Influence of geomorphological constraints and exploitation techniques on stone quarry spatial organisation: Example of Lutetian underground quarries in Rheims, Laon and Soissons areas

The Lutetian limestones were used to build numerous historical monuments in the north-east part of France. In Rheims, Laon and Soissons areas more than 400 underground quarries have been inventoried, by research in the regional archives, on old maps and by several months of ground prospecting. Actually, most of these underground quarries are abandoned. Only 3 are now open, in the Soissons area. In the Rheims region, the last active quarry, located at Courville village, was closed in 2005, because of the safety conditions.The aim of the study was to demonstrate the importance of geomorphological context on the fracturing network and on the quarry spatial organisation. Underground topography, fracturing network measurement, aerial mapping and analysis of the geomorphological features show the high connection between natural constraints and extraction choices and may explain the progressive disappearance of building stone quarries in a part of the studied area.In the east of the studied area, where the usable limestone has a weak thickness and important mechanical distension stress, the galleries direction depends on fracturing network. In contrast, in the west (Soissons area), limestone shows thick homogeneous facies that allow a rational extraction using room and pillars mining system.