Study of filled dolines by using 3D stereo image processing and electrical resistivity imaging

Abstract

This article deals with doline degradation due to uncontrolled waste dumping in the past in the Logatec Polje in Slovenia. It introduces a concept for determining 3D geometric characteristics (shape, depth, radius, area, and volume) of formerly concave landforms (i.e., recently filled dolines) by using a combination of two methods: (1) photogrammetric stereo processing of archival aerial photographs and (2) electrical resistivity imaging (ERI). To represent, visualize, and study the characteristics of the former surface morphology (i.e., the dolines before they were filled), a digital terrain model (DTM) for 1972 (DTM1972) was made using digital photogrammetry processing of five sequential archival aerial photographs (1972, © GURS). DTM1972 was visually and quantitatively compared with the DTM5 of the recent surface morfology (DTM5, © GURS, 2006) in order to define areas of manmade terrain differences. In general, a circular area with a higher terrain difference is an indicator of a filled doline. The calculated terrain differences also indicate the thickness of buried waste material. Three case-study dolines were selected for 3D geometric analysis and tested in the field using ERI. ERI was used to determine the genetic type of the original doline, to confirm that the buried material in the doline is actually waste, and to ascertain opportunities for further study of water pollution due to waste leakage. Based on a comparison among the ERI sections obtained using various electrode arrays, it was concluded that the basins are actually past concave landforms (i.e., dolines) filled with mixed waste material having the lowest resistivity value (bellow 100 ohm-m), which differs measurably from the surrounding natural materials. The resistivity of hard stacked limestone is higher (above 1,000 ohm-m) than resistivity of cracked carbonate rocks with cracks filled with loamy clay sediments while in loamy alluvial sediment resistivity falls below 150 ohm-m. Nevertheless, the contrast is sufficient to confirm the landfilled waste in all studied dolines. Based on the resistivity values of buried waste and the proximity of furniture and paper factories in the Logatec Polje, it is assumed that the dolines are filled with organic waste, mostly wood material mixed with other waste (municipal, construction, and demolition waste), which causes the variability of electrical resistivity. environmental geology; doline degradation; waste; stereo image processing; digital terrain model; electrical resistivity imaging Received 6 March, 2013; Revised 19 November 2013; Accepted 17 December 2013 Breg Valjavec M. 2014. Study of filled dolines by using 3D stereo image processing and electrical resistivity imaging.

Human‐induced land degradation and biodiversity of Classical Karst landscape: On the example of enclosed karst depressions (dolines)

“…Further identification of degraded dolines was carried out in two stages, using two criteria: Calculated elevation differences were used as the first criterion of the identification of doline degradation (Breg Valjavec, ). Changes in elevation and topography were recognized automatically by comparison of digital elevation data from the 1970s (3‐m resolution) (concave doline depression before infilling) and recent digital elevation data (levelled doline landform after infilling). The land use criterion (Figure ) was applied by a photo‐interpreter to determine visually land use changes at the sites of degraded dolines.…”

Environmental risk resulting from historical land degradation in alluvial plains considered for dam planning

“…Stereo image processing and the generation of historical elevation models from aerial photography make it possible to determine sites of land use and topography changes over recent decades (Breg Valjavec, ). The concave topography of a gravel pit before landfilling can be identified.…”

“…In this study, historical DEMs were constructed based on digital stereo image processing using aerial photography (year: 1959 and 1964) and ERDAS Imagine software (Breg Valjavec, ; Figure ). Three‐dimensional models of elevation change were made in order to determine areas of significant volume change, which were identified as gravel pits (Figure ).…”

“…Excavation of gravel for construction has been one of the most landscape destructive activities on alluvial plains in Europe, resulting in many abandoned open pits and landfills (Allgaier & Stegmann, ). After excavation, the sites develop to become open pit lakes (Muellegger, Weilhartner, Battin, & Hofmann, ), secondary habitats (Rehounková & Prach, ), or waste‐filled gravel pits (Breg Valjavec, ). Historically, it was common practice to use these gravel pits for waste disposal (Allgaier & Stegmann, ).…”

Vegetation as the Bioindicator of Human-induced Degradation in Karst Landscape: Case Study of Waste-filled Dolines

“…Gutiérrez et al (2014) pointed out that illegal waste dumping and infiltration of liquid waste from landfills have effects on 1) water quality deterioration; 2) changes in karst landscape; 3) ecosystem contamination, and 4) extinction of rare species. Some studies on doline degradation in Dinaric Karst landscapes were done in regard to uncontrolled waste dumping and landfilling (Breg 2007;Cernatič Gregorič & Zega 2010;Kovačič & Ravbar 2013;Breg Valjavec 2014) and the impacts were evaluated from various perspectives, such as hydrology METHODS GEOGRAPHICAL AND GEOLOGICAL SETTINGS OF THE STUDy AREA The study was conducted on Logaško polje, one of the most northern of the 130 poljes in the Dinaric Karst (Gams 1978;Mihevc et al 2010). Due to intensive afforestation that affected Dinaric Karst in past decades this region is characterized as a landscape coldspot (Perko et al 2017).…”