Orals: Mon, 28 Apr | Room -2.15
Urban seismology has emerged as a distinct field for understanding the close interactions between human activities and the near-surface environment, particularly in densely populated regions. This presentation shares research experiences and insights from Singapore, a highly urbanized and dynamic setting. We examine case studies demonstrating the versatility of urban seismic methods in addressing engineering, environmental, and geophysical questions. These include using ambient noise monitoring for mapping bedrock interfaces, mitigating construction risks during tunneling, characterizing reclaimed land, and quantifying urban activities. By leveraging a combination of nodal seismometers and distributed acoustic sensing (DAS), our work has provided high-resolution subsurface models and continuous monitoring capabilities tailored to urban needs.
However, unique challenges arise in urban environments, including complex and temporally varying noise sources, limited sensor deployment options, and non-linear interactions between seismic waves and infrastructure. These issues are further compounded by the need to adapt conventional active and interferometric seismic workflows to account for heterogeneous urban conditions and to achieve meaningful resolutions for shallow subsurface features.
Our findings from Singapore underscore the potential of urban seismology to inform city planning, hazard mitigation, and sustainable infrastructure development. At the same time, they emphasize the necessity of developing innovative techniques and data processing strategies to overcome the complexities of urban noise and constrained observational settings. These learnings provide a foundation for extending urban seismology applications to other metropolitan regions worldwide.
How to cite: Li, Y. E.: Applications and challenges of urban seismology - learnings from Singapore, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9970, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9970, 2025.
The current Italian guidelines dedicated to monumental assets do not delve into issues related to the characterization of the overall above-soil system and the enhancement of archaeological structures buried below the monumental asset. Furthermore, the guidelines for seismic microzonation focus only on seismotectonic, lithostratigraphic and geotechnical characterization of surface soils, completely neglecting the presence of the built environment. Ground motion and structural response of built environment are treated separately. This aspect can be significantly limiting in historic centres, where heritage buildings rest on numerous subsurface layers of buried structures in an extensively modified subsoil. In this context, the Italian NEW AGE project (PRIN 2022 “NEW integrated approach for seismic protection and valorisation of heritAGE buildings on historical soil deposits”) aims to fill some gaps; during this project, we adopted a multiscale and multi-resolution geophysical approach to investigate geological sub-surfaces, soil/foundations environments and cultural heritage structures and their interactions with each other as a single complex soil-building system by adopting a holistic view. We have tested this approach on two monumental assets of inestimable value, such as the Roman Arena of Verona (Northern Italy) and the Santa Sofia bell tower in Benevento (Southern Italy).
Here we report the first results of MASW, ESAC, of 60 single-station and 9 array seismic prospecting conducted on both the soil and in the Arena. The investigations conducted on the foundation soil and on surrounding the Arena allowed for the mechanical and seismo-stratigraphic characterization of the subsoil, while the surveys carried out within the Arena enabled the estimation of the main structural parameters (vibrational modes, modal shapes, and seismic noise wave propagation velocities) at multiple points of the structure. The main advantages of these surveys are the ease of execution and total non-invasiveness, which makes it possible to characterize even large monumental properties and to carry out the surveys at any time of the day, even during tourist visits.
How to cite: Gallipoli, M. R., Tragni, N., Gangone, G., Serlenga, V., and working group, N. A.: Rapid and non-invasive structural characterization of the Roman Arena in Verona, Italy, through geophysical prospecting, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9202, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9202, 2025.
The Italian NEW AGE project (PRIN 2022 “New Integrated Approach for Seismic Protection and Enhancement of Heritage Buildings on Historic Earthen Deposits”) seeks to advance seismic risk mitigation strategies for all cities with significant monumental heritage and all historic centres.
The project adopts a holistic approach, treating the urban environment as an integrated soil-building system, to assess and address the mutual interactions between subsurface conditions and overlying cultural heritage structures. This approach is crucial for the effective preservation of heritage sites in seismic-prone areas.
Seismic investigations, integrated with electromagnetic (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomographies (ERTs), provide non-invasive methods suitable for investigating subsurface conditions and foundation structures beneath urban environments. GPR is particularly effective for characterizing the shallower layers of subsoil and for detecting possible buried archaeological features. Similarly, ERT is a robust and cost-effective method for delineating the geometry of geological structures in urban areas, at greater depths.
The project employs a multiscale, multiresolution geophysical strategy to comprehensively study the geological subsurface, soil-foundation systems, and heritage structures. By integrating these methods, the PRIN NEW AGE project aims to provide a robust framework for seismic risk mitigation and the sustainable preservation of cultural heritage in urban areas. The proposed strategy was tested to characterize the subsurface of the Arena di Verona from an archaeological and geological point of view, through the combined and integrated use of Seismic, GPR and ERT. In this presentation, only the results obtained with GPR and ERT will be presented while the seismic analyses will be presented by Gallipoli et al. in the work “Rapid and non-invasive structural characterization of the Roman Arena in Verona, Italy, through geophysical prospecting”.
GPR acquisitions were performed with a monochannel system coupled to antennae operating at different frequencies, and a multichannel GPR stepped-frequency system equipped with an external GNSS system. GPR data collected by the first GPR system, operating at frequencies of 200 and 400 MHz, allowed the identification of the Arena foundation system, while the multichannel system, leveraging the unmatched resolution offered, enabled the identification of interesting anomalies within the amphitheatre and surrounding areas, belonging to different historical phases.
ERTs were carried inside the Arena and in Piazza Bra. In Piazza Bra, two ERTs were conducted with a 5-meter electrode spacing, covering a total length of 235 meters, to investigate depths of up to several tens of meters for geological purposes while, in the Cavea, two ERTs were conducted in two different arcades, along with a roll-along ERT survey in the longitudinal tunnel beneath the Cavea for improving the resolution and supporting the archaeological research.
The information obtained with GPR and ERTs, supported and validated by archaeological data and geotechnical drilling have provided highly valuable insights from both the engineering and the archaeological perspectives.
Geophysical activities are realized also exploiting instrumentations and facilities provided by the Research Infrastructures of IRPAC (financed by PO FESR Basilicata 2014-2020 – DGR n. 402 del 28.06.2019 / CUP: G29J19001190003) and ITINERIS (financed by European Union – Next Generation EU, PNRR, M4C2 inv.3.1, CUP B53C2200215000).
How to cite: Luigi, C., De Martino, G., Calamita, G., Bellanova, J., Piscitelli, S., Perrone, A., Martino, L., and Gallipoli, M. R.: Combined GPR and ERT prospecting for non-invasive investigation of the Roman Amphitheater in Verona (Italy) and its surroundings , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10055, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10055, 2025.
This study aims at the interpretation and modeling of the subsurface anthropic structures below the Basilica dello Spirito Santo in Naples (Italy) through the acquisition and processing of microgravimetric and GPR data. The analysis of GPR data provides significant information about buried elements and architectural stratifications, compatible with interventions from the past. In particular, several cavities were identified and interpreted as graves. However, this method did not image clearly the presence of the church foundation. In addition, we computed the vertical gradient of the gravity data in order to enhance the contributions due to subsurface structures. We then performed a multiscale imaging (multiridge method) to estimate the depth and geometry of the sources. This analysis revealed that at a depth of about 0.5-1 m, there are several cavities, tombs, shafts, in agreement with GPR data. Most importantly, we also detected at about 5 m depth a rectangular structure that can be interpreted as the church foundation.
Our results demonstrate that the combination of GPR and gravity surveys is a successful strategy to detect subsurface anthropogenic structures in urban areas. In particular, the gravity method proved to be more effective to infer information about the deep church foundations which were questioned, while simultaneously detecting the subsurface cavities that can be attributed to tombs.
How to cite: Fedi, M., Milano, M., La Manna, M., Bianco, L., and Russo, V.: Gravity and GPR modeling of the subsurface structures below the Basilica dello Spirito Santo in Naples (Italy) , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-20094, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20094, 2025.
The stratigraphy of urban sub-soils is commonly quite complex and the effective use of GPR technology requires a modelling of the signal propagation as occurring into a layered structure, often made up by not flat interfaces, rather than into a homogeneous medium. Accordingly, the estimate of the signal velocity into different materials needs to be accurate, because it affects both the focusing and the positioning of the buried targets [1-2]. In this framework, we propose an extension of the diffraction hyperbola method as effective tool for retrieving the propagation velocity of the electromagnetic waves in layered media [3]. In particular, we will consider a stratified soil with two layers whose separating interface is not flat. In this case, the diffraction curves are deformed by the refraction of the waves at the buried interface and no analytic formula for the scattering is available. We demonstrate that a suitable numerical forward modelling performed with the help of the gprMax software [4] can help retrieving the value of the propagation velocity in the second layer. At the conference we will show that, if properly dealt with, the diffraction curves generated by electrically small targets can still provide information about the properties of the soil, even if the reflection at the interface makes more difficult and trickier to look into the second layer. The method can be theoretically extended to a generic number of layers, but the possibility to effectively investigate targets in the third layer (or in layers following the third one) becomes practically feasible only if the reflection at the interfaces is weak, i.e. only if the electromagnetic characteristics of the subsequent adjacent layers are quite similar to each other.
Key words: Layered media, propagation velocity
References
[1] R. Pierri, G. Leone, F. Soldovieri, R. Persico, "Electromagnetic inversion for subsurface applications under the distorted Born approximation" Nuovo Cimento, vol. 24C, N. 2, pp 245-261, March-April 2001.
[2] I. Catapano, L. Crocco, R. Persico, M. Pieraccini, F. Soldovieri, “Linear and Nonlinear Microwave Tomography Approaches for Subsurface Prospecting: Validation on Real Data”, IEEE Trans. on Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, vol. 5, pp. 49-53, 2006.
[3] R. Persico G. Leucci, L. Matera, L. De Giorgi, F. Soldovieri, A. Cataldo, G. Cannazza, E. De Benedetto, Effect of the height of the observation line on the diffraction curve in GPR prospecting, Near Surface Geophysics, Vol. 13, n. 3, pp. 243-252, 2014.
[4] C. Warren, A. Giannopoulos, I Giannakis, gprMax: Open source software to simulate electromagnetic wave propagation for Ground Penetrating Radar, Computer Physics Communications, 209, 163-170, 2016 10.1016/j.cpc.2016.08.020.
How to cite: Persico, R., Yang, D., Morelli, G., Catapano, I., Esposito, G., De Martino, G., and Capozzoli, L.: An extension of the diffraction hyperbola method to layered media, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-2328, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-2328, 2025.
Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are dynamic environments where biological, chemical, and physical processes such as waste decomposition, gas emissions, and settlement create complex challenges for monitoring and management. Effective landfill management requires comprehensive and reliable information on key factors such as landfill volume, the distribution and health of herbaceous vegetation, including invasive species, and the spatial dynamic of active waste deposition zones. Advanced remote sensing technologies, particularly airborne hyperspectral (HS) imaging in the visible, near-infrared, shortwave infrared (VNIR, SWIR), and thermal infrared (TIR) regions, and airborne laser scanning (ALS) offer a powerful approach to addressing these challenges.
This study demonstrates the potential of the airborne hyperspectral VNIR-SWIR and TIR data and ALS-derived DEMs (https://olc.czechglobe.cz/en/flis-2/) for monitoring two active MSW landfills in the Czech Republic. A key focus of this research is the integration of airborne data processing with ground-based surveys to improve the accuracy of landfill volume assessments and vegetation monitoring. The ground-based survey included precise GPS measurements and detailed botanical survey on landfills. High spectral resolution data from VNIR and SWIR sensors enable detailed characterization of landfill vegetation, including the identification of herbaceous species and the detection of invasive plants based on their spectral signatures. Additionally, TIR imaging provides information about surface temperature anomalies, which can indicate active waste zones and areas of increased methane emissions.
ALS data, used for generating high-resolution DEMs, allow for precise delineation of landfill boundaries, accurate estimation of landfill volume, and detection of settlement or landslide patterns. When integrated with hyperspectral data, the DEMs help refine vegetation filtering algorithms, improving elevation accuracy in areas with dense herbaceous cover.
The proposed methodology of landfill monitoring provides detailed spatial and temporal insights that are critical for decision-making. These findings underscore the transformative potential of hyperspectral, thermal infrared, and airborne laser scanning technologies in supporting the effective and sustainable management of MSW landfills, providing a valuable tool for ecological monitoring, environmental risk assessment, and operational optimization.
Key words: hyperspectral, thermal, laser scanning, herbaceous vegetation, volume, sustainable management
Acknowledgement: The research is supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic grant number SS06020164, and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic within the CzeCOS program, grant number LM2023048.
How to cite: Brovkina, O., Zemek, F., Pikl, M., Fajmon, L., and Fabiánek, T.: Advanced airborne remote sensing methods for monitoring municipal solid waste landfills, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-4687, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-4687, 2025.
As extreme weather events like heavy rainfall, storms, and flooding become more frequent and intense due to climate change, levees are put under increasing pressure. River levees play a crucial role in safeguarding human lives and economic activities, acting as vital barriers against such extreme events. The main causes of embankment failure include both external and internal erosion, as well as instability, primarily driven by the strong water pressure exerted during river floods. Additionally, other meteorological phenomena, human activities, and the presence of animals or certain types of vegetation can weaken levees, contributing to instability, subsidence, or breakage. To mitigate these risks and ensure the long-term safety of levees, regular maintenance, preventative measures, and the implementation of advanced monitoring systems are essential to detect early signs of weakness and structural instability. Geophysical methods could play a vital role in assessing the integrity and stability of levees, providing essential data for their design, maintenance, and monitoring. Additionally, these methods are non-invasive, allowing for frequent and cost-effective monitoring without disrupting levee functionality. Ultimately, the integration of geophysical data with engineering assessments enhances levee safety, ensuring better flood protection. In the past years, the geophysical prospection methods have been improved for the inspection of levees infrastructure in order to detect the heterogeneity, which should be the critical aspects destabilizing the hydraulic system. Anyway, the potential of geophysical techniques in levees is mainly known in characterisation contexts, while a monitoring use has not yet been developed. Therefore, new applications and laboratory experiments are needed to enhance their capability and development. Therefore, new applications and laboratory experiments are needed to enhance their capabilities and development. Additionally, leveraging advancements in real-time data acquisition and interpretation technologies could improve the overall accuracy of the monitoring system, enabling earlier detection of potential issues and more effective management of preventive measures. This work introduces several geophysical applications on different levees taking in account internal heterogeneities, hydraulic infiltration, natural cavities and levees stability. Different geophysical methods were used: Electromagnetic methods (FDEM and GPR), Electrical Resistivity Tomography and Self Potential monitoring. The application was performed to monitor the effectiveness of the consolidation beneath the building with time. In addition, an experiment was carried out in the laboratory through the creation of a physical model of a levees where different simulations were disposed in order to improve the geophysical analysis.
How to cite: Boldrin, P. and Rizzo, E.: Geophysical monitoring of river levees infrastructure, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-8209, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-8209, 2025.
Stormwater management is an escalating challenge in urban areas worldwide. Green Infrastructures (GIs), such as vegetated roadside areas with lowered curbs, are gaining recognition in Quebec as an effective solution to reduce the burden on urban sewage systems. However, the widespread use of de-icing salt during winter raises concerns about increased contaminant infiltration into the ground, potentially leading to infrastructure deterioration. Despite the growing adoption of GIs, a research gap persists regarding their impact on water and chloride infiltration.
In this study, a 50m-long GI was equipped with a large range of hydrogeological sensors such as water content and pore pressure sensors, thermistors, barometer and piezometers equipped with level, temperature and conductivity loggers. In addition, a time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (TL-ERT) monitoring system was installed to extend spatially and temporally the coverage of the hydrogeological monitoring of the GI. In total, 113 electrodes were installed in boreholes and connected to an autonomous resistivity meter. In this study, 64 electrodes located within and around a 6m × 1.8m grid were used to recover the spatial and temporal distribution of electrical resistivity perpendicularly to the GI.
A controlled flooding test (CFT) using bromide salt as a saline tracer was conducted to evaluate the GI’s response to infiltration. A multi-method surveying and sampling program was implemented, integrating ERT and induced polarization (IP) geophysical measurements, hydrogeological monitoring (piezometers), and geochemical analyses (continuous groundwater sampling). In addition, a heavy rainfall event (HRE) was monitored using DC-IP surveys conducted every two hours. In total, approximately 90 DC surveys were completed during the CFT, with a temporal resolution of approximately 10 minutes and 50 DC-IP surveys were performed during the HRE, with a temporal resolution varying from 2 to 4 hours.
This study presents geophysical imaging results from these events, showcasing time-lapse imaging interpreted using laboratory analyses of the soil in-situ. Preliminary results suggest that the geophysical results are consistent with hydrogeological and geochemical data, offering valuable insights into the 2D distribution and temporal evolution of water and chloride movement in and around the GI. These findings contribute to understanding the performance and potential limitations of GIs in mitigating stormwater impacts under saline conditions.
How to cite: Luzy, A., Dimech, A., Duhaime, F., Dubé, J.-S., Masse-Dufresne, J., and Farley, R.-A.: High-resolution time-lapse DC-IP imaging of a green infrastructure’s response to a flooding test and a heavy rain event, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-20313, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-20313, 2025.
The WP7 - GEOSPHERE-LANDSURFACE of the ITINERIS project (Italian Integrated Environmental Research Infrastructures System, PNRR M4C2 Inv.3.1 IR), funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU, aims to provide openly accessible digital data on the solid Earth to the scientific community, the public, and decision-makers in line with the Digital Earth concept.
Specifically, Activity 7.4 is dedicated to developing an integrated multi-scale, multi-resolution, and multi-sensor approach for characterizing the surface, subsurface, and built environment in urban areas, as well as monitoring civil infrastructure of strategic importance to mitigate the impacts of natural and anthropogenic hazards.
After an initial phase of geophysical equipment upgrades, the advanced instruments have been tested at the project’s pilot sites: the urban area of Potenza, which faces high seismic risk, and the peri-urban area in the municipality of Tito (PZ), affected by a slow-moving landslide. Furthermore, ITINERIS geophysical equipment is contributing to the scientific activities of the project NEW AGE (funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU), aimed at the seismic protection and valorisation of cultural heritage buildings in the historical centre of Benevento (Campania, Italy). Joint seismic noise and deep electrical resistivity studies are also underway in the municipality of Contursi Terme (SA) as part of the project TOGETHER, also funded by the European Union – Next Generation EU, focused on the sustainable exploitation of geothermal resources. Finally, ITINERIS geophysical equipment will be utilized in the Seismic Microzonation studies of the Campi Flegrei area for the Italian Civil Protection Department.
The study areas, characterized by high levels of seismic and hydrogeological risk, will benefit from the joint geophysical analyses conducted using the innovative equipment provided by the infrastructure. It is expected that the multi-geophysical approach developed within the framework of the ITINERIS project will contribute to the definition of a more accurate subsurface model, which, in turn, will be highly advantageous for the assessment of the actual hazards in the study areas. Furthermore, in certain specific locations, the approach may also support a more reliable evaluation of geothermal resources.
How to cite: Giampaolo, V., Serlenga, V., De Martino, G., Gangone, G., Martino, L., Calamita, G., Gallipoli, M. R., Gaudiosi, I., Perrone, A., Stabile, T. A., and Lapenna, V.: Integrated geophysical approaches for geo-hazards evaluation in urban areas: activities in urban sites of Basilicata and Campania region (southern Italy), EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-16519, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-16519, 2025.
Posters on site: Mon, 28 Apr, 16:15–18:00 | Hall X4
The historical center of Rome, due to the presence of a priceless cultural heritage, needs to be protected by natural risks including the seismic one. It is hence important to study the seismic response of downtown Rome in detail to estimate shaking levels in case of an earthquake.
As widely known, to investigate the subsoil characteristics of a very highly urbanized area, geophysical techniques are the most effective, especially in the presence of ancient buildings which cannot be damaged by using invasive techniques. The new portable nodal seismic sensors, recently acquired by INGV, feature a compact, self-contained, autonomous land wireless seismic data acquisition system, making them well suited for use in urban environments.
In the framework of the PREDICT project (Progetto INGV Pianeta Dinamico St-Predict), WP2 aims to constrain the complex shallow geophysical subsoil model of a part of the urban centre of Rome as input for a reliable 3D model of the area to finalise the study of the seismic response in a range of frequencies of engineering interest.
Many geophysical campaigns were performed using the nodal sensors in sites selected based on the geological reconstruction of the area, in order to estimate the seismic characteristics of the subsoil for the different sites. Ambient noise measurements in a single station or array configuration were performed, together with downhole investigations.
In this work we show the results obtained in terms of microtremor spectral ratios curves (HVNSR) and velocity profiles correlated with the geological succession in order to identify possible lateral lithological variabilities which can significantly affect the expected seismic response.
How to cite: Famiani, D., Bordoni, P., Cara, F., Cercato, M., Di Giulio, G., Marra, F., Milana, G., Pucillo, S., Riccio, G., Vassallo, M., Chessa, G., Cultrera, G., Hailemikael, S., Mercuri, A., Tufaro, T., Di Michele, F., and Silvestri, D.: Geophysical investigations supporting a 3D model reconstruction in the historical center of Rome: WP2-PREDICT Project , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-18868, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-18868, 2025.
Studies in urban areas are becoming increasingly important for the ground motion prediction, and represent a stimulating challenge due to the presence of many uncontrolled variables: high and variable level of ambient noise, hidden geological features, underground services, limited open spaces for geophysical investigations, high urbanisation and cultural heritage.
We used data from 24 stations in the urban area of Rome (Italy), belonging to the SPQR temporary seismic network and operating from January to early April 2021 (https://www.fdsn.org/networks/detail/7M_2021/). The stations were installed on very different geological conditions with the aim to reconstruct the properties of the propagation medium below the city by interferometric analysis based on cross correlation of ambient noise.
The recorded continuous data allowed us to study the network performance in terms of detection threshold for earthquakes and the noise variability over the time during the pandemic restriction due to Covid-19. In particular, we investigated the spatial and temporal variation of the Horizontal to Vertical Spectral ratio on noise (HVSR) computed with the HVNEA software (https://github.com/INGV/hvnea). The coherence analysis between the time series of the HVSR frequency peak values and their related amplitude shows an anti-correlation between the two parameters. Their variability is compared with the total number of vehicles, detected by control units in the all metropolitan area and affected by the movement restrictions imposed by the public authority to contain Covid 19 infections: the correlation is significant in the medium-high frequency range but with different characteristics from site to site; no variations linked to traffic are observed in the low frequency range.
Following these results, a permanent network of 14 stations, equipped with both velocimeter and accelerometer, is being installed in Rome by the Site Effect Laboratory of INGV (https://www.ingv.it/en/monitoraggio-e-infrastrutture/laboratori/laboratorio-effetti-di-sito), as part of the MEET Project (Monitoring Earth's Evolution and Tectonics, https://meet.ingv.it; National Recovery and Resilience Plan- PNRR). The network will be devoted to site effect studies in such an urban area with unique cultural heritage and heterogeneous city development.
How to cite: Mercuri, A., Cultrera, G., Vassallo, M., Di Giulio, G., Bobbio, A., and Riccio, G.: Time and space variability of spectral ratio in urban area: the case of Rome (Italy), EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-6821, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-6821, 2025.
The overall objective of this study is to improve the seismic risk assessment of the city of Potenza (southern Italy, selected because it is already the subject of several national and international research projects) based on a multidisciplinary approach that considers the seismic hazard of soils in the urban area, the interaction effect between soils and buildings, and the seismic capacity of buildings. 453 (300 on soils and 153 on buildings) single-station ambient noise measurements analysed through Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio technique have been performed to assess the main characteristics of the most representative litho-stratigraphic and mechanical conditions of the urban soil and built environment in the city of Potenza. The main peak of the first vibrational frequency of the urban soils (f0s) mainly varies between 1.1 and 9.5 Hz, with a median value of 3.5 Hz; interpolating these measured points by the Kriging method, the map of the main frequency at each urban soil point was obtained. The first vibrational frequency of the 153 measured buildings (f0b) varies between 1.2 and 6.5 Hz; the experimental relationship between period, height and building area, derived by experimental results, made it possible estimating the fundamental frequency for all the Potenza's buildings. By comparing the frequency ranges of buildings with those of foundation soils, it was possible to spatially determine the areas and probabilities of highest occurrence of the soil-building resonance effect in the elastic field throughout the city of Potenza.
Furthermore, capacity curves of buildings were obtained based on the geometric and typological characteristics and on the vibrational frequencies of the measured building. Firstly, the buildings were grouped into homogeneous classes. Based on previous and well-established principles and studies, they were distinguished by construction year (pre-1971, post-1971), presence of soft stories, and number of stories. The capacity curves for each typology were defined in terms of the top displacement – base shear relationship. The values for the yield displacement (δy) and the ultimate displacement (δu) were calculated based on the values obtained from numerical modelling of previous studies. For each of the considered typology, a mean capacity curve was obtained by averaging the values of the buildings belonging to each class. This approach provides a first seismic assessment of the seismic response of buildings, starting from the measured frequencies and considering the influence of different geometric and typological characteristics. The capacity curves obtained can be used as valuable tools to assess the vulnerability of these buildings and define a seismic risk map for the city of Potenza including the urban soil amplification and the soil-building interaction effect.
How to cite: Gangone, G., Gallipoli, M. R., and Vona, M.: Advances in Seismic Risk Assessment of the city of Potenza (Southern Italy), EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12912, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12912, 2025.
The Campi Flegrei area, located in southern Italy, is characterized by complex geological stratigraphy and elevate seismic and volcanic risks, exacerbated by ongoing bradyseismic phenomena.
This region, located in a densely populated context, poses significant challenges for seismic hazard assessment due to its geological complexity, frequent seismic activity and the vulnerability of infrastructures
The recently recorded seismic swarms, including those of 2023, further highlight the need for accurate subsurface characterization to assess and mitigate seismic risks.
In this context, a geophysical campaign is being conducted as part of a larger project aimed at advancing seismic microzonation and providing detailed data for risk mitigation strategies. This contribution focuses on the application of an integrated geophysical methodology for reconstructing a detailed subsurface model for local seismic response analysis at several sites of particular interest for civil protection purposes in the Campi Flegrei area.
In this study, new geophysical data were acquired and then processed through integration with geological data. Geophysical surveys include both passive seismic measurements, carried out with single-station and array configurations, and active seismic testing using the Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) method. These passive and active seismic techniques yield information on shear-waves velocity profiles and subsurface heterogeneities.The ongoing analyses aim to explore the characteristics of the volcanic subsurface, contributing to a better understanding of its structural complexity. A strong emphasis is placed on integrating geophysical and geological data to improve the resolution and accuracy of the subsurface model.
This work highlights the critical role of non-invasive geophysical methodologies, such as passive and active seismic methods, in urban and volcanic areas. These efforts support the strategic objectives of urban geophysics by promoting urban resilience and sustainability, while also providing actionable insights for prevention and urban planning in the Campi Flegrei area.
By integrating advanced geophysical techniques, this research enhances the understanding of subsurface properties and their interaction with seismic phenomena, laying the foundation for effective risk mitigation and resilience-building measures in this highly complex and dynamic region.
How to cite: Giallini, S., Simionato, M., Davani, F., Gaudiosi, I., Mancini, M., Mendicelli, A., Moscatelli, M., Polpetta, F., Tentori, D., and Stigliano, F.: Integrated geophysical methodology for subsurface modeling and seismic response analysis in the Campi Flegrei area, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-12920, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-12920, 2025.
The St. Francis of Paola ai Monti church in Rome is an important historical building, currently (as of December 2024) closed to the public because of ongoing damage patterns causing structural damage (mainly cracks and fissures [1]). In view of the 2025 Jubilee, the Department of Environmental Engineering (DIAm) of the University of Calabria (Italy) was put in charge of geotechnical and geophysical analyses in order to assess the status of the building, understand the main causes of the ongoing structural problems, and address scientifically-informed restoration and retrofitting actions. In particular, we performed a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) investigation of the main nave and of three chapel on the right hand side looking toward the altar (this side is the most affected by fractures in the masonry). The investigation, as it often happens [2-4], has revealed several structural anomalies of cultural interest ascribable probably to tombs and mass graves. Some of these anomalies were deducible from inscriptions on the floor, while some others were not revealed by external traces. The data have been elaborated according to a well assessed linear data processing [5-6] and have also revealed the different consistency of the subsoil under one of the lateral chapels, which is coherent with the structural problems.
Key words: Structural investigations, cultural heritage
References
[1] P. Zimmaro, E. Ausilio, Geotechnical and structural investigation and monitoring techniques to determine the origin of ongoing damage processes in historical buildings: The Saint Francis of Paola Church in Rome case history, Geotechnical Engineering for the Preservation of Monuments and Historic Sites III – Lancellotta, Viggiani, Flora, de Silva & Mele (Eds), CRC Press, Napoli (Italy), June 22-24, 2022. DOI: 10.1201/9781003308867-47.
[2] R. Persico, S. D’Amico, L. Matera, E. Colica, C. de Giorgio, A. Alescio, GPR prospecting within the chapel of Aragon within the co-cathedral of St. John in Valletta, Malta, Proc. of 17th International conference on Ground Penetrating Radar, Rapperwil, Switzerland, June, 18-21, 2018.
[3] A. Calia, G. Leucci, M. T. Lettieri, L. Matera, R. Persico, M. Sileo, The mosaic of the crypt of St. Nicholas in Bari (Italy): Integrated GPR and laboratory diagnostic study, Journal of Archaeological Science, vol. 40, n. 12, pp. 4162-4169, December 2013.
[4] M. Pieraccini, L. Noferini, D. Mecatti, C. Atzeni, R. Persico, F. Soldovieri, Advanced Processing Techniques for Step-frequency Continuous-Wave Penetrating Radar: the Case Study of “Palazzo Vecchio” Walls (Firenze, Italy), Research on Nondestructive Evaluation, vol. 17, pp. 71-83, 2006.
[5] R. Pierri, G. Leone, F. Soldovieri, R. Persico, "Electromagnetic inversion for subsurface applications under the distorted Born approximation" Nuovo Cimento, vol. 24C, N. 2, pp 245-261, March-April 2001.
[6] I. Catapano, L. Crocco, R. Persico, M. Pieraccini, F. Soldovieri, “Linear and Nonlinear Microwave Tomography Approaches for Subsurface Prospecting: Validation on Real Data”, IEEE Trans. on Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, vol. 5, pp. 49-53, 2006.
How to cite: Persico, R. and Zimmaro, P.: GPR investigations at San Francesco di Paola ai Monti, Rome, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-2857, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-2857, 2025.
The effective use of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) in urban environment benefits of the ability to manage data referred to a layered scenario. The GPR imaging in layered media can be improved either making use of focusing algorithms [1-2] accounting in a rigorous way for the layered structure of the soil or, more simply and less demandingly from the point of view of the available computing resources, making use of a joined migration and of a combined time-depth conversion of the data [3-4]. These recently introduced possibilities allow to deal with layered media as homogeneous ones. The inhomogeneity of the investigated medium is, indeed, accounted for through a sort of sticking of different results and with some suitable deformation of the resulting image. Advantages of the combined time-depth conversion but also its intrinsic limits will be discussed. For example, it is helpful for the correct imaging of cavities [5] allowing, in a simple and straightforward way, the mitigation of the well-known compression effect that the cavities suffer in a classical GPR imaging. This claim is supported by both numerical results obtained from data simulated with the gprMax software [6] and by experimental results obtained in real test scenarios.
Key words: Layered media, joined migration, combined time-depth conversion
References
[1] R. Pierri, G. Leone, F. Soldovieri, R. Persico, "Electromagnetic inversion for subsurface applications under the distorted Born approximation" Nuovo Cimento, vol. 24C, N. 2, pp 245-261, March-April 2001.
[2] I. Catapano, L. Crocco, R. Persico, M. Pieraccini, F. Soldovieri, “Linear and Nonlinear Microwave Tomography Approaches for Subsurface Prospecting: Validation on Real Data”, IEEE Trans. on Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, vol. 5, pp. 49-53, 2006.
[3] R. Persico, G. Morelli, G. Esposito, I. Catapano, L. Capozzoli, G. De Martino, D. Yang, An innovative time-depth conversion for the management of buried scenarios with strong discontinuities, Journal of Applied Geophysics vol. 227, 105435, DOI 10.1016/j.jappgeo.2024.105435, 2024.
[4] D. Yang, L. Capozzoli, I. Catapano, G. De Martino, G. Esposito, G. Morelli and R. Persico, Accounting for the Different Propagation Velocities for the Focusing and Time–Depth Conversion in a Layered Medium, Applied Sciences 14(24):11812, 2024.
[5] R. Persico, S. D'Amico, L. Matera, E. Colica, C. De, Giorgio, A. Alescio, C. Sammut and P. Galea, GPR Investigations at St John's Co‐Cathedral in Valletta. Near Surface Geophysics, vol. 17 n. 3, pp. 213-229. doi:10.1002/nsg.12046, 2019.
[6] C. Warren, A. Giannopoulos, I Giannakis, gprMax: Open source software to simulate electromagnetic wave propagation for Ground Penetrating Radar, Computer Physics Communications, 209, 163-170, 2016 10.1016/j.cpc.2016.08.020.
How to cite: De Martino, G., Yang, D., Morelli, G., Catapano, I., Esposito, G., Capozzoli, L., and Persico, R.: Advanced GPR Imaging in layered media , EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-9888, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-9888, 2025.
Bridges and viaducts are critical elements of transportation infrastructure, and ensuring their structural integrity is vital for safety and functionality. These structures are susceptible to damage from natural events, like landslides, or from human-made accidents, which can lead to severe consequences such as structural collapses, traffic disruptions, and safety risks. The severity of these impacts depends on factors such as the type of landslide and the design and condition of the infrastructure. Evaluating landslide risks requires a thorough assessment of various factors, including the geophysical properties of the soil and the condition of key structural elements of the bridge or viaduct, such as foundations, piers, and abutments. Remote and in-situ electromagnetic technologies are increasingly employed for this purpose, but there is currently no standardized protocol for their effective application. Existing risk assessments are often inconsistent, varying from case to case and heavily relying on the expertise of the operators. Moreover, the effectiveness of each electromagnetic technology is influenced by the specific scenario, the devices used, and the user's skill in interpreting the data. The EMILI project aims to address these challenges by developing standardized guidelines, best practices, and protocols for the use of electromagnetic technologies in assessing landslide risks for bridges and viaducts. The project has two primary goals: (1) to conduct a systematic review of the performance of available remote and in-situ electromagnetic technologies, and (2) to advance the use of electrical and electro-magnetic geophysical methodologies for investigating bridge foundations and structural assessments. The EMILI project is funded by the FABRE consortium, a technical and scientific Italian alliance for monitoring, promoting and assessing the safety of bridges and viaducts in Italy
How to cite: Capozzoli, L., De Martino, G., Salvia, G., Di Gennaro, D., Giampaolo, V., Perrone, A., Catapano, I., Ludeno, G., Esposito, G., Gennarelli, G., Giocoli, A., Ormando, C., Di Pietro, A., Pollino, M., Buffarini, G., and Clemente, P.: EMILI project: ElectroMagnetic techniques for Investigating Landslide and structural damages due to their Impacts on the bridges, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-5509, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-5509, 2025.
The Standard Penetration Test (SPT) is a commonly used and effective disturbed sampling in-situ method to obtain the strength characteristics of soils, providing significant results for geotechnical design. Several correlations between SPT blow counts (N value) and soil behavior have been established to define physical and mechanical properties, supporting the determination of design parameters for soil layers. Similarly, the Dynamic Cone Penetration Test (DCPT) is a feasible and cost-efficient method for assessing soil characteristics, providing continuous and time-conscious data. Obtaining correlations between SPT and DCPT can enhance data acquisition by leveraging the strengths of both methods. This study investigates the relationship between SPT and DCPT results for coarse-grained soils through a comprehensive site investigation conducted various locations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) for a renewable energy project. The test points were almost identical, and a density-based relationship between SPT blow counts and DCPT penetration resistance was developed. Individual evaluation of relationship between SPT and DCPT conducted in site-specific conditions and the correlation of all sites combined and generalized together. The comparison of the proposed correlation and existing studies were utilized on similar conditions to validate reliability. An evaluation was made to correlate SPT-N&DCP (Blow/100mm) values with the results obtained from SPT&DCPT tests performed at four project sites. The correlation varies between 0.56 and 0.70. Combination of all sites calculated as 0.72. This research presents precious perceptions into incorporating SPT and DCPT data to optimize geotechnical design practices.
How to cite: Tural, B., Yıldız, T., Batuge, Y., and Alkhalifa, J.: Standard Penetration Test and Dynamic Cone Penetration Test Relationship for Coarse-Grained Soils, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-870, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-870, 2025.
