Subsidence activity maps derived from DInSAR data: Orihuela case study
Abstract. A new methodology is proposed to produce subsidence activity maps based on the geostatistical analysis of persistent scatterer interferometry (PSI) data. PSI displacement measurements are interpolated based on Conditional Gaussian Simulation (CGS) to calculate multiple equiprobable realizations of subsidence. The result from this process is a series of interpolated subsidence values, with an estimation of the spatial uncertainty and a confidence level on the interpolation. These maps complement the PSI displacement map, improving the identification of wide subsiding areas at regional scale. At local scale, they can be used to identify buildings susceptible to suffer subsidence related damages. In order to do so, it is necessary to calculate the maximum differential settlement and the maximum angular distortion for each building of the study area. Based on PSI derived parameters those buildings in which serviceability limit state has been exceeded, and where in situ forensic analysis should be made, can be automatically identified. This methodology has been tested in Orihuela City (SE Spain) for the study of historical buildings, damaged during the last two decades by subsidence due to aquifer overexploitation.