Geohazard susceptibility of urban areas

Certain buildings and infrastructure are becoming more susceptible to geohazards as they age and because of climate change. But which ones? It is too big a task to check every asset individually on a regular basis.

The European Space Agency has funded this study into the use of satellite images to detect small displacement trends imperceptible to the naked eye which, combined with good engineering insight, should lead to reliable and comprehensive geohazard susceptibility assessments for our urban areas.

Highlights

• Urban infrastructure is becoming more susceptible to geohazards as it ages and because of climate change.

• Monitoring all buildings and infrastructure individually is too big a task.

• Regular InSAR analysis with automated updates of urban sites. 

• Factors causing susceptibility identified.

• Automated and regularly updated susceptibility mapping for geohazards taking into account building related factors.