Impact of hydrogeological factors on geotechnical conditions of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra Monastery complex: lessons from three decades of monitoring

The architectural ensemble of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra monastery located in the city of Kyiv on the Right Bank of the Dnipro River, which represents historical and cultural heritage of world significance, suffers from a wide range of hazardous geological processes. The review and analysis of data of the long-term (since the 1990s) groundwater monitoring studies of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra shows that hydrogeological hazards caused by a complex combination of natural and anthropogenic factors (as well as sometimes by engineering miscalculations) have led to a significant number of emergency situations that threaten the heritage architectural monuments. Monitoring data illustrate a wide range of hydrogeological hazards (flooding, subsidence, landslides, suffusion), and emphasize the importance of consideration of hydrogeological aspects for safeguarding architectural monuments in the urbanized context. The paper also summarizes experience in engineering measures aimed at mitigating of hydrogeological hazards and discusses the pending research tasks