Using stereo aerial photography and satellite InSAR to help assess slope hazards for a hydropower project in mountainous southern Albania

Abstract

The use of small-scale and large-scale aerial photograph interpretation (API) in the assessment of reservoir slope stability at a proposed hydropower scheme in Albania is described. Large-scale photography yielded greater ground detail and aided site-specific interpretation while the small-scale photography provided important overview. Ground deformation monitoring using satellite InSAR analysis largely vindicated the findings of the API. Combined, API and InSAR analysis yield a potentially extremely powerful tool for geohazard assessment for civil engineering purposes.