GIS and remote sensing techniques have become essential and powerful tools for tackling civil engineering problems. Remote sensing data frequently correlates spatial data with their properties, making it beneficial in this discipline. Remote sensing can be used to extract several themes such as geology, terrain, drainage, and hydrology. Integrating the following topics aids in the speedier resolution of civil engineering challenges. Sanitation, urban growth, new road alignment, and irrigation project design are all areas where remote sensing technology is commonly used. GIS and remote sensing data are commonly used to construct models that integrate socioeconomic, demographic, and natural resource information.
How does Remote Sensing works?
The majority of remote sensing systems use the sun’s radiation, which is selectively scattered and seen based on the composition of the atmosphere and the wavelength involved. The items interact with the radiations that reach the earth. Some of these rays are absorbed, reflected, or radiated back to the sensors, where they are collected and processed into images, which are then analyzed to extract information about the objects. Finally, the information gathered is used to make decisions and solve specific problems.
Remote sensing is the art and science of gathering information about items, events, or areas without physically touching them. The use of artificial light energy, such as electricity or sunshine, to impact an object is frequent in remote sensing.
Electromagnetic waves of various sizes and intensities make up light energy. Electromagnetic waves are partially absorbed, scattered, transmitted, and reflected when they hit an item.
Absorbing, dispersing, transferring, and reflecting energy are all attributes that different objects have. It is possible to detect objects by catching reflected waves using sensors. However, in terms of distance and area covered at a given time, remote sensing has its own constraints.
Application of Remote Sensing in Civil Engineering:
The various application of Remote Sensing are discussed below:
1.In resource exploration:
Remote sensing is used by geologists to research the origin of sedimentary rocks, identify mineral resources, locate oil reserves, and locate subsurface water storage. Remote sensing is utilized to detect possible fishing zones, map coral reefs, and discover other ocean resources.
2.For environmental study:
Cloud motion and rain prediction are studied via remote sensing. Water discharge from diverse enterprises can be studied using satellite data to determine the dispersion and if any, negative impacts on living species. Remote sensing can be used to study oil spills and slicks.
3.Land use:
Larger areas can be mapped in a short time using remote sensing. Forest, agricultural, residential, and industrial areas can all be measured and monitored on a regular basis. It is easy to locate places where various crops are grown.
4.Site investigation/analysis:
For site study, GIS efficiently includes and analyses numerous types of information and images. It displays precise results that civil engineers can use to quickly communicate and connect with clients via a simple map. Environmental protection regions, aerial pictures, and topographic maps are all included in the base map. Civil engineers also employ remote sensing techniques to forecast future necessities.
5.Infrastructure management:
When it comes to infrastructure management, remote sensing data is critical. It assists you in making judgments on how to improve, construct, or organize your work. When compared to constructing without any leads, construction with effective management yields greater results. Remote sensing also gives you a good view of how your project will turn out.
6.Critical infrastructure protection:
Engineers are responsible for both the safety and security of the buildings. Infrastructure security has become an easy task for remote sensing. It aids in the identification of flaws in any project so that improvements may be made on time. It also includes tools for merging data from elevation and evacuation routes in order to assess structural specifications and outcomes. The data is largely maintained in a geodatabase, which allows for real-time visualization of data on a web-based map.
7.Remote Sensing reduces cost management:
GIS and remote sensing technology assist in lowering management costs. Engineers that employ remote sensing and GIS no longer require pricey equipment like printers. Furthermore, they are not required to spend a significant amount of time utilizing specialized pens and papers. Doing such activities used to take up a lot of time and resources. Today, they merely need to point to a spot, and all of the materials they require are mentioned. This means that communication has increased, making management easier and less expensive.
8.Archaeological investigation:
Many historic structures are now buried beneath the ground and remain unknown. Remote sensors, on the other hand, can recognize buried structures of archaeological significance by measuring changes in moisture content and other properties of the buried artifacts and above the fresh layer.
9.Study of natural hazards:
Earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, floods, hurricanes, and cyclones can all be forecast to some extent and hazards reduced using remote sensing technology. Civil engineers can use remote sensing techniques to study landslides and other natural disasters. As a result, they are able to construct buildings such as bridges, roads, and railroads in safe locations. Landslides can devastate infrastructure, resulting in significant losses. By incorporating GIS and remote sensing into civil engineering, all of this can be prevented.
10.Town planning:
Towns are sprouting up in practically every part of the globe. Proper planning contributes to a clean and accessible city. Remote sensing and GIS play a critical role in achieving this goal. The Geographic Information System (GIS) is in charge of putting resources in the right places. Remote sensing, on the other hand, aids in the tracking of things like electricity lines and drainage systems.
11. Urban development:
Almost every country is experiencing rapid urbanization, which is producing issues like sanitation and housing. Other issues brought on by urbanization include effluent disposal, water availability, and pollution. Civil engineers, on the other hand, can build proper urban developments employing suitable remote sensing technology.
12. Water resource engineering:
When it comes to water resources engineering, remote sensing and GIS approaches have proven to be useful. Dams and other reservoirs require a large amount of data to be built and shared properly. In addition, it enhances flow control. Civil engineers can build infrastructure that allows people to get access to water.
13. Terrain mapping and analysis:
When it comes to civil engineering, terrain mapping and analysis are quite important. Civil engineers can use terrain mapping to build better highways. It also aids them in avoiding unsafe places and identifying the ideal terrains. Road and rail building can be a difficult task without the use of remote sensing methods.
Conclusion:
The rapid technological breakthroughs in the scientific field of remote sensing have piqued the interest of a variety of fields, including civil engineering, in the underlying principles, methodologies, and applications that may provide a rich supply of information useful for a variety of difficulties. Remote sensing has a wide range of civil engineering applications, including regional planning and urban development, critical infrastructure protection, natural hazards and environmental challenges, road alignment studies, land cover/land use studies, water resource management, and so on. As a result, GIS and remote sensing are becoming more important in civil engineering businesses, enabling them to support all phases of the infrastructure life cycle.
References:
- https://www.gissensing.com/remote-sensing/applications-of-remote-sensing-in-civil
- https://usharama.edu.in/blogDetail/remote-sensing-applications-in-civil-engineering
- https://www.satpalda.com/blogs/gis-and-remote-sensing-a-foundation-for-next-generation-civil-engineering
- https://www.slideshare.net/ManishkumarDubey/remote-sensing-in-civil-engineering
- https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/what-are-the-best-remote-sensing-techniques-for-civil-engineering
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