Abstract of the proposal

Many coastal areas in the world have been intensively urbanized causing serious environmental problems. Steep terrain in Hong Kong has forced around six million people to congregate in 165 km2 near the coast, creating the highest population density and tallest buildings in the world. The construction of high-rise buildings requires extensive deep foundation and ground engineering work including large bored pilings and diaphragm walls. Consequently, the natural soil to depths of a few tens of meters, usually a zone with the most active groundwater flow, is largely replaced by concrete and other construction materials. It is evident that the groundwater system in Hong Kong Island has been changed significantly in the process of urbanization. We hypothesize that changes in the groundwater regime of the hillslopes are related to the intense development of the urban coast. A review of the literature provided little that addresses this issue. Using case studies from Hong Kong Island, we propose to investigate changes in hydraulic conductivity, groundwater levels, submarine groundwater discharge, and the interface between seawater and groundwater due to the construction of building foundations. We will conduct extensive field surveys and tests, carry out rigorous stochastic and geostatistic analyses, and undertake comprehensive numerical modeling. This study will provide a means to predict long-term groundwater changes and possible undesirable effects due to extensive urbanization, a process rapidly affecting many coastal areas of the world.

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