MS, Kent State University, 2011, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Earth Sciences

This study was conducted to examine the use of remote sensing techniques in the collection of discontinuity data for statistical and slope stability analyses. Two study areas where selected in Pulaski and Montgomery counties in central Virginia. Terrestrial LiDAR (light detection and ranging) and a transit compass were used to collect data at an abandoned quarry in the vicinity of Claytor Dam and Interstate 81 southwest of Christiansburg, Virginia. These data were used in a statistical analysis to compare both datasets and in a slope stability analysis for the adjacent section of Interstate 81. Digital photogrammetry was used to collect data on slopes along Interstate 81 northeast of Christiansburg. The digital photogrammetry dataset was qualitatively compared with the LiDAR dataset to illustrate differences and possible limitations of these remote sensing methods for the collection of discontinuity data. The objectives of this study were as follows: 1) compare the use of LiDAR and transit compass methods in collecting discontinuity orientation data through graphical and statistical analyses; 2) compare the kinematic analyses for both LiDAR and transit compass methods to determine the differences in the results; 3) compare LiDAR and photogrammetry methods to evaluate any limitations therein; and 4) compare the use of LiDAR and transit compass methods in the design of cut slopes along a portion of Interstate 81. For the comparison of the LiDAR and transit compass datasets, results show that the two datasets have similar mean orientation values for the corresponding discontinuity sets and are graphically similar when plotted on stereonet plots. However, the two datasets are not statistically derived from the same population. More importantly, a joint set was identified in the transit compass dataset that was either not detected or has a different mean orientation in the LiDAR dataset. These differences affected the kinematic analysis results and, therefore, the cut sl (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Abdul Shakoor PhD (Advisor); Donna Witter PhD (Committee Member); Dahl Peter PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: