Evaluation of Synthetic Aperture Radar Satellite Remote Sensing for Pavement and Infrastructure Monitoring

This study aims to carry out investigation of the capability of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite data and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) for use in advanced infrastructure monitoring, which is a tangible breakthrough allowing to assess pavement deformations and deformation velocities with millimetric accuracy. Recent developments in satellite remote sensing and availability of high-resolution SAR products have created an opportunity for SAR-based monitoring in pavement and infrastructure management. Therefore, SAR-based monitoring has become valuable for monitoring and rehabilitating the nation's deteriorating roadway infrastructure elements such as bridge settlements and displacements, roadway surface deformations, geohazards and sinkhole detection, historical analysis of problematic sites, etc. In this research study, the feasibility, and effectiveness of use of satellite remote sensing technology for pavement and infrastructure monitoring were evaluated. A cost benefit analysis for a possible SAR-based monitoring system was performed. It was found that SAR-based methods are useful as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for current technologies and practices, specifically in the sense of state of good repair.