Abstract
The InfraRed Thermography (IRT) technique is gaining increasing popularity in the geosciences. Although several studies on the use of this technique for rock mass characterization were reported in the literature, its applicability is challenging in complex environments, characterized by poor accessibility, lithological heterogeneity, karst features and disturbances, such as vegetation and human activities. This paper reports the results of specific tests carried out to explore the application of IRT methods, supported by UAV surveys, for rock mass characterization in complex conditions. In detail, a 24-h monitoring was performed on an appropriate case study to assess which type of information can be collected and what issues can be expected. The results of the thermograms were compared with data reported in the literature and discussed. A novel method to detect correlations between the temperature profiles at the air-rock interfaces and the rock mass properties is presented. The main advantages, limitations and suggestions in order to take full advantage of the IRT technique in complex conditions are reported in the final section.
Highlights
InfraRed Thermography (IRT) is a contactless and non-invasive technique measuring the infrared radiations emitted by objects in the form of electronic signal [1] that has recently been gaining popularity in geosciences
We present the results of a 24-h monitoring by means of infrared thermography on a rock cliff located in an urban, highly touristic, coastal site, characterized by vertical and lateral lithological heterogeneity, as well as by the presence of karst features
This research is aimed at further investigating the applicability of the IRT technique for large-scale rock mass characterization and to assess whether, in complex conditions, it is possible to derive the information presented in the literature
Summary
InfraRed Thermography (IRT) is a contactless and non-invasive technique measuring the infrared radiations emitted by objects in the form of electronic signal [1] that has recently been gaining popularity in geosciences. Thermal radiation operates in the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum with wavelengths falling in the range of 0.78–1000 μm [1–3]. Thermographic cameras are devices working in the wavelength range of 7.15 to 14 μm that measure radiations emitted by objects and convert them into temperatures. The objects investigated by means of IRT techniques provide radiations proportionally to their emissivity ε, which is defined as the ability of an object to emit heat energy [4]. The radiation Uobj emitted by the target object and received by a thermographic camera is defined as [3]: Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland
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