Reconstruction of a 3D Bedrock Model in an Urban Area Using Well Stratigraphy and Geophysical Data: A Case Study of the City of Palermo

A multidisciplinary approach was employed to construct a three-dimensional model of the bedrock top surface within the Palermo Plain, Sicily, Italy. This urban area is characterized by a dense and extensive built environment that largely obscures its geological features, thereby emphasizing the valu...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alessandro Canzoneri, Raffaele Martorana, Mauro Agate, Maurizio Gasparo Morticelli, Patrizia Capizzi, Alessandra Carollo, Attilio Sulli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Geosciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/15/5/174
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849711098509393920
author Alessandro Canzoneri
Raffaele Martorana
Mauro Agate
Maurizio Gasparo Morticelli
Patrizia Capizzi
Alessandra Carollo
Attilio Sulli
author_facet Alessandro Canzoneri
Raffaele Martorana
Mauro Agate
Maurizio Gasparo Morticelli
Patrizia Capizzi
Alessandra Carollo
Attilio Sulli
author_sort Alessandro Canzoneri
collection DOAJ
description A multidisciplinary approach was employed to construct a three-dimensional model of the bedrock top surface within the Palermo Plain, Sicily, Italy. This urban area is characterized by a dense and extensive built environment that largely obscures its geological features, thereby emphasizing the value of geophysical methods for enhancing subsurface understanding. In this sector, Numidian Flysch deposits constitute the geological bedrock of the plain. The morphology of the top surface of this unit was reconstructed by integrating borehole stratigraphic data with both passive and active seismic surveys. Ambient noise recordings were analyzed using the Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) method to obtain spectral curves. These were then inverted into seismostratigraphic models using shear wave velocity profiles derived by Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) and lithostratigraphic information from borehole logs. Finally, the depth of the top of the Numidian Flysch, determined from both the borehole data and the inverted seismic models, was interpolated to generate a comprehensive 3D model of the bedrock top surface.
format Article
id doaj-art-0607b3868b3e4546967f08e1996f8281
institution DOAJ
issn 2076-3263
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Geosciences
spelling doaj-art-0607b3868b3e4546967f08e1996f82812025-08-20T03:14:42ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632025-05-0115517410.3390/geosciences15050174Reconstruction of a 3D Bedrock Model in an Urban Area Using Well Stratigraphy and Geophysical Data: A Case Study of the City of PalermoAlessandro Canzoneri0Raffaele Martorana1Mauro Agate2Maurizio Gasparo Morticelli3Patrizia Capizzi4Alessandra Carollo5Attilio Sulli6Department of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, ItalyDepartment of Earth and Marine Sciences (DiSTeM), University of Palermo, 90123 Palermo, ItalyA multidisciplinary approach was employed to construct a three-dimensional model of the bedrock top surface within the Palermo Plain, Sicily, Italy. This urban area is characterized by a dense and extensive built environment that largely obscures its geological features, thereby emphasizing the value of geophysical methods for enhancing subsurface understanding. In this sector, Numidian Flysch deposits constitute the geological bedrock of the plain. The morphology of the top surface of this unit was reconstructed by integrating borehole stratigraphic data with both passive and active seismic surveys. Ambient noise recordings were analyzed using the Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) method to obtain spectral curves. These were then inverted into seismostratigraphic models using shear wave velocity profiles derived by Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) and lithostratigraphic information from borehole logs. Finally, the depth of the top of the Numidian Flysch, determined from both the borehole data and the inverted seismic models, was interpolated to generate a comprehensive 3D model of the bedrock top surface.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/15/5/174three-dimensional geological modelactive and passive seismic surveyslithostratigraphic analysisurban areabedrockshear waves
spellingShingle Alessandro Canzoneri
Raffaele Martorana
Mauro Agate
Maurizio Gasparo Morticelli
Patrizia Capizzi
Alessandra Carollo
Attilio Sulli
Reconstruction of a 3D Bedrock Model in an Urban Area Using Well Stratigraphy and Geophysical Data: A Case Study of the City of Palermo
Geosciences
three-dimensional geological model
active and passive seismic surveys
lithostratigraphic analysis
urban area
bedrock
shear waves
title Reconstruction of a 3D Bedrock Model in an Urban Area Using Well Stratigraphy and Geophysical Data: A Case Study of the City of Palermo
title_full Reconstruction of a 3D Bedrock Model in an Urban Area Using Well Stratigraphy and Geophysical Data: A Case Study of the City of Palermo
title_fullStr Reconstruction of a 3D Bedrock Model in an Urban Area Using Well Stratigraphy and Geophysical Data: A Case Study of the City of Palermo
title_full_unstemmed Reconstruction of a 3D Bedrock Model in an Urban Area Using Well Stratigraphy and Geophysical Data: A Case Study of the City of Palermo
title_short Reconstruction of a 3D Bedrock Model in an Urban Area Using Well Stratigraphy and Geophysical Data: A Case Study of the City of Palermo
title_sort reconstruction of a 3d bedrock model in an urban area using well stratigraphy and geophysical data a case study of the city of palermo
topic three-dimensional geological model
active and passive seismic surveys
lithostratigraphic analysis
urban area
bedrock
shear waves
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/15/5/174
work_keys_str_mv AT alessandrocanzoneri reconstructionofa3dbedrockmodelinanurbanareausingwellstratigraphyandgeophysicaldataacasestudyofthecityofpalermo
AT raffaelemartorana reconstructionofa3dbedrockmodelinanurbanareausingwellstratigraphyandgeophysicaldataacasestudyofthecityofpalermo
AT mauroagate reconstructionofa3dbedrockmodelinanurbanareausingwellstratigraphyandgeophysicaldataacasestudyofthecityofpalermo
AT mauriziogasparomorticelli reconstructionofa3dbedrockmodelinanurbanareausingwellstratigraphyandgeophysicaldataacasestudyofthecityofpalermo
AT patriziacapizzi reconstructionofa3dbedrockmodelinanurbanareausingwellstratigraphyandgeophysicaldataacasestudyofthecityofpalermo
AT alessandracarollo reconstructionofa3dbedrockmodelinanurbanareausingwellstratigraphyandgeophysicaldataacasestudyofthecityofpalermo
AT attiliosulli reconstructionofa3dbedrockmodelinanurbanareausingwellstratigraphyandgeophysicaldataacasestudyofthecityofpalermo