Outdoor seating, often overlooked in geological studies, can significantly impact underground cave mapping. Heavy structures like benches or pavilions may cause subtle surface disturbances, altering the natural pressure distribution on cave ceilings. This can lead to misleading data in ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys, as artificial weight creates anomalies resembling natural cave formations.

Additionally, popular seating areas tend to compact soil, reducing permeability and potentially masking underground voids. Vibrations from foot traffic around seating zones may also interfere with sensitive seismic mapping equipment. For accurate cave cartography, researchers must account for these human-made surface features during data interpretation. Modern techniques now incorporate 3D modeling of surface structures to filter out artificial interference, ensuring precise underground mapping results.

The relationship between surface usage and subterranean mapping highlights the growing need for interdisciplinary approaches in speleology, blending urban planning insights with geological exploration methods.