Mapping subsurface defects and surface deformation along the artificial levee of the Lower Tisza River, Hungary

Abstract Artificial levees along alluvial rivers are major components of flood-risk mitigation. This is especially true in the case Hungary, where more than one-third country threatened by floods and protected an over 4200-km-long levee system. Most such were built nineteenth century. Since then, several natural anthropogenic processes, as compaction erosion, might have contributed to these earth structures' slow but steady deformation. Meanwhile, relevant construction works scarcely documented, structure composition artificial not well known. Therefore, present analysis mapped structural differences, possible compositional deficiencies, sections elevation decrease significant a 40-km section Lower Tisza River. Investigations conducted using real-time kinematic GPS ground-penetrating radar (GPR). Onsite data acquisition was complemented with Persistent Scatterer Synthetic Aperture Radar assess general surface GPR profiles showed anomalies, including discontinuities local features. The penetration depth varied between 3 4 m. According height measurements, mean crown decreased 8 cm 40 years. However, reached up 30 at some locations. Sections affected changes, increased subsidence sensitive when measurement results compared flood phenomena archives.