Swift and Objective Network-Wide Geohazard Susceptibility Surveys
Petra Tou Romiou Road, Cyprus
-
Network-wide visual geohazard susceptibility surveys are slow, subjective and potentially dangerous. 
-
A network-wide InSAR analysis and landslide susceptibility mapping in GIS quickly pinpointed the most susceptible locations. 
-
Greater insight was gained at one location of repeated pavement resurfacing that led to a more permanent solution.
Highlights
Traditional methods for assessing geohazard susceptibility across extensive road networks are often slow, costly, and reliant on subjective visual assessments. These conventional approaches can also pose safety risks to both users and maintenance personnel. To overcome these challenges, a pioneering pilot study was conducted on the Cyprus road network using InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) analysis, offering a transformative approach to geohazard identification.
The use of InSAR enabled rapid and objective detection of multiple geohazards across the road network, significantly improving the accuracy and efficiency of monitoring. One notable example is at Petra tou Romiou, where persistent road cracking had resisted resolution despite repeated pavement resurfacing efforts. InSAR analysis provided a breakthrough by identifying larger-scale mass movements as the underlying cause of the road cracking, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the issue.
Armed with these insights, targeted measures were implemented to address the root geohazard, ensuring a more sustainable and effective solution for the road network. This innovative use of InSAR for geohazard susceptibility analysis demonstrates its potential to revolutionise road network monitoring, offering improved safety, cost savings, and long-term infrastructure stability.