An innovative technique for the remote assessment of ground displacements, based on radar interferometry and implemented using ground-based instrumentation (
In recent years, SAR interferometry has become one of the most popular emerging techniques for the assessment of ground displacements, and, as such, it is of great interest as a possible operational tool for civil protection institutions having to deal with landslide risk. The paper presents some of the results obtained in northern Italy during a research project aimed at testing the potentiality of the application of C-band space-borne interferometry and Kuband ground based interferometry during different specific civil protection activities. Main research objectives were the detection of the movements of complex earth and rock slides affecting built-up areas during the 1990s, and the near real-time monitoring of a reactivated rotational earth slide over an emergency period of 15 days. Results of space-borne interferometry did qualitatively fit with the geological interpretation of the mass movements and with ground truths such as damaged buildings and in situ monitoring systems. However, this was not achieved in quantitative terms, suggesting that this technique should be used limitedly for displacement recognition and not monitoring. On the other hand, ground-based interferometry proved valuable both for a qualitative and a quantitative estimate of slope movements. Nonetheless, the research has also enabled the limitations that are still to be tackled in order to bring these systems to an operational usage in civil protection to be highlighted.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.