ANALYZING THE LIFE-CYCLE OF UNSTABLE SLOPES USING APPLIED REMOTE SENSING WITHIN AN ASSET MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

An asset management framework provides a methodology for monitoring and maintaining assets, which include anthropogenic infrastructure (e.g., dams, embankments, and retaining structures) and natural geological features (e.g., soil and rock slopes). It is imperative that these assets operate efficiently, effectively, safely, and at a high standard since many assets are located along transportation corridors (highways, railways, and waterways) and can cause severe damage if compromised. Assets built on or around regions prone to natural hazards are at an increased risk of deterioration and failure. The objective of this study is to utilize remote sensing techniques such as InSAR, LiDAR, and optical photogrammetry to identify assets, assess past and current conditions, and perform long-term monitoring in transportation corridors and urbanized areas prone to natural hazards. Provided are examples of remote sensing techniques successfully applied to various asset management procedures: the characterization of rock slopes (Chapter 2), identification of potentially hazardous slopes along a railroad corridor (Chapter 3), monitoring subsidence rates of buildings in San Pedro, California (Chapter 4), and mapping displacement rates on dams in India (Chapter 5) and California (Chapter 6). A demonstration of how InSAR can be used to map slow landslides (those with a displacement rate \u3c 16 mm/year and may be undetectable without sensitive instrumentation) and update the California Landslide Inventory on the Palos Verdes Peninsula is provided in Chapter 7. Long-term landslide monitoring using optical photogrammetry, GPS, and InSAR measurements is also used to map landslide activity at three orders of magnitude (meter to millimeter scales) in Chapter 8. Remote sensing has proven to be an effective tool at measuring ground deformation, which is an implicit indicator of how geotechnical asset condition changes (e.g., deteriorates) over time. Incorporating these techniques into a geotechnical asset management framework will provide greater spatial and temporal data for preventative approaches towards natural hazards

Integration of field investigations and remote sensing techniques for the assessment of landslide activity and damage

The aim of the PhD thesis was to look for a relationship between the landslide-induced damage recorded on structures and facilities based on the results of several field campaigns and kinematic parameters quantitatively estimated by remote sensing techniques. Investigations were developed on two test sites: a deep-seated landslide in Colle Lapponi-Piano Ovetta in municipality of Agnone (Molise region, southern Italy) and the landslides affecting the southwestern sector of Volterra (Tuscany region, central Italy). First of all, a re-enactment of the evolution of both landslides were conducted, by means of 3D reconstructions based on historical aerial series of images and the analysis of Persistent Scatterers of ERS1/2, ENVISAT and COSMO-SkyMed satellites. The 3D Points Clouds and models were developed on several sets of aerial historical images dating from different years starting from 1945 and 1954 for Agnone and Volterra, respectively. To better understand the morpho-evolutionary stages, a qualitative assessment of changes of volume were made combining the oldest and the latest 3D reconstructed Points Clouds. This interpretation, even if qualitative and not quantitative, can be helpful for understanding possible effects of future reactivations and as a support to realize mitigation plans, susceptibility maps and other useful for the local administrators. The Persistent Scatterers were used to monitor the evolution in recent years, up to 2015. Then, for both case studies, the damage was revealed on structures and facilities by several field surveys and classified by means of five literature damage categorizations. During their application, some drawbacks and benefits of the methodologies were carried out and a new approach to improve the categorization of the damage on structures, facilities and ground surfaces was developed. This was conceived in two subsequent phases: i) a classification to use during the field campaign to quantify the severity of cracks and fractures on structures, facilities and ground surfaces; ii) an a posteriori ranking to apply on the entire structure, involving the extension of damage classes, performed by a cell-grid matrix. Furthermore, a damage recording scheme, useful for the recognition of cracks and fractures during the field surveys, was proposed. A critical comparison between the results obtained applying the different classification approaches, then followed. Buildings and facilities, for both sites, were categorized using also kinematic parameters such as velocity and maximum displacement measured along the Line Of Sight, derived by A-DInSAR, and their absolute values re-projected along the steepest local slope. Once characterized and categorized all structures and facilities of both sites of interest, a correlation between the surveyed damage classes and the deriving parameters by satellite were looked for. The investigation was carried to understand the behaviour of entire structures, subject to displacements. The first analysis was conducted on the Agnone test site where for several constructions an upper regression line between damage categories and velocity reprojected along the slope was recognized. Some outlayers were identified, mainly for low damage levels, then singularly investigated. To assess the reliability of all the structures, a matrix involving damage and velocity along the slope parameter acquired by ENVISAT and COSMO-SkyMed sensors was developed in order to obtain a classification. To validate the correlation and the reliability matrix the same procedure was applied to the Volterra site. Once asserted the validity of the relation between the velocity reprojected along the steepest slope and the classes of damage also for this area, the reliability matrix was applied on the constructions of the Volterra site. In this way, the relation between the displacement occurred during the period covered by ENVISAT and COSMO-SkyMed shows how the surveyed damage construction are related to the displacement. Some areas where damage occurred in the 2000 shows high reliability with ENVISAT recorded velocity, while others structures exhibits high reliability with COSMO-SkyMed data. The results were interesting because they highlight the fact that for some construction there is correlation between velocity of displacement of the entire structure and affecting damage; for others, instead, the high damage is related to the differential settlement and not necessarily to a high rate of displacement velocity

Oil spill and ship detection using high resolution polarimetric X-band SAR data

Among illegal human activities, marine pollution and target detection are the key concern of Maritime Security and Safety. This thesis deals with oil spill and ship detection using high resolution X-band polarimetric SAR (PolSAR). Polarimetry aims at analysing the polarization state of a wave field, in order to obtain physical information from the observed object. In this dissertation PolSAR techniques are suggested as improvement of the current State-of-the-Art of SAR marine pollution and target detection, by examining in depth Near Real Time suitability

Eighth International Symposium “Monitoring of Mediterranean Coastal Areas. Problems and Measurement Techniques”

The 8th International Symposium "Monitoring of Mediterranean Coastal Areas. Problems and Measurements Techniques" was organized by CNR-IBE in collaboration with FCS Foundation, and Natural History Museum of the Mediterranean and under the patronage of University of Florence, Accademia dei Geogofili, Tuscany Region and Livorno Province. It is the occasion in which scholars can illustrate and exchange their activities and innovative proposals, with common aims to promote actions to preserve coastal marine environment. Considering Symposium interdisciplinary nature, the Scientific Committee, underlining this holistic view of Nature, decided to celebrate Alexander von Humboldt; a nature scholar that proposed the organic and inorganic nature’s aspects as a single system. It represents a sign of continuity considering that in-presence Symposium could not be carried out due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Subjects are related to coastal topics: morphology; flora and fauna; energy production; management and integrated protection; geography and landscape, cultural heritage and environmental assets, legal and economic aspects

Aeronautics and Space Report of the President: Fiscal Year 2009 Activities

In fiscal year 2009 (FY 09), the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate's (ESMD) Advanced Capabilities Division (ACD) provided critical research and technology products that reduced operational and technical risks for the flight systems being developed by the Constellation Program.1 These products addressed high-priority technology requirements for lunar exploration; risk mitigation related to astronaut health and performance; basic research in life and physical sciences using the International Space Station (ISS), free-flying spacecraft, and ground-based laboratories; and lunar robotic missions to gather data relevant to future human lunar missions

Space Security 2008

Provides data and analysis on space activities in 2007 and their cumulative impact on security issues, including space laws, policies, and doctrines; civil space programs and global utilities; commercial uses; and environmental and military issues

Aeronautics and Space Report of the President: Fiscal Year 2007 Activities

The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 directed the annual Aeronautics and Space Report to include a "comprehensive description of the programmed activities and the accomplishments of all agencies of the United States in the field of aeronautics and space activities during the preceding calendar year." In recent years, the reports have been prepared on a fiscal-year basis, consistent with the budgetary period now used in programs of the Federal Government. This year's report covers activities that took place from October 1, 2006, through September 30, 2007

The SAR Handbook: Comprehensive Methodologies for Forest Monitoring and Biomass Estimation

This Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) handbook of applied methods for forest monitoring and biomass estimation has been developed by SERVIR in collaboration with SilvaCarbon to address pressing needs in the development of operational forest monitoring services. Despite the existence of SAR technology with all-weather capability for over 30 years, the applied use of this technology for operational purposes has proven difficult. This handbook seeks to provide understandable, easy-to-assimilate technical material to remote sensing specialists that may not have expertise on SAR but are interested in leveraging SAR technology in the forestry sector

UKGEOS: Glasgow Geothermal Energy Research Field Site (GGERFS): initial summary of the geological platform

The preferred second UKGEOS site is at Clyde Gateway, in the east end of Glasgow, Scotland. The focus of this, the Glasgow Geothermal Energy Research Field Site (GGERFS), is on characterising and monitoring the subsurface for minewater and hot sedimentary aquifer geothermal energy, and for cooling and heat storage. This report details BGS data and knowledge at late 2016, to define initial characterisation of the ‘geological platform’ relevant for the planning of a geothermal research facility and associated environmental baseline monitoring. The report covers knowledge of the bedrock and superficial deposits geology, abandoned coal mines, hydrogeology, geothermal datasets, geochemistry, remote sensed data, seismicity, stress fields, engineering geology and rock property datasets. BGS holds a great deal of legacy borehole, mining and geochemistry data and has updated existing bedrock and superficial deposits models of the area. However, deep borehole and seismic data are lacking to define the geology and structure of the area below a few hundred metres. Hydrogeological and temperature data are also lacking for the bedrock strata. Regional datasets and knowledge have (and can be further) used to reduce uncertainty and risk in these aspects of the geological characterisation