Monitoring railway embankments to early detect potential failures

Situation

Railway networks need to assess risk from ground movements

The Czech Railway Administration is responsible for a railway network spanning more than 9,000 km.

The deployment of MT-InSAR technology supports railway operability by providing an early detection tool for potential faults (deformations) in embankments or instabilities near tracks. These results complement standard geotechnical surveys and monitoring, aiding decision-making on prioritizing actions and investments in reconstruction and remedial measures.

Solution

A combination of retrospective and real-time monitoring was designed to address this need

Gisat deployed its operational service for retrospective mapping and continuous monitoring of structural deformations in embankments and track surroundings. While primarily using data from the Sentinel-1 satellite, the service can also incorporate data from commercial satellites. It detects various risk markers and alerts when warning levels—set in consultation with the customer's technical staff—are exceeded.

Results

Customers receive critical information about their network in time.

The system provides a deformation map showing intensity. New deformations that exceed the norm trigger a warning.

The service's output informs decisions on risk distribution across space and time for long track sections or selected hotspots. It serves as a supplementary tool for evaluating geotechnical risks when planning reconstruction on specific track sections.