Integrated Earthquake-Induced Stability Assessment of Lam Chae Earth Dam using Sentinel-1 DInSAR and Field Instrumentation

Information from the abstract

The Mw 7.7 Myanmar earthquake of 28 March 2025 generated ground shaking across several regions of Thailand, including Nakhon Ratchasima Province, where the Lam Chae Earth Dam is located. Rapid and reliable assessment of dam stability following seismic events is essential for ensuring public safety and supporting reservoir operation. In this context, Sentinel-1 Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) provides spatially continuous deformation measurements over large areas and complements conventional point-based field monitoring instruments. This study presents an integrated assessment of earthquake-induced dam stability using Sentinel-1 DInSAR together with field instrumentation, including inclinometers and piezometers. Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images acquired during the pre-seismic, co-seismic, and post-seismic periods were processed to derive line-of-sight (LOS) surface deformation and compared with in-situ monitoring data. The DInSAR analysis revealed a maximum cumulative LOS displacement ranging from approximately - 27 to - 30 mm during the co-seismic period, whereas inclinometer measurements indicated internal deformation ranging from - 1.258 to - 3.980 mm. Piezometer observations confirmed that pore-water pressure remained within the normal operating range throughout the monitoring period. Although DInSAR measurements are subject to uncertainties associated with atmospheric delay, temporal decorrelation, and vegetation-induced coherence loss, the observed deformation patterns were consistent with field measurements, providing complementary evidence for assessing dam behaviour. This study demonstrates the applicability of integrating satellite-based DInSAR with conventional geotechnical instrumentation for post-earthquake dam safety assessment in Thailand, where such integrated applications remain limited. The integrated interpretation of satellite- and ground-based monitoring indicates that the Lam Chae Earth Dam remained structurally stable following the earthquake and provides a practical framework for long-term structural health monitoring of earth dams.

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Related topics: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Applications and Techniques · Dam Engineering and Safety · Landslides and related hazards