Geodaysit 2023

Slow and very slow landslides are quite common in territory which is involved in orogenetic processes like Italian territory. These movements are not immediately evident, since displacements are often a few millimetres per year, and they could be unknown.

Landslides are a common natural hazard that can cause significant damage to infrastructure, including bridges, tunnels, railways and buildings. In particular, slow landslides may have a long-term impact on bridges as they often occur over extended periods, and the resulting deformation can be difficult to detect. Remote sensing technologies have emerged as an effective tool for detecting slow landslides and monitoring their impact on bridges.

This work provides a comprehensive review of the interaction between slow and very slow landslides and bridges and their analysis using remote sensing techniques. First, the causes and types of landslides are discussed, with a focus on slow landslides and their impact on bridges. The several factors that contribute to slow landslides, including geology and geomorphology, are also presented.
Hence we introduce remote sensing technologies that have been used to detect ground displacement and monitor slow landslides, including satellite imagery and multi-temporal synthetic aperture radar interferometry. The use of remote sensing for analysing the impact of slow landslides on bridges is also examined.

Finally, the challenges and limitations of using remote sensing for analysing the interaction between slow landslides and bridges are discussed, including their spatial and temporal resolution, and the need for (i) ground truth data for calibration and validation and (ii) for interdisciplinary collaboration between engineers, geologists, and remote sensing experts.

The main findings of this study are presented, by highlighting the potential for remote sensing technologies to improve our understanding of the interaction between slow landslides and bridges.

Acknowledgements

This work is part of the project: “Analysis of the impacts on slow landslides based on remote sensing techniques”, granted by Apulian Regional Government, RIPARTI, project number 39786e0f.