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Urban Geophysics
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Urban Geophysics

A special issue of Geosciences (ISSN 2076-3263). This special issue belongs to the section "Geophysics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 October 2020) | Viewed by 23554

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sebastian Uhlemann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Earth and Environmental Sciences Area, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Interests: geophysical techniques (geoelectrical and seismic); hydrological processes; groundwater dynamics; slope instabilities; geophysical; environmental/hydrological data
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Angela Perrone

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis (IMAA-CNR), Tito Scalo, PZ, Italy
Interests: natural hazard; near surface imaging; ground-based remote sensing; structure and infrastructure monitoring
Dr. Huaifeng Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Geotechnical Engineering Research Center, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Interests: cross-borehole imaging; near surface imaging; saltwater intrusion; engineering geophysics; site investigation; sUAS geophysics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global urbanization process and its impact on environmental sustainability and resilience to natural hazards requires an improved understanding of the physical properties and processes impacting upon the ground that urban areas are built on. Novel geophysical technologies and applications can aid in better characterizing and imaging these subsurface properties and processes at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales. Urban environments pose difficulties for data acquisition, quality, and processing, while enabling some types of data acquisition that exploit the information that comes from this unique environment.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a platform to showcase and discuss recent advances in geophysical technologies, instrumentation, and processing schemes for in situ and remote sensing of the urban environment. The focus lies on the developments and applications of:

  • Geophysical technologies (e.g., active and passive seismic, GPR, electrical, and electromagnetic tomography) for subsurface investigations;
  • Satellite (e.g., InSAR, TIR, and VIS imagery) and UAV technologies for monitoring urban infrastructures and mapping surface properties;
  • Innovative, novel, or distributed sensors (fiber optic, MEMS) to study subsurface properties and processes.

We specifically invite contributions that detail the application of novel geophysical techniques to characterize the geological–structural setting of the subsurface in complex urban environments, to characterize and monitor strategic civil infrastructures (e.g., energy grids, networks for urban mobility), to assess natural hazards impacting upon buildings and infrastructure, and developments of geophysical techniques for evaluating groundwater recharge and contamination within urban areas.

Dr. Sebastian Uhlemann
Dr. Angela Perrone
Dr. Huaifeng Sun
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Geosciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Geophysics
  • Seismic hazards
  • Sensor networks
  • Urban development
  • Remote sensing
  • Monitoring
  • Underground utilization

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4135 KiB  
Article
Detailed Geophysical Mapping and Hydrogeological Characterisation of the Subsurface for Optimal Placement of Infiltration-Based Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems
by Theis Raaschou Andersen
Geosciences 2020, 10(11), 446; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10110446 - 8 Nov 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3507
Abstract
The continuous growth of cities in combination with future climate changes present urban planners with significant challenges, as traditional urban sewer systems are typically designed for the present climate. An easy and economically feasible way to mitigate this is to introduce a Sustainable [...] Read more.
The continuous growth of cities in combination with future climate changes present urban planners with significant challenges, as traditional urban sewer systems are typically designed for the present climate. An easy and economically feasible way to mitigate this is to introduce a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) in the urban area. However, the lack of knowledge about the geological and hydrogeological setting hampers the use of SUDS. In this study, 1315 ha of high-density electromagnetic (DUALEM-421S) data, detailed lithological soil descriptions of 614 boreholes, 153 infiltration tests and 250 in situ vane tests from 32 different sites in the Central Denmark Region were utilised to find quantitative and qualitative regional relationships between the resistivity and the lithology, the percolation rates and the undrained shear strength of cohesive soils at a depth of 1 meter below ground surface (m bgs). The qualitative tests enable a translation from resistivity to lithology as well as a translation from lithology to percolation rates with moderate to high certainty. The regional cut-off value separating sand-dominated deposits from clay-dominated deposits is found to be between 80 to 100 Ωm. The regional median percolation rates for sand and clay till is found to be 9.9 × 10−5 m/s and 2.6 × 10−5 m/s, respectively. The quantitative results derived from a simple linear regression analysis of resistivity and percolation rates and resistivity and undrained shear strength of cohesive soils are found to have a very weak relationship on a regional scale implying that in reality no meaningful relationships can be established. The regional qualitative results have been tested on a case study area. The case study illustrates that site-specific investigations are necessary when using geophysical mapping to directly estimate lithology, percolation rates and undrained shear strength of cohesive soils due to the differences in soil properties and the surrounding environment from site to site. This study further illustrates that geophysical mapping in combination with lithological descriptions, infiltration tests and groundwater levels yield the basis for the construction of detailed planning maps showing the most suitable locations for infiltration. These maps provide valuable information for city planners about which areas may preclude the establishment of infiltration-based SUDS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Geophysics)
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35 pages, 9258 KiB  
Article
Technogenic Magnetic Particles in Soils and Ecological–Geochemical Assessment of the Soil Cover of an Industrial City in the Ural, Russia
by Andrei Vasiliev, Svetlana Gorokhova and Mikhail Razinsky
Geosciences 2020, 10(11), 443; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10110443 - 6 Nov 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3464
Abstract
The work is devoted to the study of pollution by technogenic magnetic particles and heavy metals of soils in the city of Gubakha, Middle Ural (Russia). The aim of the work is the ecological and geochemical assessment of the elemental chemical composition of [...] Read more.
The work is devoted to the study of pollution by technogenic magnetic particles and heavy metals of soils in the city of Gubakha, Middle Ural (Russia). The aim of the work is the ecological and geochemical assessment of the elemental chemical composition of the soils of the city of Gubakha, and the establishment of the geochemical role of technogenic magnetic particles (TMPs). For the first time, the regularities of the spatial distribution of magnetic susceptibility in the soils of the city of Gubakha were revealed, and the morphology, elemental and mineralogical compositions of magnetic particles in the soils of an industrial city in the Middle Urals were characterized using the methods of the chemical extraction of iron compounds, magnetic separation, ESEM/EDS, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The magnetic phase of soils contains magnetite/maghemite, hematite, pyrrhotite, intermetallic alloys and chromite. Spherical magnetic particles are hollow, and have a magnetite shell and a varied surface texture. The crystal lattice of magnetite is characterized by low stoichiometry. The heavy metals Zn, Cu, Ni and Cr are concentrated in magnetic particles and have a high correlation coefficient with magnetic susceptibility. The level of contamination of Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr and Mn in the soils of a residential zone of Gubakha, estimated by the value of the pollution load index (PLI), was high. The Igeo index for Fe ranges from 6.2 to 12.2, for Cu–1.1 and Ni–1.1. The combination of methods for measuring magnetic susceptibility, determining the mineralogical composition of iron compounds, and determining the elemental chemical composition by X-ray fluorescence, has shown the effectiveness of an integrated approach for carrying out an ecological–geochemical assessment of the soil cover of Gubakha. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Geophysics)
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16 pages, 13076 KiB  
Article
Investigation of Geological Anomalies at Pile Foundation Location in Urban Karst Areas Using Single Borehole Radar
by Liu Liu, Zhenming Shi, Ming Peng and Georgios P. Tsoflias
Geosciences 2020, 10(6), 232; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10060232 - 16 Jun 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4859
Abstract
Karst geological anomalies at pile locations significantly affect the bearing capacity and construction safety of the piles, posing a significant challenge for urbanization. Borehole geophysical methods are required to extend the detection range and identify karst voids that are at pole locations and [...] Read more.
Karst geological anomalies at pile locations significantly affect the bearing capacity and construction safety of the piles, posing a significant challenge for urbanization. Borehole geophysical methods are required to extend the detection range and identify karst voids that are at pole locations and near drilled boreholes. In this paper, we developed a near offset and small diameter single borehole ground penetration radar (GPR) prototype. A signal processing method combining complex signal analysis by Hilbert transform (HT) and medium filtering was suggested to differentiate the weak backscattered wave from borehole background noise. A controlled horizontal borehole experiment was used to demonstrate the applicability of the prototype and the advantages of the signal analysis method prior to application in a real project. The controlled test presented three typical wave events corresponding to a soil–rock interface, rock fractures, and karst voids. Field tests were conducted at a freeway bridge extension project in an urban karst area. Multiple karst voids, sinkholes, rock fractures, and integrated bedrock were identified by analysis of four typical detection scenarios. The remediation of the karst voids and a rotary bored piling with real-time steel casing construction strategy were designed based on the investigation results. The construction feedback demonstrates that single borehole radar detection is effective for the investigation of anomalies at pile locations in urban karst areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Geophysics)
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19 pages, 5370 KiB  
Article
Three-Dimensional Response of the Supported-Deep Excavation System: Case Study of a Large Scale Underground Metro Station
by Ashraf Hefny, Mohamed Ezzat Al-Atroush, Mai Abualkhair and Mariam Juma Alnuaimi
Geosciences 2020, 10(2), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10020076 - 19 Feb 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5947
Abstract
The complexities and the economic computational infeasibility associated in some cases, with three-dimensional finite element models, has imposed a motive for many investigators to accept numerical modeling simplification solutions such as assuming two-dimensional (2D) plane strain conditions in simulation of several supported-deep excavation [...] Read more.
The complexities and the economic computational infeasibility associated in some cases, with three-dimensional finite element models, has imposed a motive for many investigators to accept numerical modeling simplification solutions such as assuming two-dimensional (2D) plane strain conditions in simulation of several supported-deep excavation problems, especially for cases with a relatively high aspect ratio in plan dimensions. In this research, a two-dimensional finite element model was established to simulate the behavior of the supporting system of a large-scale deep excavation utilized in the construction of an underground metro station Rod El Farrag project (Egypt). The essential geotechnical engineering properties of soil layers were calculated using results of in-situ and laboratory tests and empirical correlations with SPT-N values. On the other hand, a three-dimensional finite element model was established with the same parameters adopted in the two-dimensional model. Sufficient sensitivity numerical analyses were performed to make the three-dimensional finite element model economically feasible. Results of the two-dimensional model were compared with those obtained from the field measurements and the three-dimensional numerical model. The comparison results showed that 3D high stiffening at the primary walls’ corners and also at the locations of cross walls has a significant effect on both the lateral wall deformations and the neighboring soil vertical settlement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Geophysics)
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19 pages, 7215 KiB  
Article
Hydrostratigraphic Characterisation of Shallow Coastal Aquifers of Eastern Dahomey Basin, S/W Nigeria, Using Integrated Hydrogeophysical Approach; Implication for Saltwater Intrusion
by Jamiu A. Aladejana, Robert M. Kalin, Philippe Sentenac and Ibrahim Hassan
Geosciences 2020, 10(2), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10020065 - 9 Feb 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4169
Abstract
This study employed electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) in characterising the shallow groundwater aquifers of Eastern Dahomey basin in southwestern Nigeria to assess the possible occurrence and distribution of saltwater within the aquifers. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), induced polarization (IP) and borehole logging were [...] Read more.
This study employed electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) in characterising the shallow groundwater aquifers of Eastern Dahomey basin in southwestern Nigeria to assess the possible occurrence and distribution of saltwater within the aquifers. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), induced polarization (IP) and borehole logging were carried in locations with relatively enhanced electrical conductivity (EC) within the coastal zone of the basin through 97 groundwater samples from shallow wells and boreholes; 500 m-length ERT and IP sections were carried out along three traverses A–B, C–D and E–F in directions perpendicular and parallel to the coastline. Three geoelectrical layers were identified along traverse line A–B which comprises cross-sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 located around Ugbonla, Aboto and Igbokoda with layers’ resistivity and chargeability values ranging from (1–1000, 33–200 and 1–1700 Ωm), and (−50–200 Ωm, −30–200 Ωm and −50–120 Ωm, respectively, from the top to the bottom layer. These values indicated unconsolidated sand/lateritic silty clay, underlain by a sandy/silty clay layer with underlying fine-grained sand with disseminated clay lenses. The average thickness of the first two layers was 16 and 53 m while that of the third layer was undetermined. Resistivity and chargeability results from ERT and IP cross-sections along profile C–D exhibited characteristics similar to that of profile A–B with unconsolidated sands which were underlain by intercalation of sandy/silty clay and fine-grained sands with suspected clay lenses saturated with saline water. Profile E–F revealed a geoelectrical layer with low resistivity which ranged from 1–30 Ωm with the corresponding chargeability between −150–400 ms. This indicated a saline water-saturated layer of fine-grained sand and silty clay which is overlaid by the unconsolidated unconfined freshwater aquifer. Correlation of selected ERT results with borehole logs further affirmed the suspected lithology from the sections. Two scenarios of saltwater intrusions into coastal freshwater aquifer were suggested which include the presence of trapped salt-saturated clay lenses within aquifer lithology and seawater incursion induced by over-drafting of groundwater in this basin.Therefore, it identified the need for further investigation which will involve a combination of hydrochemical and isotopes to further understand the paleowater hypothesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Geophysics)
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