Research Project ''Subsidence benchmarking'' - Final Report

G. Cassiani
Dipartimento di Scienze Geologiche e Geotecnologie, University of Milano Bicocca, Milano, Italy

G. Gambolati, P. Teatini, M. Ferronato
Dept. Mathematical Methods and Models for Scientific Applications, University of Padova, Padova, Italy


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report is relevant to the activities performed by the University of Milan – Bicocca (UNIMIB) and the University of Padua (DMMMSA), aimed at satisfying the requests formulated by ENI S.p.A. - AGIP Division within the scope of the research project “Subsidence benchmarking”. Such activities and relevant duties and financial implications are regulated by two specific contracts stipulated between ENI-Agip and each research partner. This report is the result of the joint research work and the evaluations and conclusions contained herewith are endorsed by both partners.
ENI-Agip asked UNIMIB and DMMMSA to carry out a study aimed at identifying the overseas (i.e., non Italian) institutions having the best expertise in subsidence research and technology.
The study has been focused on three scientific areas:
  1. geomechanical parameter identification (indicated in the sequel with code L for lab)
  2. modeling (indicated as M)
  3. geodetic and in situ deformation measurements (indicated as G)
The principal aim of this study has been the identification of potential external partners for future research and development activities sponsored by ENI-Agip in the subsidence area.
The study program has been formulated in three phases:

- Phase 1: preliminary identification of international institutions;

- Phase 2 : preliminary evaluation of institution quality, based as much as possible on objective parameters (number of publications and quality of scientific journals); visits to some institutions, previously identified as most promising – two trips to the USA were undertaken separately by members of DMMMSA (to USGS) and by members of UNIMIB (Princeton, Duke) while a trip to the Netherlands was conducted jointly (TNO, TU Delft, Geodelft); final evaluation of institutions;

- Phase 3: identification of best institutions and possible research projects that might be developed with them.

The final evaluation has been based on a mixture of two criteria:
  1. Quality (Q) defines as 1= standard; 2= excellent
  2. Relevance to ENI’s problems (R ) defined as 1 = less relevant; 2 = more relevant
The overall evaluation total is defined as the product Q*R.
The final part of this study has been the identification of six areas of potential future research that, in our view, ENI should pursue in the next future regarding subsidence issues. These six areas could be addressed in cooperation with the institutions described in this report. A tentative rank of priority has also been given to the potential projects based on our judgement (High, Medium, Low).
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