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Collapse and subsidence hazards |
1 Dpto. de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad de Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009Z, Spain (e-mail: tania{at}unizar.es)
2 Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Fernando el Católico 59, 4C, Zaragoza 50006Z, Spain
The presence of alluvial dolines in the Ebro Basin causes problems to both agricultural and urban areas. At present, new urbanization of former farming areas requires new tools to detect karst zones and so diminish the hazard linked to collapses. In the surroundings of Zaragoza, dolines (developed mainly on Quaternary alluvial terraces covering a Tertiary gypsum substratum) are commonly filled with alluvial deposits, agricultural soils, urban debris, etc. Measurements of magnetic susceptibility show a remarkable contrast between host rocks and cavity fillings, demonstrating the value of magnetic surveying. A field test was made in a recently collapsed (September 2003) doline filled currently with urban debris. A magnetic survey was carried out following a 130 m2 grid, with 1–10 m spacing between profiles. A proton magnetometer with gradiometer was utilized, and the total field intensity and gradient measurements were taken. The magnetic survey demonstrated a strong anomaly with a dipole defined by more than 650 nT and a gradient of about 100 nT m–1. The 2.5-dimensional (2.5D) modelling of the magnetic anomaly fits well with the known geometrical data. Two other dolines (that are not clearly defined at the surface) were also detected during the survey. These results validate the starting hypothesis and open a new research approach to the problem. The magnetic survey output allows the construction of realistic geological models.
