How big can my cave be before a cave in?

[probo_]

Does it have to do with how many layers of rock there is above you? like if you mine out a 20x20 length and width room 50 layers below the surface, does it break?

It would probably break if it was just right underneath the surface I guess? So does it increase the stability of how much it will hold the more rock there is above it that is intact?

Or does anyone have any picture of the biggest cave they managed or some info on this game mechanic?

I am just scared that I will lose my entire underground base all of a sudden because I removed too much!

[Venorek]

Honestly, I haven't the foggiest. lol. But I can suggest starting a new map and testing it out for yourself.

[CatPerson]

Well....I don't know if anyone has any official size parameters to give, but the "natural" stone SI seems pretty hefty.

I've dug out pretty ginormous rooms - more than 20x20, plus 10+ high ceilings - using no supports at all and they've held up just fine. Now, this was digging out far below ground (30-60 blocks deep) where there's a lot of layers of connected blocks above (vs. only being a few blocks under). Never bothered digging underground bases close to the surface...I think the main danger there would be if, say, lots o' zombies marched above and the weight of them would collapse it because it's too "thin."

So yeah, I think depth is a factor, because surface weight won't cave it in.

If you're concerned, just build underground "rooms" like you would in any house, either by adding made blocks or just using the stone as "walls", vs. a single giant open room and you'll be fine. Or just leave an occasional stone column here and there.

[Wave]

1. I think theoretically there is no limit for structures with a ceiling thickness of 2 or more blocks but this doesn't mean that your cave can't collapse during building. Later collapses are unlikely as long as you don't change the cave. You can build on the top of it without problems (except the usual structural integrety issues, which may effect buildings above the cave but not the cave itself) .

This is a 96 x 96 blocks wide dome consisting of dirt

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=735367530

and this a 44 x 34 blocks iron cage:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=735372619

Both "caves" are bigger than you would expect from their physical properties. I used hay to support the cage ceiling. After finishing I removed it. It wasn't possible to build without this additional support.

2. Your cave may be too big to fail. Some structures can't collapse because of their size:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=735392729
This single pillar can be removed without direct consequences.


Unfortunateley I have no general rule for you. :(
Maybe one hint: Use many support pillars during building works.

[zingo2]

Yea caves are very diffrent from buildings. Problems start to happen when you build your building! When you do this game takes into consideration max load and what was true for caves wont be true for your building.

If you try this for your buildig it will collapse as it will factor in the load parameters.

[probo_]

thanks for the answers everybody (especially wave!)!

[Trillium]

having a cave under my base has caused my base to collapse, so i dont think its the ceiling that necessarily collapses, its anything you build on the surface above the cave that loses integrity?

[Danzigsam]

Don't trust dirt ceilings. They get unreliable at about 15x15, but won't necessarily fall immediately.

[krzosu18]

lol lately ive created a new game and decided to settle close to a cave entrance (but my place was away from the cave just to be safe) -> then when i was collecintg stuff nearby ive killed a zombie -> ive looted him and then his body turned into a cropse block -> ive bashed it to get the bones and when it vanished -> the whole ceiling of the cave started to collapse xD -> i LoL-ed and ran away for my life xD