InSAR monitoring of tunnel induced ground movements

This paper introduces InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) as an advanced tool for measuring and monitoring surface ground movements over time, with interest in all phases of a tunnel project, both in urban and non-urban areas. Following a preliminary overview of the technology used to compile radar images of the earth's surface, the multi-image techniques (Persistent Scatterers Interferometry, PSI) and the InSAR algorithm (SqueeSAR) are briefly outlined. Two examples of InSAR data applied to tunnelling projects are presented. In the first case, the integration of InSAR surface measurements into monitoring by conventional methods is discussed as a tool for providing useful information to study the relationship between tunnelling and surface settlements. In the second case, the temporal evolution of ground displacements provided by SqueeSAR is applied in order to understand the link between tunnel excavation and surface movements, along a slope under passed by two large tunnels.