Assessment of railway transition zone settlements using InSAR – A comparison between Sentinel-1, TerraSAR-X and track recording car data

Application of satellite for geotechnical monitoring of high-speed railway subgrade settlement: a comparative study of PS-InSAR and ComSAR

Risk evaluation of transportation network system with spaceborne synthetic aperture radar technology

Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is a non-contact remote sensing technology that detects surface deformation by analyzing the phase differences between radar images acquired over the same area at different times. Due to its extensive coverage, high spatial resolution, and all-weather operational capability, spaceborne SAR has become an established technique for large-scale, continuous monitoring of civil infrastructure. Transportation networks constitute a fundamental component of urban infrastructure, playing a pivotal role in enabling efficient mobility and fostering regional economic development. Extreme weather events severely threaten the durability and operational safety of transportation networks. However, limited funding restricts the deployment of traditional sensors for detailed and comprehensive monitoring of the entire transportation network system. In this research, a stack of Sentinel SAR images acquired over a two-years period is collected from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, and subsequently processed with Persistent Scatterer Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (PS-InSAR) technology. A dedicated post-processing procedure, consisting of PS points refinement and clustering analysis, is applied to the displacement time series derived from the PS-InSAR processing. Then, statistical control limits method is employed to evaluate the risk levels across transportation network. Finally, the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed risk assessment framework are validated through a specific bridge case study. These findings demonstrate the potential of the proposed framework for large-scale, risk-informed assessment of transportation networks, thereby contributing to more proactive and data-driven transportation network management strategies.

Evaluating Metro Construction Impacts on Urban Ground Stability Using Multi-Temporal Sentinel-1 InSAR

Abstract. Large cities are complex areas containing densely populated areas along with their infrastructure. Surface movements can pose risks to the safety of structures, such as subway lines, in urban areas. Advanced multi-temporal Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) methods are used to obtain surface deformations, specifically those covering large areas. In this study, the new metro line under construction in the Koceeli Gebze region, adjacent to Istanbul, was analyzed with the multi-time InSAR method. In this context, PS/DS-based phase-linking approach is applied on Sentinel-1 that was acquired between 2019 and 2025. The displacement can reach up to about 13.5 mm/yr specifically where the maximum movement is obtained at the first station. Several time series indicated the evolution of the movement over the surface at the stations. The affected buildings were also examined surrounding of the first stations. The results provide information on monitoring the structural health of infrastructure under construction and also on the impact on surrounding structures. InSAR monitoring methods contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 9) and Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) by providing information about safe and sustainable building and settlement areas.

Development and Establishment of Calibration and Validation Sites for Radar Interferometric Analyses (InSAR) for Monitoring Ground Movement caused by Mine Water Rebound during the Post-Mining Era

For several years now, satellite-based radar interferometry (InSAR) have been establishing themselves in day-to-day operations for the large-scale monitoring of ground movements in areas of both active and decommissioned mineral extraction. The combination of remote sensing techniques, such as satellite navigation (global satellite navigation system, GNSS) and interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), with traditional terrestrial surveying methods such as levelling and tacheometry holds great potential for reducing the time and labour-intensive terrestrial surveying to the absolute minimum required. During the transitional period required for this system conversion, these new methods must be examined and tested for their suitability, quality and robustness in order to be recognised and approved for use in mining documentation or within the framework of regulatory requirements. For these tests, RAG Aktiengesell­schaft (RAG), Essen/Germany, has designed novel calibration and validation (Cal/Val) fields for radar interferometric analyses (InSAR test fields), which were established from 2021 onwards in the former German hard coal mining areas in the Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia with the support of the City of Essen, and in 2026 with the support of the State Surveying Authority in Saarland. This article traces the development from the first corner reflector sites used in research projects in 2006 to the current InSAR test fields based on multi-sensor reference stations (MSST) operated by RAG.

Detection and analysis of cyclonic events through satellite-based remote sensing techniques for coastal areas of Pakistan

This study reviews the unusual lifecycle and reach of Cyclone Asna (August–September 2024) over the North Arabian Sea with special focus on its inland re-intensification after landfall, a behavior not typically seen in that region. Remote sensing satellite platforms combined with geographic information systems (GIS) allow a multi-parameter assessment of Asna's track, rain patterns, flood extents, and resulting damage across Pakistan's coastal belt and deeper inland areas. Sentinel's 2 NDWI images map surface water changes before and after the storm, while integrated IMERG rainfall estimates and time-stamped damage reports identify high-risk areas and illuminate the cyclone's social and economic costs. Karachi and adjacent coastal towns recorded isolated totals above 266 mm, sparking extensive urban floods, power outages, and collapse of key transport links, all driven by Asna's slow forward motion and prolonged onshore presence. Asna's inland intensification was caused by a rare overlap of monsoon moisture feeding in from both the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, upper-level divergence, saturated soils, high surface heat flux, and persistent mid- to upper-level cyclonic vorticity factors that together sustained the storm's vertical structure far beyond normal landfall limits. Broadly speaking, both the warmer Arabian Sea and its greater moisture-holding capacity are driving a recent increase in hybrid cyclone systems across the region. This study confirms that trend and points to satellite monitoring as an invaluable tool for bettering disaster preparedness and adaptive planning. As the case of cyclone Asna shows, predictive models and urban resilience plans must now be revised to reflect unusual cyclone behavior strengthened by evolving climate dynamics.

Open-Source Sentinel-1 SBAS InSAR Monitoring of Ground Deformation in Pantnagar (Indian Terai) Using HyP3 and MintPy

Aims: The study aims to measure ground-surface displacement and assess land subsidence along the under-monitored Terai belt of the Himalayan foothills using an open-source remote-sensing workflow. Study Design: Observational time-series analysis utilising satellite radar interferometry to monitor surface deformation. Place and Duration of Study: Pantnagar region, Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand, with acquisitions covering 8 January 2023 to 21 June 2026. Methodology: Sentinel-1 interferograms were generated via the Alaska Satellite Facility’s HyP3 service and analysed using MintPy with the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) method across 88 acquisitions. Following network inversion and digital elevation model error correction, pixels were masked at a temporal coherence threshold of 0.7, retaining 80.8% of the ~40 m grid. Results were evaluated against Dynamic World land-cover data, rainfall, and modelled groundwater storage. Results: Most of the scene remained stable, showing a median line-of-sight velocity of −0.4 cm yr−1 (interquartile range: −1.2 to 0.0 cm yr−1; 1σ uncertainty: 0.06 cm yr−1). A distinct, linear subsiding zone in the south-west reached ~−6.1 cm yr−1, representing roughly 21 cm of cumulative line-of-sight displacement over 3.45 years. This deformation persisted over cropped farmland and showed no seasonal rebound during monsoons. Conclusion: The persistent, non-rebounding subsidence points to inelastic aquifer-system compaction driven by sustained irrigation pumping. Although the rates remain provisional because nearby ground-station verification is unavailable, this methodology provides a reproducible template for regional Terai subsidence monitoring.