Detection of Buried Pipes and Soil Classification Using Remote Sensing

Abstract

The research aims to employ microwave remote sensing techniques to classify soil with the traditional classification method and to detect buried pipes in soil and compare the results. The three- band IKONOS image and the one band QUICK BIRD image for the study area were used in this study; in addition a topographic map for Baghdad city was used also in this study. followed by field investigations including activities such as survey operations in the area using the GPS device and collecting soil samples from certain positions. Then the properties of soil are determined, this includes determination the physical properties of soil to be used according to the (USCS), Microwave experimental setup has been operated to work with x band for studying the reflection coefficient of these waves from the moisture content and the texture change of soil. Also an experiment has been done to detect the pipes in soil by using (iron, plastic) pipes material with different diameters to determine and study the changes in reflection coefficient The main results of the study that the spatial merge between the three- bands image (IKONOS) and the one band image (QUICK BIRD) produces a new color image with high resolution for the study area which is considered the best in giving explanation to visual sensing of the kind of soil and it has been found that the soil of the study area is predominated by silt and clay.