Geological classification and mapping of technogenic (artificial) ground: A comparative analysis

Abstract

Artificial or technogenic grounds have been described in geological literature since the 19th century. However, their intense study, classification and systematic mapping have been carried out only since the 1980s, the principal contributions having originated in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Japan and Brazil, among others. Here we present a comparative analysis of some these main contributions, based upon their application to a hypothetical area, in order to verify their potential use and the adequacy of their methods. It is concluded that the combined use of characteristics of these approaches may be the most adequate depending on the purpose of the study and the scale adopted for mapping.