How stable are our flood protection dams really? The HoSMoS project, led by the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, is investigating how satellite technology can be used to detect damage to dams at an early stage. “Our goal is to identify danger spots with millimeter precision – before it's too late,” explains AIT project manager Vazul Boros in an interview with “Der Standard”.
The InSAR technology, which makes movements on the earth's surface visible from space, is used. Data from over 250 kilometers of embankment along the Danube is analyzed. The biggest challenge: to find sufficiently reliable reflection points for the satellites. Where necessary, artificial reflectors could be installed – as has already been successfully tested on bridges.
In the long term, HoSMoS should enable a digital early warning system that improves safety during extreme weather events.
To the article (in German):
https://www.derstandard.at/story/3000000260664/aus-dem-all-bewerten-ob-der-schutz-vor-hochwasser-noch-haelt