Integrated Monitoring of Geological Risks in Urban Areas under Military Impacts: A Case Study of Dnipro, Ukraine

Abstract

Military impacts have created new geological hazards in urban areas by altering the structural, hydrogeological, and geomechanical conditions of the geological environment. Conventional monitoring approaches designed for natural and technogenic processes, do not fully account for blast-induced changes in structurally unstable soils and therefore require adaptation. This study aims to develop an integrated approach to geological risk monitoring in urban areas affected by military impacts using Dnipro (Ukraine) as a case study. The research combines engineering-geological analysis, assessment of blast loading effects on loess soils, calculations of potential deformation zones, and spatial risk zoning based on geological and urban development conditions. The results show that blast loading leads to degradation of soil structure, formation of densification and softening zones, and changes in permeability, strength, and subsidence properties, while the magnitude of these changes depends on soil moisture, structural condition, and the thickness of subsiding strata. Based on the identified relationships, an integrated monitoring framework combining geological, hydrogeological, geomechanical, energy, and technogenic indicators is proposed for assessing geological risks in urban environments. The proposed approach improves the identification of hazardous geological changes, supports infrastructure vulnerability assessment, and provides a scientific basis for urban recovery planning.