Remote Sensing Synergies for Port Infrastructure Monitoring and Condition Assessment

Abstract

There is an urgent need for the development of cutting-edge port infrastructure monitoring solutions that exploit different multimodal data towards timely optimal port management strategies and decision-making. Advanced monitoring applications allow for optimising maintenance, rehabilitation, and upgrade actions by assessing the structural integrity of port structures that is affected by a vast variety of stressors such as aging, imposed loads, inadequate maintenance treatments, human-induced factors, natural hazards, and the ever-changing climate. The purpose of this research is to enhance Remote Sensing (RS) port monitoring practices by investigating the potential of combining different types of RS methods to record and assess infrastructure condition. Two RS types of data, a) satellite imagery and b) aerial imagery from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), were considered for structural monitoring at Lavrio port, located in northeastern Attica, Greece. In particular, the applied monitoring program was focused on its windward rubble mound structure where temporal changes in the armour layer were detected. Significant parameters regarding spatial resolution and UAV flight characteristics were further investigated aiming at ensuring high-quality data. The overall research indicated that RS synergies proved to be a promising practice for acquiring advanced spatial and temporal information on port infrastructure condition.

Keywords

• monitoring
• port infrastructure
• remote sensing
• satellite imagery
• unmanned aerial vehicles