Assessment of Ground Deformation and Seismic Hazard in Urban Areas Using InSAR Time-Series Analysis

Project Abstract

Ground deformation and seismic hazards pose significant risks to urban centers, where high population density and dense infrastructure amplify exposure to ground movement. This study leverages Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) time-series analysis to quantify and monitor subtle ground displacements over multi-year periods, identify deformation mechanisms, and relate them to seismic hazard within a metropolitan setting. We integrate Sentinel-1 and TerraSAR-X observations to generate high-resolution interferograms, applying persistent scatterer (PSInSAR) and small baseline subset (SBAS) techniques to recover annual and sub-annual displacement patterns with millimeter-to-centimeter accuracy. The research develops a robust processing workflow that mitigates atmospheric artifacts, orbital errors, and phase unwrapping challenges, ensuring reliable deformation maps across heterogeneous terrains including urban cores, reclaimed land, and hillside neighborhoods. By cross-validating InSAR results with ground-based GNSS, leveling, and tiltmeter data, this study assesses the consistency and reliability of remote sensing-derived displacements. The temporal analysis enables the detection of acceleration phases preceding major seismic events, as well as post-seismic relaxation and ground- water related subsidence or swelling processes that may modify site amplification and seismic response. Spatial analysis identifies deformation hot spots associated with critical infrastructure, such as subways, elevated railways, and tall buildings, facilitating risk prioritization and resilience planning. The research investigates the relationship between anthropogenic activities (construction, groundwater extraction, and urbanization) and induced deformation patterns, contributing to differentiating natural tectonic signals from human-induced surface processes. Seismic hazard assessment is enhanced by integrating deformation trends with low-to-moderate magnitude earthquake catalogs, enabling probabilistic risk estimation and propagation of uncertainty through Bayesian frameworks. A scenario-based component evaluates potential ground- motion amplification under varying deformation regimes, informing retrofitting strategies and land-use planning. The study also provides a transferable methodology and open data products, including deformation time series, velocity maps, and uncertainty estimates, to support city authorities, emergency response agencies, and researchers in similar urban contexts. Key findings are expected to reveal zones of chronic subsidence and uplift linked to hydrogeological cycles, as well as tectonically active faults that contribute to long-term seismic hazard. The research contributes to advancing InSAR-based urban geoscience by refining time-series techniques for heterogeneous urban environments, enhancing the integration of remote sensing with conventional geotechnical monitoring, and offering a scalable framework for ongoing hazard assessment and resilience building in rapidly growing cities.

Project Overview

What This Project Is About

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A simple, non-technical overview of how ground movement in cities can be measured from space and why this matters for safety and urban planning. The project uses a satellite-based technique called InSAR to track tiny ground shifts over time and link them to earthquakes, natural settling, or human activities.

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The Problem It Addresses

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Cities expand on soft ground and near faults, which can lead to unexpected ground changes that threaten buildings, roads, and infrastructure. Traditional methods are limited in coverage and speed. This project explores how consistent, wide-area monitoring can fill those gaps and help planners act before problems become serious.

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Objectives of the Project

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1. Explain, in plain terms, what ground deformation is and how InSAR helps detect it.
2. Collect and summarize available satellite data for a chosen urban area.
3. Identify patterns of ground movement over time and relate them to possible causes.
4. Assess potential seismic and infrastructure risk using the movement data.
5. Provide practical recommendations for monitoring and land-use planning.

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What You Will Do Step by Step

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1) Learn basic geoscience terms and ethical data use. 2) Gather InSAR data for the city and prepare it for analysis. 3) Process the data to produce ground movement maps over time. 4) Interpret the results with respect to faults, water, and construction. 5) Compare findings with reported earthquakes or subsidence events. 6) Discuss limitations and uncertainties. 7) Draft practical recommendations for stakeholders.

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Expected Outcome

A clear set of maps showing where the ground has moved and how quickly, plus a short report explaining causes and risks. The project should yield practical steps for monitoring and risk reduction in urban planning.