Natural hazards related to ground movement that directly affect the safety of motorists
and highway infrastructure include, but are not limited to, rockfalls, rockslides, debris flows, and
landslides. This thesis specifically deals with the evaluation of rockfall hazards through the
evaluation of LiDAR data.
Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) is an imaging technology that can be used to
delineate and evaluate geomechanically-controlled hazards. LiDAR has been adopted to conduct
hazard evaluations pertaining to rockfall, rock-avalanches, debris flows, and landslides.
Characteristics of LiDAR surveying, such as rapid data acquisition rates, mobile data collection,
and high data densities, pose problems to traditional CAD or GIS-based mapping methods. New
analyses methods, including tools specifically oriented to geomechanical analyses, are needed.
The research completed in this thesis supports development of new methods, including improved
survey techniques, innovative software workflows, and processing algorithms to aid in the
detection and evaluation of geomechanically controlled rockfall hazards.
The scientific research conducted between the years of 2006-2010, as presented in this
thesis, are divided into five chapters, each of which has been published by or is under review by
an international journal. The five research foci are: i) geomechanical feature extraction and
analysis using LiDAR data in active mining environments; ii) engineered monitoring of rockfall
hazards along transportation corridors: using mobile terrestrial LiDAR; iii) optimization of
LiDAR scanning and processing for automated structural evaluation of discontinuities in
rockmasses; iv) location orientation bias when using static LiDAR data for geomechanical
analysis; and v) evaluating roadside rockmasses for rockfall hazards from LiDAR data:
optimizing data collection and processing protocols.
ii
The research conducted pertaining to this thesis has direct and significant implications
with respect to numerous engineering projects that are affected by geomechanical stability issues.
The ability to efficiently and accurately map discontinuities, detect changes, and standardize
roadside geomechanical stability analyses from remote locations will fundamentally change the
state-of-practice of geotechnical investigation workflows and repeatable monitoring. This, in
turn, will lead to earlier detection and definition of potential zones of instability, will allow for
progressive monitoring and risk analysis, and will indicate the need for pro-active slope
improvement and stabilization. / Thesis (Ph.D, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-03-26 11:25:15.741
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:OKQ.1974/5451 |
| Date | 26 March 2010 |
| Creators | Lato, Matthew |
| Contributors | Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.). Theses (Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.)) |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner. |
| Relation | Canadian theses |
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