234 Advance Ground Surface Modeling for Hydrological and Environmental Applications

This session will highlight advancements in ground surface modeling for hydrological and environmental applications, focusing on innovative techniques, integration with remote sensing, GIS, geophysics, and hydrological models. We invite submissions on new methodologies, case studies, challenges, and interdisciplinary approaches.

Wednesday, 22 October 2025
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
HBGCC, 209

InSAR-Based Assessment of New York City Transport Infrastructure Exposure to Vertical Land Motion

Paper number: 234-17
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 10:31 AM – 10:46 AM

Authors

Abstract

Vertical land motion (VLM), particularly subsidence in coastal urban environments, poses a significant geohazard to the resilience of transportation infrastructure by exacerbating the frequency and duration of flooding. Moreover, differential subsidence introduces angular distortions that compromise the integrity of rigid structures such as roads, runways, and subway lines. In this study, we applied interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) analysis to detect and quantify subtle, millimeter-scale elevation changes across New York City (NYC). Our results reveal that several sections of NYC highways are subsiding at rates exceeding 2 mm/yr. Notably, spatially variable, or differential, subsidence along these corridors heightens the geohazard exposure of key transport routes. We estimate economic risk exposure at ~$9.43 billion for 6.07 km of subways and $10.70 billion for 49.14 km of highways affected by subsidence exceeding -2 mm/yr. These findings provide essential input for urban planners and engineers, supporting the development of more resilient transportation systems in NYC.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-414736

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