Ground Penetrating Radar in Dam Monitoring: The Test Case of Acerenza (Southern Italy)

Nowadays, dam safety management is gaining great importance since it affects in a crucial way the monitoring and improvement of risky reservoirs, but this topic is very challenging since the dam safety requires long-term and time-continuous monitoring. In this framework, the exploitation of conventional geotechnical investigation methods often requires invasive actions in the inner of the structure to be investigated (destructiveness) and only provides punctual information for small volumes. On the contrary, the application of noninvasive sensing techniques makes it possible to investigate higher volumes without affecting the structure. In this paper we describe the application of GPR for the monitoring and diagnostics of one of the largest dams in the Basilicata region (Southern Italy). The investigation aims at detecting and localizing underground sandstone banks that are potential ways of flow of water below the dam. The manageability and the noninvasiveness of GPR have resulted in particularly suitable for this kind of application because the versatility of this geophysical method allows to investigate large areas with a good spatial resolution giving the possibility to detect the presence of inhomogeneities in the subsoil below the dam

Magnetic and ground penetrating radar for the research of Medieval buried structures in Marche Region

A magnetic and Ground Penetrating Radar joint survey was carried out in the framework of the R.I.M.E.M. project that has the aim of supporting the archaeological prospections and drive the selection of the excavation areas related to the Late Roman Period and Early Middle Ages in the Central and Southern Italy. In particular, this papers deals with the magnetic surveys acquired near \u201cMadonna della Valle\u201d and GPR and magnetic joint surveys carried out in \u201cMonastero\u201dsite. Most of magnetic maps carried out in \u201cMadonna della Valle\u201d site shown the absence of structured magnetic anomalies, despite of the presence of archaeological signs. Several hypothesis were given to explain this evidence. Joint interpretation performed in \u201cMonastero\u201d site shown more intense magnetic anomalies related with shallower reflections due to probably to buried pipes. Other reflections are related with magnetic anomalies compatible with archaeological targets, but some significant reflections do not correspond to any magnetic anomaly, indicating magnetic method could be \u201cblind\u201d respect the archaeological target. New field surveys including the electrical resistivity tomography could be carried out in order to overcome these acquisition and interpretation difficulties

Magnetic and ground penetrating radar for the research of Medieval buried structures in Marche Region

A magnetic and Ground Penetrating Radar joint survey was carried out in the framework of the R.I.M.E.M. project that has the aim of supporting the archaeological prospections and drive the selection of the excavation areas related to the Late Roman Period and Early Middle Ages in the Central and Southern Italy. In particular, this papers deals with the magnetic surveys acquired near “Madonna della Valle” and GPR and magnetic joint surveys carried out in “Monastero”site. Most of magnetic maps carried out in “Madonna della Valle” site shown the absence of structured magnetic anomalies, despite of the presence of archaeological signs. Several hypothesis were given to explain this evidence. Joint interpretation performed in “Monastero” site shown more intense magnetic anomalies related with shallower reflections due to probably to buried pipes. Other reflections are related with magnetic anomalies compatible with archaeological targets, but some significant reflections do not correspond to any magnetic anomaly, indicating magnetic method could be “blind” respect the archaeological target. New field surveys including the electrical resistivity tomography could be carried out in order to overcome these acquisition and interpretation difficulties

Chapter Electromagnetic Sensing Techniques for Non-Destructive Diagnosis of Civil Engineering Structures

Environmental policy & protocol

Tools for Semi-automated Landform Classification: A Comparison in the Basilicata Region (Southern Italy)

Recent advances in spatial methods of digital elevation model (DEMs) analysis have addressed many research topics on the assessment of morphometric parameters of the landscape. Development of computer algorithms for calculating the geomorphometric properties of the Earth’s surface has allowed for expanding of some methods in the semi-automatic recognition and classification of landscape features. In such a way, several papers have been produced, documenting the applicability of the landform classification based on map algebra. The Topographic Position Index (TPI) is one of the most widely used parameters for semi-automated landform classification using GIS software. The aim was to apply the TPI classes for landform classification in the Basilicata Region (Southern Italy). The Basilicata Region is characterized by an extremely heterogeneous landscape and geological features. The automated landform extraction, starting from two different resolution DEMs at 20 and 5 m-grids, has been carried out by using three different GIS software: Arcview, Arcmap, and SAGA. Comparison of the landform maps resulting from each software at a different scale has been realized, furnishing at the end the best landform map and consequently a discussion over which is the best software implementation of the TPI method

Electromagnetic methods to characterize the Savoia di Lucania waste dump (Southern Italy)

The aim of this work is the joint application and integration of non-invasive geoelectrical methods for studying the landfill of Savoia di Lucania (Southern Italy). This landfill for its engineering features and small dimensions (70 m · 30 m · 6 m) represents an optimal test site to assess a geophysical survey protocol for municipal solid waste landfills investigation and monitoring. The landfill of Savoia di Lucania has been built with a reinforced concrete material and coated with a highdensity polyethylene (HDPE) liner. Three electrical resistivity tomographies (ERT), two self-potential (SP) map surveys and one induced polarization (IP) section have been performed, both in the surrounding area and inside the waste landfill. The geophysical investigations have well defined some buried boundaries of the landfill basin and localized the leachate accumulation zones inside the dumpsite. Comparison of our results with other engineering and geological investigations could be the key for evaluating the integrity of the HDPE liner. Finally, the joint use of the ERT, IP and SP methods seems to be a promising tool for studying and designing new monitoring systems able to perform a time-lapse analysis of waste landfill geometry and integrit

Joint ERT, SP and IP Investigations at Waste Dump of Savoia di Lucania (Southern Italy)

The aim of this work was the joint application of different electric geophysical methods for studying the landfill of Savoia di Lucania (Southern Italy). This landfill for its engineering features and small dimensions (70m x 30m x 6m) represents an optimal test site to assess a geophysical survey protocol survey for municipal solid waste landfills. However, the proposed protocol should be used in time lapse way to obtain a monitoring system for waste deposits. The landfill of Savoia di Lucania has been built with reinforced concrete material and coated with a High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) liner. Three Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), two Self Potential (SP) map surveys and one Induced Polarization (IP) section have been performed both in the surrounding area and inside the waste landfill. The geophysical investigations well defined the buried boundaries of the landfill basin and localized the leachate accumulation zones inside the dumpsite. The comparison of our results with other engineering and geological investigations could be the key for evaluating the integrity of the HDPE liner. Finally, the integration of the ERT, IP and SP methods seems to be a promising tool for studying and for designing new monitoring systems able to perform a time-lapse analysis of waste landfill geometry and integrity

Microwave Tomographic approach for masonry investigation: some real results

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is an electromagnetic technique very appreciated by the community of the archaeologist and cultural heritage end-users community thanks to its appealing features in terms of non invasivity and rapidity of measurement and diagnostics. However, GPR data requires a high operator expertise in the data processing and interpretation. In the archaeological investigation, this drawback can be mitigated by the availability of a priori information about the archaeological scenario. On the other hand, in the case of the historical heritage, when the knowledge of constructive modalities and material of the structure may be completely missed, it is necessary to undertake other strategies of processing and interpretation. One of these can be provided by the use of novel inversion algorithms such as the Microwave Tomography (MT) which allows to reduce the subjectivity and the time consuming during the data processing. In this paper the MT was applied on raw data collected at two historical buildings of Chania (Crete, Greece). The first edifice is the Venizelo's House affected by visible fractures in its walls made up of cemented irregular stones. The second one is the headquarters of Prefecture of Chania showing some fractures along the floors. For these raw data, microwave tomography provided well detailed images which allowed to infer the fracture geometry and their extension in the host medium. This suggests microwave tomography can be a reliable complete processing tool requiring only the definition of the background scenario in terms of the dielectric permittivity and the conductivity of the host medium

Geophysical investigations in the Castle of Crotone (Calabria Region, Italy)

This work is about geophysical investigations carried out in the Carlo V king's castle, in Crotone village (Calabria Region, Italy). A magnetic method (M), ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys have been used to locate buried remains and old walkway. Each interesting area was investigated with a map survey, which is obtained acquired along several parallel profiles. Therefore, a 2D magnetic maps and a 3D GPR and resistivity data have been obtained. Finally, the ERT and GPR results showed some features associated to buried military walkway. © 2007 IEEE