Long-term InSAR, borehole inclinometer, and rainfall records provide insight into the mechanism and activity patterns of an extremely slow urbanized landslide

Abstract

New radar satellites provide global coverage and the possibility of long-term, regular frequency (days-weeks) surface displacement measurements through the application of high precision multi-temporal InSAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry) techniques. This represents an excellent opportunity to investigate and improve our understanding of the behavior of extremely slow landslides, as well as of the long- to short-term controls of their activity. In urban settings, such landslides deserve special attention, as their cumulative movements can cause significant socio-economic damage. Here, we re-examine the case of a long-lived, deep-seated landslide in the Apennine Mountains (Italy) which was urbanized between the late 1970s and early 2000s. The case provides a rare opportunity to highlight the benefits of the integrated analysis of long-term (several years) borehole inclinometer measurements with 15 years of multi-temporal InSAR displacement data. We present evidence of the landslide composite nature and asymmetry, and draw attention to the recent period of accelerated movement that coincided with the foot failure event. This helps constraining the interpretation of the borehole and InSAR data and demonstrating the predominantly rotational landslide mechanism. We show how a detailed analysis of sparse inclinometer and more spatially continuous InSAR measurements, when combined with local rainfall records, can reveal long- to short-term patterns of temporal variability in landslide motions and allow anticipating the consequences of future landslide activity.