Ground subsidence is a common urban geological hazard in several regions worldwide. The settlement of loess fill foundations exhibits more complex subsidence issues under the coupled effects of geomechanical and seepage-driven processes. This study selected 21 ascending Sentinel-1 A radar images from April 2023 to October 2024 to monitor the loess fill foundation in Shaanxi, China. To minimize errors caused by the orbital phase and residual flat-earth phase, this research combined PS-InSAR technology with the three-threshold method to improve the SBAS-InSAR processing workflow, thereby exploring time-series deformation of the loess fill foundation. Compared with conventional SBAS-InSAR technology, the improved SBAS-InSAR technique provided more consistent deformation time-series results with leveling data, effectively capturing the deformation characteristics of the fill foundation. Additionally, geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis techniques and statistical methods were employed to analyze the overall characteristics and spatiotemporal evolution of the ground surface deformation in the study area. On the other hand, the major drivers of the subsidence in the study area were also discussed based on indoor experiments and engineering geological data. The results showed gradual and temporal shifts of the subsidence center toward areas with the maximum fill depths. In addition, two directions of uneven subsidence were observed within the fill foundation study area. The differences in the fill depth and soil properties caused by the building foundation construction were the main factors contributing to the uneven settlement of the foundations. Foundation deformation was also positively and negatively affected by surface water infiltration. This study integrates remote sensing and engineering geological data to provide a scientific basis for accurately monitoring and predicting loess fill foundation settlement. It also offers practical guidance for regional infrastructure development and geological hazard prevention.
Under the interference of climate warming and human engineering activities, the degradation of permafrost causes the frequent occurrence of geological disasters such as uneven foundation settlement and landslides, which brings great challenges to the construction and operational safety of road projects. In this paper, the spatial and temporal evolution of surface deformations along the Beihei Highway was investigated by combining the SBAS-InSAR technique and the surface frost number model after considering the vegetation factor with multi-source remote sensing observation data. After comprehensively considering factors such as climate change, permafrost degradation, anthropogenic disturbance, and vegetation disturbance, the surface uneven settlement and landslide processes were analyzed in conjunction with site surveys and ground data. The results show that the average deformation rate is approximately -16 mm/a over the 22 km of the study area. The rate of surface deformation on the pavement is related to topography, and the rate of surface subsidence on the pavement is more pronounced in areas with high topographic relief and a sunny aspect. Permafrost along the roads in the study area showed an insignificant degradation trend, and at landslides with large surface deformation, permafrost showed a significant degradation trend. Meteorological monitoring data indicate that the annual minimum mean temperature in the study area is increasing rapidly at a rate of 1.266 degrees C/10a during the last 40 years. The occurrence of landslides is associated with precipitation and freeze-thaw cycles. There are interactions between permafrost degradation, landslides, and vegetation degradation, and permafrost and vegetation are important influences on uneven surface settlement. Focusing on the spatial and temporal evolution process of surface deformation in the permafrost zone can help to deeply understand the mechanism of climate change impact on road hazards in the permafrost zone.
To evaluate the spatiotemporal evolution of pore water pressure in unsteady seepage flow ahead of a tunnel face, a partial differential equation for unsteady seepage is established. The ranges and boundary conditions of the unsteady seepage flow are specified, and the analytical solution of the unsteady seepage flow is obtained by the eigenfunction method. The obtained analytical solution additionally considers the time factor, which can be used to study the influence of seepage time on the seepage flow. And the pressure transmitting coefficient is introduced to analyze the influence of water and soil characteristics on the unsteady seepage. The analysis shows that the spatiotemporal evolution of the unsteady seepage flow pore water pressure ahead of a tunnel face is reflected in two aspects, the dissipation of the water pressure and the diffusion of the influence range of the unsteady seepage. The dissipation captures the gradual reduction of pore water pressure at a specific location as time progresses. Meanwhile, diffusion characterizes the alteration in the spatial distribution of water pressure. The pressure transmitting coefficient promotes the rate of unsteady seepage, while the height of water table has a greater influence on the magnitude of water pressure change in unsteady seepage flow.
With the increasing demand for large and deep anchor projects in soft soil areas, issues related to settlement in circular foundation pits and damage to supporting structures have become significantly pronounced. The absence of pertinent design methods significantly impacts construction safety. Through on-site monitoring and statistical analysis, this study examines the spatiotemporal evolution of deformation in circular foundation pits, the deformation characteristics of retaining structures, and surface settlement features. Key design factors influencing the stability of circular foundation pits are explored. The research indicates that structural deformation and surface settlement are closely related over time and exhibit substantial spatial coordination. The deformation control capability of circular foundation pits is considerably stronger than that of square foundation pits, and it is less influenced by excavation depth. Diameter and soft soil thickness have a substantial impact on structural deformation and surface settlement. When the diameter is less than 40 m, the structural deformation remains below 0.1%. The study establishes an evaluation method for the deformation control of large and deep circular foundation pits in soft soil based on a significant amount of engineering monitoring data. It categorizes deformation control indicators for pit excavation based on different design factors, offering reliable theoretical support for relevant design professionals.
Rainfall can increase the moisture content of a slope, which changes its mechanical properties and thus acts as an important mechanism to trigger landslides. However, it is unclear how moisture contents vary in space and time during rainfall-induced slope movements, and which soil-wetting patterns precede landslide events. Here, we used point sensors and time-lapse 3D electrical resistivity tomography (tl-3D-ERT) technology to monitor the spatiotemporal evolution of the hydrology and movement within a rainfall-induced loess landslide. We observed that movement of the slope involved a semi-continuous process of initiation, acceleration, and deceleration to stabilization. The slope hydrology evolution suggested that initial saturation, dominant flow, and changes in slope recharge and drainage owing to internal seepage and erosion are important factors that affect moisture changes. The movement accelerated when the average saturation value and spatial variation in moisture distribution within the slope increased; however, the movement decelerated when both parameters did not change significantly with time. The accumulation and dissipation of pore water pressure within the slope owing to uneven humidification may be the underlying cause of changes in landslide movement. Our study demonstrates the potential of tl-3D-ERT for monitoring the spatiotemporal variability of moisture evolution within rainfallinduced landslides to determine landslide deformation trends and develop a landslide early warning system.
The implementation of China's Beautiful Village Initiative was an extraordinary achievement and aroused extensive public attention. However, existing research mostly focuses on the construction and seldom on public attention towards the Beautiful Village Initiative. For this reason, this paper investigated the spatiotemporal characteristics of public attention based on the Baidu index using time-constrained clustering and the spatial autocorrelation test. Our results showed that the evolutionary process can be divided into three stages: very little national attention (2011-2012), injection of a strong impetus (2013-2015), and rooted in the people's minds (2016-2020). Spatially, provincial public attention demonstrated obvious spatial differentiation and stable spatial autocorrelation, with Low-Low clusters in Northwest China and High-High Clusters in East, Central, and North China. Spatial econometric models were further utilized to quantify the effects of socioeconomic factors on public attention. The results of the SEM model proved the existence of spatial spillover effects and indicated that the urbanization rate, population density, education level, and network popularity rate all positively affected public attention. The relationship between Beautiful Village construction and public attention was uncoordinated and, in most provinces, advances in public attention were ahead of the construction level. Our findings contribute to the understanding of public attention towards the Beautiful Village Initiative, and policy suggestions we proposed would be applied to increasing public awareness and participation.