Safety inspection of levees with L-band radiometry

L-band radiometry is a technology that is able to provide physical information of the (sub) surface and the last forty years this unique feature has lead to numerous research studies. These studies were primarily focused on soil moisture retrieval from natural environments. However, the capacity of L-band Radiometry to provide us information about the subsurface of non natural environments, like man-made constructions has so far been overlooked. This study aims on the potential use of L-band radiometry in the field of civil engineering and the main objective is to analyze its ability to use it for safety inspection of man-made levees. Several levees in the western part of the Netherlands with different characteristics were analyzed. The results demonstrated the strong potential for L-band radiometry in this field of research. This technology was capable to detect air pockets and sudden variations in layering at depth beyond 30 cm, and has potential to determine the layer thickness within the interior of a levee. However, more research is needed to fully understand the potential use of this new technology.