Integration of seasonal frequency domain electromagnetic surveys and geological data for assessing the integrity of earthen levee systems. The case study of the Panaro River (Northern Italy)

Floods rank among the most widespread and destructive natural hazards worldwide. The progressive degradation, impairment, and breach of earthen riverine levees can occur in both natural and anthropogenic environments, stemming from various scenarios or sequences of events. These may include hydraulic failure due to overtopping because of inadequate height, and structural failure occurring even prior to overtopping, due to insufficient geotechnical and hydraulic characteristics combined with external and internal erosion.

Following the catastrophic flood of December 2020, caused by the collapse of a section of the levee system of the Panaro River (a tributary of the Po River, Northern Italy), local Authorities initiated a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the breach. Numerous factors, including geological, geomorphological, and ecological features, were found to have contributed to the progressive decrease of the levee integrity prior to and during the flood. This prompted a broader multidisciplinary study of the Panaro River levee system.

The study expanded its focus to include the collapsed section (rebuilt in 2020), as well as an additional 30 km stretch of both the right and left levees north of Modena, totaling 60 km. Detailed geological and geophysical data were integrated into the analysis, with particular emphasis on evaluating the characteristics and integrity features of the levee system.

This analysis was carried out using Frequency Domain Electromagnetic Methods (FDEM) on the top of the levees, previously calibrated using Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), geological mapping, core logs, and Cone Penetration Tests (CPTs). The FDEM surveys were repeated in different environmental conditions, specifically in the dry 2021 summer season and in the wet 2023 spring season, during heavy rainfalls that caused disastrous floods in several areas of the Emilia-Romagna Region. Out of the 60 km surveyed in the study area, the comparison of the two datasets highlights an interval of about 4 km where the internal portion of the levees is characterized by relatively coarse-grained materials and higher permeability making it more prone to internal erosion phenomena. This paper describes and integrates the results of these investigations, drawing attention to the strengths and limitations of the FDEM method when applied to extensive surveys on earthen riverine levee systems. The proposed methodology contributes as well to maintenance and retrofitting efforts to reduce flood risk in the context of the present climate change scenarios.