Assessment of trafficability of coastal sediments from satellite based remote sensing
Abstract
Development of a probabilistic threshold framework to predict trafficability of coastal sediments from satellite-based remote sensingForeshore trafficability represents a major uncertainty and risk to naval, rescue, and evacuation missions. In most cases, physical testing and in-situ determination of geotechnical properties that enable an assessment of trafficability is unfeasible due to access or timing restrictions. Thus, the long-term goal of this work is to develop relationships between geotechnical properties of coastal sediments, satellite-based remotely sensed data, and coastal processes to predict trafficability. Towards this long-term goal, the objectives of the proposed study are: 1) Detect and map coastal sediment dynamics in the intertidal zone from satellite images and relate them to geotechnical properties # and the variability thereof - relevant for the assessment of trafficability, including fines content, water content, relative density, and bearing strength; and 2) Develop probability thresholds predicting the trafficability of a person, a wheeled vehicle, and a hovercraft for a wide range of typical coastal sediments and geotechnical characteristics and apply probability thresholds to trafficability assessment based on geotechnical properties derived from satellite imagery. Research objective 1 will be addressed using field data collection, and by analyzing existing and new field data as well as publicly available data. A rapid soil type classification framework for the derivation of soil type from remotely sensed optic reflectance and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) backscatter will be developed. Next, sensitivity studies will be performed focusing on satellite image resolution, moisture content, surface roughness, and combined effects of the latter. Then, a procedure to identify coastal processesrelevant for trafficability assessment from the satellite imagery will be developed. This will be achieved through feature detection algorithms appliedto the satellite images and correlation to field observations. The measured variability in geotechnical properties will be assigned and mapped to the coastal processes observed in the satellite images. To address research objective 2, state-of-the-art trafficability models suitable for a person, a wheeled vehicle, and a hovercraft will be reviewed, transitioned into a probabilistic framework, and updated to consider the variability of key geotechnical properties and uncertainties derived from research objective 1. Finally, go/no-go maps of trafficability will be derived for a chosen mode of transportation by inputting geotechnical data derived from satellite images and accounting for local coastal processes and the associated uncertainties. It is expected that the joining of remotely sensed data analysis, detailed trafficability analysis, and consideration of coastal processes into a streamlined assessment process represents a crucial step to a widely applicable and user-friendly rapid trafficability assessment from satellite-based data for naval missions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 15, 2023
- Source ID
- N000142312418
Entities
People
- Nina Stark
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Florida