An Integrated Platform for Ground-Motion Mapping, Local to Regional Scale; Examples from SE Europe

Abstract

Ground and infrastructure stability are important for our technologically based civilization. Infrastructure projects take into consideration the risk posed by ground displacement (e.g., seismicity, geological conditions and geomorphology). To address this risk, earth scientists and civil engineers employ a range of measurement technologies, such as optical/laser leveling, GNSS and, lately, SAR interferometry. Currently there is a rich source of measurement information provided in various formats that covers most of the industrialized world. Integration of this information becomes an issue that will only increase in importance in the future. This work describes a practical approach to address and validate integrated stability measurements through the development of a platform that could be easily used by a variety of groups, from geoscientists to civil engineers and also private citizens with no training in this field. The platform enables quick cross-validation between different data sources, easy detection of critical areas at all scales (from large-scale individual buildings to small-scale tectonics) and can be linked to end-users from various monitoring fields and countries for automated notifications. This work is closing the gap between the specialized monitoring work and the general public, delivering the full value of technology for societal benefits in a free and open manner. The platform is calibrated and validated by an application of SAR interferometry data to specific situations in the general area of the Romanian Carpathians and their foreland. The results demonstrate an interplay between anthropogenically induced changes and high-amplitude active tectono–sedimentary processes creating rapid regional and local topographic variations.

C-Gms, the Canadian Ground Motion Service-Assessment and Correction of Thermal Effects on Bridges

“…• Level 2.b ca -coherent after date: contains all the new targets appearing during the monitoring interval. This information is useful when the length of the monitoring period is important, especially when long-term/wide-area motion is of interest (e.g., geodynamic processes, tectonic plate motion [4]). • Level 2.b cd -changes in displacement rates: indicates areas with unstable motion, such as the settlement of recently built infrastructure or an accelerated motion that could be an indication of an eventual disaster.…”

Registering the ground deformations at the area of the archaeological site “Solnitsata”

“…It must be underlined that there are no many papers presenting results on the surface deformations that are taking place in the area (e.g. Atanasova and Nikolov, 2016;2017;Poncoş et al, 2022) This is the reason comparison with other papers is not possible to implement.…”