New paper on Subsidence in Como basin (N Italy)

Over the years, the subsidence affecting the Como urban area in northern Italy has been investigated by several research groups. The major factors inducing this phenomenon in Como basin are i) the thick sequence of reworked material and ii) unconsolidated silty clay sediments with poor
mechanical properties, and iii) the variations of the piezometric level.

The subsidence in Como basin was investigated since 1976, when the Commissione Subsidenza was established to investigate the causes and effects of the ground lowering. Between 1980 and 1997, the lowering rate noticeably decreased, therefore in 1996 the Como Municipality commissioned the construction of anti-flooding facilities along the lakefront. This determine a new increase in subsiding rates, which determined the interruption of the construction site in 2011.

In our new paper, we reconsider the relationships between known subsidence predisposing factors and the ground surface movements, as detected by historical InSAR measurements from 1992 to 2010. Specifically, the subsidence-related movements are modelled via linear and nonlinear regression methods to determine the factors that caused subsidence over the past decades. The results confirmed the role played by the local hydro-geological, stratigraphic and geotechnical setting, but also highlighted that a sector of the basin can be influenced by other variables, never considered before.

Find out more about this paper at this link.