Operational management of cavity risks in France: background, principles, tools and perspectives

For nearly three decades, central government and local authorities, developers, experts and landowners involved in managing underground cavities have formulated and implemented scientific and administrative tools and methods designed to incorporate these cavities into their development and land-use management plans. The modus operandi of this operational documentation centres on a detailed, precise characterisation and understanding of cavities and their degradation mechanisms. This documentation is summarised in this article in the form of feedback that will be of interest to any individual or body keen to appropriate or adapt it to their field of activities. Several barriers or restrictions still need to be eliminated today in France: factoring the element of time into the mechanisms of cavity degradation; high-performance cavity detection methods and standardising and objectifying assessment methods. The State has organised itself in this regard by launching PAPRICAs (cavity prevention action plans) and a Cavity Roadmap. On the one hand, these aim to support local government authorities and developers as they manage cavity risks on a day-to-day basis; and, on the other hand, to coordinate research and development actions on a national scale to upgrade the tools for preventing and handling this very specific risk.