Monitoring of the ground deformation in Penang Island, Malaysia using Permanent Scatterer Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (PS-InSAR) and Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) techniques

Abstract

round deformations (e.g., landslide and subsidence) have substantially risen recently around Penang Island, Malaysia. The development of hillslopes for rapid urbanisation and heavy rainfall has detrimental impacts on Penang Island soil layers. Modelling, simulation, and the development of susceptibility maps were past methods used to predict potential ground deformations of Penang Island. There is no published work on the Interferometry Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technique, where ground deformation of the region has been holistically studied. This work integrates the Persistent Scatterer InSAR (PS-InSAR) technique with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to monitor the deformation on the island and identify possible subsurface causes for the disturbance. Twenty-four descending Sentinel-1A datasets acquired between 14th July 2017 and 13th October 2018 were processed to monitor and map ground deformation areas with a focus on three selected regions- Batu Feringghi (BF), Paya Terubong (PT), and Tanjung Bungah (TB), where multiple landslides occurred between 2017 and 2018. InSAR results were later analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) tool and validated by the available Global Positioning System (GPS) analysis. InSAR analyses reveal the mean deformation values of -3.13 mm/yr, -2.76 mm/yr and -4.77 mm/yr for the BF, PT, and TB areas. GPR surveys were conducted with a 300/800 MHz dual-frequency antenna at the three selected study areas. Anomalies (wall cracks, road fissures, cavities, drains, and pipes) detected using GPR profiles correlated well with the permanent scatterer points calculated using the InSAR technique.