Geodaysit 2023

All archaeological sites are affected by changes due to a natural decay related to the ageing. If it compromises the functionality of the cultural property it becomes pathological and results in degradation. The monitoring, carried out with the use of innovative technologies, is a preliminary tool to an effective planned maintenance activity and therefore preventive conservation. Regarding these aspects the Parco archeologico del Colosseo took a strategic direction of a gradual transition from a plan of monitoring to a constant and planned conservation activity.
The monitoring project of the Parco archeologico del Colosseo (that started in a systematic way only in 2018) was inspired by the desire to build a sustainable system of protection and conservation, then allowing a proper tourism valorisation. With these objectives in mind, the Parco archeologico del Colosseo has developed a static and dynamic monitoring project consisting of five fundamental activities:
1. a database of all the historical data of the monuments, together with the existing graphic and photographic documentation (namely digital documen-tation archive);
2. visual monitoring carried out by teams of technicians dedicated to the inspection and control of monuments, also thanks to dedicated app that will allow to send data to the central system;
3. satellite monitoring (historical analysis of the satellite data) going directly into the system and analysed in order to monitor possible ground deformation;
4. in situ monitoring from traditional geotechnical instruments;
5. experimental activities.
Basically, the project involves the creation of a multi-parameter system of permanent control of the entire archaeological area, with the associated indicators of the level of risk, based on the combined use of innovative technologies.
In this way, the project will allow to plan, in an effective and timely manner, the necessary interventions for both ordinary and extraordinary maintenance, thus providing not only an operational tool, but also a management system for the Park with a better use of its financial resources.
As part of this monitoring project, the Parco del Colosseo requested the presence of experts from the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
The instrumental diagnostic tools are accompa-nied by satellite monitoring, already tested in the past for a short period, to obtain information on ground displacements, structures, and buildings. The use of satellite SAR interferometry technique applied to COSMO-SkyMed images is combined with the advantage of being able to use the archives of radar images that allow us to deduce, in an extensive manner, the evolution in time of more than twenty years of deformation processes. One of ASI's contributions to the monitoring project is to provide the images acquired by the COSMO-SkyMed satellites. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite data are gradually used for study applications and monitoring of cultural heritage, through multi-temporal analysis based on change detection techniques and differential interferometry (DInSAR). COSMO-SkyMed Constellation offers ideal features for routine monitoring of cultural heritage and observation in emergency situations which have been the subject of several demonstration, (pre-) operational and scientific research projects over the last sixteen years since the mission was declared fully operational. COSMO-SkyMed is the ASI SAR constellation, the only one in the world to be made up of 5 satellites operational (3 first generation and 2 second generation) in the X band, capable of providing very high spatial resolution images (up to 1m per civil use), very high acquisition frequency (revisit times up to 12 hours), in any meteorological and light conditions. The use of satellite SAR interferometry technique applied to COSMO-SkyMed images is combined with the advantage of being able to use the archives of radar images that allow us to deduce, in an extensive manner, the evolution in time of more than twenty years of deformation processes. For these reasons, the Parco also considered fundamental the satellite historical analysis of the archaeological area, carried out since 2010 until 2019. The satellite images, provided by ASI, were processed on commission by e-GEOS with interferometric technique. The data thus processed fed the web-GIS platform of the Parco’s monitoring project. (Della Giovampaola, 2021)