Integrated Multipattern Building Risk Assessment Based on MT-InSAR Measurements

Abstract

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has emerged as one of the most powerful remote sensing techniques for monitoring ground surface deformation, offering millimeter-level displacement measurements at large scale with high temporal frequency. In the context of urban infrastructure monitoring, InSAR measurements provide dense pointwise observations distributed across building facades and rooftops, capturing subtle yet critical deformation signals that precede structural deterioration or failure.However, most InSAR-based building assessment methods rely on a single indicator, which captures only limited aspects of structural deformation and may lead to incomplete risk assessments. To address this limitation, this study proposes a deformation pattern decomposition framework that constructs a dominant inclination plane for each building and decomposes the InSAR-derived deformation into three fundamental components grounded in geotechnical engineering knowledge, namely the uniform, tipping, and curvature components. Risk levels are evaluated for each component individually against established engineering thresholds and damage criteria, and subsequently integrated into a comprehensive staged assessment. The proposed method was successfully applied to the Tseung Kwan O industrial estate and Lohas Park, both newly reclaimed areas in Hong Kong. The results demonstrate its capability to effectively identify buildings at potential risk in proximity to ongoing construction projects, buildings influenced by large loads from tank farm facilities, and newly developed buildings undergoing postconstruction consolidation settlement. These findings confirm the effectiveness and practical applicability of the proposed methodology.