Secular deformations of the sand ground of Golgotha Mount on the Anzer Island of the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea

Research on the Golgotha Mount on Anzer Island, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Solovetsky Islands, reveals that very slow horizontal ground movement—often neglected in construction—can cause significant structural damage over time. By analyzing tensile fractures in a 19th-century brick building (constructed without steel ties), scientists determined the rate of sand ground dislocation near an ultimately steep slope. The absence of proper reinforcement transformed the building into an unintended tool for measuring this movement, highlighting how long-term neglect of such deformations can lead to structural failures, even in stable-appearing environments.

Chernyshev, S., Lavrusevich, A., Evgrafova, I., & Chernyshev, N. (2019). Secular deformations of the sand ground of Golgotha Mount on the Anzer Island of the Solovetsky Islands in the White Sea. E3S Web of Conferences, 135, 1039. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/201913501039