Soil deformation analysis through fluid-dynamic modelling and DInSAR measurements: a focus on groundwater withdrawal in the Ravenna area (Italy)

Abstract

This study aims at assessing the deformation processes affecting an area NW of the city of Ravenna (northern Italy), caused by groundwater withdrawal activities. In-situ data, geologic and structural maps, piezometric measurements, underground water withdrawal volumes, and satellite C-band SAR data were used to jointly exploit two different techniques: 1) fluid-dynamic and geomechanical modelling (by RSE S.p.A), and 2) Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (DInSAR) analysis (by CNR - IREA). The results of the comparative analysis presented in this work brought new evidence about the contribution of groundwater withdrawal to the total subsidence affecting the area during the 2000-2017 time interval. In particular, they show an increase of the subsidence from year 2000 to 2010 and a decrease from year 2010 to 2017. These results are generally in line with groundwater withdrawal data that report a reduction of the extracted water volumes during the considered temporal interval. Meantime, they show a delay effect in the subsidence process, partially recovered during the 2010-2017 thanks to a stabilisation of the extracted groundwater volumes. The presented results shade new light on the groundwater withdrawal contribution to the subsidence of the analysed zone, although further investigations are foreseen to better clarify the ongoing scenario.