Retrieval of Substrate Bearing Strength from Hyperspectral Imagery during the Virginia Coast Reserve (VCR’07) Multi-Sensor Campaign

Abstract

Hyperspectral imagery (HSI) derived from remote sensing can delineate surface properties of substrates such as type, moisture, and grain size. These are critical parameters that determine the substrate bearing strength. Although HSI only sees the surface layer, statistics can be derived that relate surface properties to the likely bearing strength of soils in particular regions. This information can be used to provide an initial map estimate on large scales of potential bearing strength. We describe an initial validation study at the Virginia Coast Reserve relating airborne HSI to in situ spectral and geotechnical measurements through a spectral-geotechnical lookup table (LUT).

Keywords:

• Hyperspectral
• substrate bearing strength
• liquid water absorption
• light-weight deflectometer
• dynamic deflection modulus
• dynamic cone penetrometer
• grain size
• barrier islands
• beaches
• dunes
• mudflats
• salt pannes
• salt marshes
• Virginia Coast Reserve

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge platform support from the Office of Naval Research. This paper was funded by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). The opinions, views, and conclusions found within the paper do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Defense or the NGA.