The Influence of Geomorphological Processes on Damage to Urban Structures
Abstract
Man-made structures are often damaged by geomorphologic processes such as landslides, soil erosion, and flooding, which are influenced by topographic factors. Such processes can damage the structural integrity of both surface (e.g., buildings, sidewalks) and subsurface (e.g., sewer systems, electricity and communication cables) structures, and hence cause structural hazards and contaminate water resources. To explore the relations between topography and damage to surface and subsurface structures, we measured damaged structures and topographic parameters in Pittsburgh, PA, where buildings and sewer lines whose age is often older than 100 years are built over a steep hilly terrain. We explored geomorphological influences on man-made structures by measuring the tilt of gravestones in a 170 years old cemetery. In this setting, where gravestones provide excellent temporal control and high structural similarity, our measurements show that the magnitude of gravestone-tilt correlates with topographic slope, gravestone age, and gravestone geometry. However, in residential areas, where we measured tilted and fractured structures (walls, fences, stairs, sidewalks), the relations between topography and damaged structures are less apparent. These results suggest that in Pittsburgh, geomorphological processes damage to man-made structures over a decadal to a centennial timescale. However, in residential areas, the influence of these processes is likely masked by heterogeneities in material properties, structure design, and maintenance efforts. Further research is needed to explore whether topographic factors can be utilized to predict the magnitude of damage to man-made structures and to prioritize maintenance efforts.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018AGUFMEP43D2741R
- Keywords:
-
- 1041 Stable isotope geochemistry;
- GEOCHEMISTRYDE: 1051 Sedimentary geochemistry;
- GEOCHEMISTRYDE: 1616 Climate variability;
- GLOBAL CHANGEDE: 1641 Sea level change;
- GLOBAL CHANGEDE: 1824 Geomorphology: general;
- HYDROLOGYDE: 1849 Numerical approximations and analysis;
- HYDROLOGYDE: 1861 Sedimentation;
- HYDROLOGYDE: 1862 Sediment transport;
- HYDROLOGY