Detection and analysis of sinkholes through integration of field surveys and semi-automated techniques

Sinkholes are among the most typical landforms of karst terrains. They may originate from a simple downward process, through dissolution of carbonate rocks, or through rapid, sometimes catastrophic, collapse, due to the presence of an underground void or cavity, from where the instability may eventually reach the ground surface. These two extremes imply a great variety in both vulnerability of man-made structures, and eects on the population, which make the analysis of sinkholes extremely important to society. In this contribution we present an integration of techniques to detect, classify and analyze sinkholes, aimed at contributing to the evaluation of sinkhole susceptibility and hazard. The methodology used will be illustrated by means of a variety of examples from the karst of Apulia, south-eastern Italy.