Terrestrial and satellite radar interferometry applications for ground deformation investigations in urban subsidence detection, landslide velocity monitoring, and novel failure discovery

Abstract

The projects present interferometric radar measurements at high temporal resolutions and fine spatial precisions that allow new insights about ground deformation dynamics. The work is organized into three studies: (1) A ground-based interferometric radar (GBIR) monitoring campaign conducted on a slow-moving, translational failure landslide in Granby, Grand County, Colorado, USA. (2) A terrestrial radar interferometry (TRI) monitoring campaign for detecting ground settlement analysis within an urban setting in Seattle, Washington, USA. (3) A case study of novel landslide activity recognition related to a very slow creep landslide using satellite ALOS-1 radar interferometry. The research presents methods of survey planning, line of sight measurement, spatial and temporal filtering, uncertainty and error budgeting, scene geocoding, and spatial frame correction. Results of these studies inform hazard assessment and mitigation activities, novel landslide detection and feature recognition, and sub millimeter velocity monitoring of ground deformation dynamics. Independent datasets of deformation for verification and comparison of movement monitoring with discussion regarding the capabilities and limitations of radar measurements to characterize deformation in these environments. Results are used to create radar-supported workflows for achieving geotechnical engineering objectives including submillimeter velocity tracking, near real-time processing and results, and unsupervised reconnaissance campaigns for novel landslide detection.