out on the basis of the “Hazard maps of ancient karst forms and modern karst-suffusion processes” (scale 1:10000) created by the specialists of the Sergeev Institute of Environmental Geoscience RAS and the State Unitary Enterprise Mosgorgeotrest in 2012, which determines the need for regional zoning using more meaningful criteria. The paper proposes a new approach, which takes intoaccount the results of the typification of geological-hydrogeological conditions of 42 karst-suffusion sinkholes formed in Moscow. In this case, the hazard prediction is carried out on the basis of an analysis of natural conditions, where a hazardous process has already beenimplemented with access to the surface in the form of such sinkholes.