ABSTRACT
Rapid fluctuations of the water table within karst conduits create both compressional and tensional stresses on trapped water and air. Sudden changes in air and water pressure may propagate as a compressive wave or “water-hammer”, which can impose stresses on the surrounding rock. This may result in fracturing, or breaching the rock and the overlying regolith. An equation to calculate the hydraulic head change due to the “water-hammer effect” was derived two ways: 1) using the Laws of Impulse and Momentum; and 2) using elasticity of rocks and water, and geometry of the conduit. Furthermore, the relationship between energy change and sudden obstruction of water flow is illustrated and calculated. It indicated that rapid flow can produce large amounts of seismic energy (up to 2*1012 Erg) due to the instantaneous energy conversion caused by sudden changes of hydraulic head.
