The Possibility of Using Terrestrial-Based Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Technology for Supplying 3rd Dimension Information for A Search and Recovery Mission for Landslide Victims

Abstract

This paper highlights the possibility of using GPR for providing third-dimension (depth) information to facilitate a landslide search and recovery (SAR) mission in Malaysia. The study was based on an actual use case during the 2022 landslide tragedy that occurred at the Father’s Organic Farm, Batang Kali. Two sets of MALA RAMAC X3M with shielded antennas (250Mhz and 500 Mhz) were used to survey a 1m x 1m profile interval at a 30m x 20m and 8m x 6m grid areas in Sector B on the 18th and 19th December 2022. Grid line profiles 2211-A, 2212-A, and 2213-A detected by the 250Mhz antenna showed suspicious reflection patterns. The pattern's amplitude contrast in relation to the soil background and the consistency with the average Malaysian adult stature were considered as the most likely locations of landslide victims. The location of the reflection was viewed with greater accuracy and clarity utilising time slice y-cut on 3D processing in the Reflex3DScan ReflexW module. On 21st December 2022, a victim and his two dogs were recovered by the SAR team near the suspected GPR line profiles at sector B. The suspected GPR signal reflection corroborated with the proximity where the victim was found according to the special SAR victim location map published by authorities. Since access to ground zero post excavation was restricted, on-site validation of the suspected profiles was not possible. Nonetheless, because hyperbolas were detectable at lower frequency with the maximum depth of around 8m, this paper concludes that using terrestrial-based GPR as a search and recovery alternative for buried landslide victims is still feasible. The challenge would be having a skilled operator to detect a hyperbola or abnormality in a time-critical scenario. The study also concluded that terrestrial-based GPR would, at the very least, provide first responders with situational awareness by narrowing down the SAR potential locations, excavation depths and reducing time for searching and recovering victims, as concurred by the Batang Kali SAR team. Article Details How to Cite Halim, N., Abdullah, N., Ghazali, M., & Hassan, H. (2023). The Possibility of Using Terrestrial-Based Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Technology for Supplying 3rd Dimension Information for A Search and Recovery Mission for Landslide Victims. International Journal of Geoinformatics, 19(5). https://doi.org/10.52939/ijg.v19i5.2669