Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 9, 2025

Mass Production of Genetically Modified Aedes aegypti for Field Releases in Brazil
Published on: January 4, 2014
A decade-long silent ground subsidence hazard culminating in a metropolitan disaster in Maceió, Brazil
Magdalena Vassileva1,2, Djamil Al-Halbouni3,4, Mahdi Motagh3,5
1GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Telegrafenberg, 14473, Potsdam, Germany. magda88@gfz-potsdam.de.
Abstract:
Ground subsidence caused by natural or anthropogenic processes affects major urban areas worldwide. Sinkhole formation and infrastructure fractures have intensified in the federal capital of Maceió (Alagoas, Brazil) since early 2018, forcing authorities to relocate affected residents and place buildings under demolition. In this study, we present a 16-year history (2004-2020) of surface displacement, which shows precursory deformations in 2004-2005, reaching a maximum cumulative subsidence of approximately 200 cm near the Mundaú Lagoon coast in November 2020. By integrating the displacement observations with numerical source modelling, we suggest that extensive subsidence can be primarily associated with the removal of localized, deep-seated material at the location and depth where salt is mined. We discuss the accelerating subsidence rates, influence of severe precipitation events on the aforementioned geological instability, and related hazards. This study suggests that feedback destabilization mechanisms may arise in evaporite systems due to anthropogenic activities, fostering enhanced and complex superficial ground deformation.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Effect of Sea Water on Concrete
Concrete in areas between tide marks,...
Mortar Joint Deterioration in Masonry
The...
Shrinkage in Concrete
When concrete is still in its plastic state, it can undergo a decrease in volume by about 1% of its absolute volume. This decrease is known as plastic shrinkage. It arises either...
Microcracking in Concrete
Alkali Aggregate Reaction in Concrete
Effects of Air-entrainment in Concrete

