Deceleration captured by InSAR after local stabilization works in a slow-moving landslide: the case of Arcos de la Frontera (SW Spain)

Abstract

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) is a remote sensing tool used for monitoring urban areas affected by geological hazards. Here we analysed the effectiveness of stabilization works on a slow-moving landslide in Arcos de La Frontera (Cádiz, Spain) using a persistent scatterer interferometric approach. The works consisted on jet grouting of cement-based injections and were applied locally to stabilize the most damaged neighbourhood. We processed a large stack of Sentinel-1 SAR satellite acquisitions covering the period January, 2016, to March, 2023, and obtained surface velocity and displacement trends measured along the line of sight (LOS) of the satellite on both ascending and descending orbits. The results show a clear deceleration of the landslide head after mid-2018, suggesting the local stabilization works were effective after that time. Prior to mid-2018, the maximum LOS velocity of the landslide head was 2.2 cm/year in ascending orbit and 1.3 cm/year in the descending orbit, decreasing to 0.43 cm/year and 0.23 cm/year, respectively. The InSAR results were compared to in-situ monitoring data and revealed that the extent of the stabilization has influenced a much larger area beyond the zone of the local interventions. Overall, InSAR has proved a powerful and versatile tool to be implemented in operational geotechnical monitoring.