Innovative methods to monitor rock and mountain slope deformation

Abstract

Displacement rates of mountain slope deformations that can affect entire valley mountain flanks are often measured spatially distributed in‐situ without spatial significance. The spatially explicit measurement and recording of time series of slope deformations is a challenge, as the unstable slopes are often disintegrated into several subdomains, which move with different deformation rates. The current state‐of‐the‐art monitoring systems detect slow to very slow deformation rates between mm/a and several m/a. Using the examples of slope deformations in Saalbach‐Hinterglemm and the deep rock slide Marzellkamm in Austria this paper presents the results of terrestrial laser scans, extensometer measurements, Spaceborne InSAR data, unmanned Aerial System Photogrammetry (UAS‐P), and fixed‐point measurements. The different measurements complement each other and are optimally aligned for different application areas. InSAR data can help to identify hot spots on regional and local scale, while UAS‐P enables for spatially high level accuracy in the detection of subdomains moving at different speeds. For local warning systems TLS, extensometers and GBInSAR deliver higher accuracy.