Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Engineering and science research programs that involve natural processes and landforms require accurate measurement of displacements. These measurements are traditionally made using survey equipment and photography, and are often carried out from the air. Commercial air-borne satellite technology has revolutionized landform mapping but is cost prohibitive for university-based research. Ground-based Radar Interferometry is a new technology that allows the remote monitoring of movements of large portions of territory (landslides, slopes, volcanoes, glaciers etc.) and of structures (dams, bridges, towers, buildings) with sub-millimetre accuracy. This sensitivity in detecting small displacements is due to measuring the phase differences of the radar waves (interferometry) reflected from each point. Each sub-millimetre displacement gives rise to a phase difference of the reflected wave, detectable by radar. The ground-based Radar equipment requested consist of a portable scanning system that can be operated by 1 person, and software for manipulating and analyzing the collected data to create accurate displacement models. This system has a maximum range of 4 km. The equipment requested will be used to support research programs that: analyze landslide dynamics, evaluate river ice-jams, assess the stability of slope walls in open pit mine, evaluate the impact of changes in the northern climate on existing infrastructure and assess the deformations of structural members (e.g., bridge girders). The equipment requested will be used to train both graduate and undergraduate students.