What will you learn?
1.What are the causes of Mexico City sinking?
2. How does subsidence affect the operation of the metro system in Mexico?
3. What consequences does uneven sinking of the terrain bring in Mexico?
4. What actions are being taken to minimize the effects of subsidence on the metro system?
5. What lessons can other cities around the world learn from Mexico’s experiences in dealing with subsidence?
Since the conquistadors drained Lake Texcoco to expand urban infrastructure, the ground beneath Mexico City has been continuously sinking under the weight of massive urban structures. Subsidence causes various parts of the city to sink unevenly, leading to numerous problems for the complex public transport system.
Coping with Uneven City Sinking
The problem of city sinking is not uniform across all areas, which leads to differences in the levels of individual metro sections, and this in turn can cause malfunctions and even accidents. For example, the San Andres Tomatlan station on Line 12 is a place where the consequences of subsidence are particularly visible. The ground sinking by even 50 centimeters a year causes track fractures and infrastructure damage, necessitating continuous repair work and significantly impacting passenger safety.
The Future of Transport in Vulnerable Areas
What awaits metro systems in other cities around the world facing a similar problem? Mexico, grappling with the effects of subsidence, may serve as a warning for other metropolises also at risk from similar phenomena. Preventing disasters and planning for the future of urban infrastructure in the context of changing geological conditions are key challenges that engineers and city planners around the world face. Mexico shows how important it is to monitor and adapt to changing conditions to ensure continuity and safety of public transport.
Source: wired.com