A study highlights that major urban areas in the U.S., including San Francisco, are experiencing land subsidence, which threatens infrastructure and poses socioeconomic risks. In San Francisco, the unique geology coupled with groundwater dynamics leads to compaction of filled land. This subsidence can cause structural failures, including building collapses. However, researchers suggest that awareness allows cities to develop strategies for mitigation and adaptation to these challenges. Recent satellite imagery indicates alarming rates of land subsidence in the San Francisco Bay area, intensifying concerns over future risks.
"Settlement can allow cracks to propagate across structures, causing warping of roads and pavement, which can strain infrastructure," said lead author Leonard Ohenhen.
"As opposed to just saying it's a problem, we can respond, address, mitigate, adapt," Ohenhen said in a release. "We have to move to solutions."
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