Multi-temporal SAR interferometry reveals acceleration of bridge sinking before collapse

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Sousa, JJ (Author) Other; Bastos, L (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences

Vol. 13

Pages: 659-667

ISSN: 1561-8633

Publisher: Copernicus

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 10 Citations

Scopus - 9 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-005-3FY

DOI: 10.5194/nhess-13-659-2013

Abstract (EN): On the night of 4 March 2001, at Entre-os-Rios (Northern Portugal), the Hintze Ribeiro centennial bridge collapsed killing 59 people traveling in a bus and three cars that were crossing the Douro River. According to the national authorities, the collapse was due to two decades of uncontrolled sand extraction which compromised the stability of the bridge's pillars, together with underestimating the warnings from divers and technicians. In this work we do not intend to corroborate or contradict the official version of the accident's causes, but only demonstrate the potential of Multi-Temporal Interferometric techniques for detection and monitoring of deformations in structures such as bridges, and consequently the usefulness of the derived information in some type of early warning system to help prevent new catastrophic events. Based on the analysis of 52 ERS-1/2 covering the period from May 1995 to the fatal occurrence, we were able to detect significant movements, reaching rates of 20mmyr-1, in the section of the bridge that fell into the Douro River, which are obvious signs of the bridge's instability. These promising results demonstrate that with the new high-resolution synthetic aperture radar satellite scenes it is possible to develop interferometric based methodologies for structural health monitoring.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9