The reliability of muography applied in the detection of the animal burrows within River Levees validated by means of geophysical techniques

Animal burrows in a river's earthen levee leads to water piping phenomena causing structural damage and eventual collapse during floods. Currently, the state of art comprises case studies that deal with management maintenance, while very few documents attempt at assessing possible animal-induced failure mechanisms. For latter, detection characterisation animal is crucial Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) Ground Penetrating Radar are most employed geophysical techniques. Between 2017 2018 team physicists, engineering geologists, geophysicists has for first time probed possibility exploiting Muon Transmission Radiography (MTR) verify internal conservation status levees were visibly damaged by activities. The technique non-invasive method, currently under development, based on muons, highly penetrating component atmospheric cosmic rays. MTR capable providing angular maps average density material present front detector. A test site measurement campaign was carried out prototype instrument placed side levee. This new survey methodology compared more traditional ERT measurement, performed pole-dipole dipole-dipole configuration. Moreover, actual burrows' distribution mapped demolition works using Terrestrial Laser Scanner measurements validate constrain results. comparison between shows that, spite some limitations, latter suitable promising could successfully complement program geological risk assessment.