Detection of mining related ground instabilities using the Permanent Scatterers technique—a case study in the east of France

Abstract

Ground stability is a major concern for land use planning and both natural and anthropogenic risk assessment, especially in urbanized areas. Space‐borne differential radar interferometry provides a unique tool able to give a synoptic view of ground deformation with centimetric to millimetric vertical precision. Approaches for combining a wide range of radar images such as the permanent scatterers (PS) technique allow the estimation of the deformation history of single buildings. The PS approach has been exploited to investigate a test site particularly exposed to ground deformation hazards, namely the iron mining basin in Lorraine (France). In this Letter, a specific focus was set on the case of Roncourt, where precursor signs of a collapse affecting an area of ∼300×300 m² have been identified.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to GEODERIS and DRIRE staff for their helpful support. Authors are also grateful to Professor F. Rocca and Professor C. Prati as well as to the whole TRE staff. This work was conducted in the framework of the RESUM project.