Abstract
We propose an easy-to-use procedure of “PSI-based rapid mapping and deformation analysis,” to effectively exploit Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) for multispatial/temporal hazard assessment of cultural heritage and rural sites, update the condition report at the scale of entire site and single building, and address the conservation strategies. Advantages and drawbacks of the methodology are critically discussed based on feasibility tests performed over Pitigliano and Bivigliano, respectively, located in Southern and Northern Tuscany, Italy, and representative of hilltop historic towns and countryside settlements chronically affected by natural hazards. We radar-interpreted ERS-1/2 (1992–2000) and ENVISAT (2003–2010) datasets, already processed, respectively with the Permanent Scatterers (PSs) and Persistent Scatterers Pairs (PSPs) techniques, and assigned the levels of conservation criticality for both the sites. The PSI analysis allowed the zoning of the most unstable sectors of Pitigliano and showed a good agreement with the most updated hazard assessment of the cliff. The reconstruction of past/recent deformation patterns over Bivigliano confirmed the criticality for the Church of San Romolo, supporting the hypothesis of a correlation with local landslide phenomena, as also perceived from the annual motions observed over the entire site, where several landslide bodies are mapped.
Highlights
One of the main challenges in conducting a technological transfer process consists in communicating developments and achievements of science to the potential stakeholders, to effectively contribute to the building and strengthening of their capabilities in the use of new technologies for the specific fields of application
We propose an easy-to-use procedure of “PSI-based rapid mapping and deformation analysis,” to effectively exploit Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) for multispatial/temporal hazard assessment of cultural heritage and rural sites, update the condition report at the scale of entire site and single building, and address the conservation strategies
The methodology of rapid mapping and deformation analysis proposed here has the potential to become a routine tool to be increasingly employed by the practitioners and heritage bodies, in support of the ordinary activities of noninvasive diagnosis and preservation of cultural heritage, both concentrated within enclosed areas and spread within urban and rural environments
Summary
One of the main challenges in conducting a technological transfer process consists in communicating developments and achievements of science to the potential stakeholders, to effectively contribute to the building and strengthening of their capabilities in the use of new technologies for the specific fields of application. The present work is aimed at proposing a simple and easy-to-use methodology to exploit PSI data for rapid mapping and deformation analysis over hilltop historic centres and rural sites, based on the results of feasibility tests performed on two case studies located in Tuscany, Central Italy The latter were purposely selected as examples of real-world situations and related analytical issues that potential end-users (e.g., superintendence officers, conservators) might have to tackle, especially if they have to radar-interpret PSI data not necessarily processed to be used for cultural heritage applications or to be focused over a particular area of interest at an appropriate scale of analysis. The results of these site-specific analyses are here presented to critically discuss the potentials and limits of such PSI-based deformation analysis, in terms of real usefulness for preventive diagnosis of cultural heritage and land management in rural environments
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