Monitoring deformation of Genhe-Labudalin Highway using Sentinel-1 InSAR analysis

The Genhe-Labudalin Highway (GenLa Highway) serves as a critical infrastructure link between Genhe City and Labudalin Town in Inner Mongolia, traversing extensive areas of continuous and island permafrost. The stability of this highway is compromised by hazards related to freeze-thaw cycles. Therefore, monitoring its stability is of paramount importance. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) technology has proven invaluable in detecting slow-moving deformations over large areas, making it a vital tool for infrastructure stability monitoring. This study employs 114 Sentinel-1 images, acquired between May 2016 and April 2020, to perform time-series InSAR analysis of the Genla Highway. The analysis reveals linear displacement trends and seasonal displacement along the GenLa Highway and its surrounding areas. The time-series data indicate seasonal deformations, with a maximum displacement of ~20 mm. Significant uneven deformations are observed along the roadbed and adjacent areas, posing further threats to the highway’s stability. Additionally, human activities influence the seasonal freeze-thaw cycles of the permafrost, potentially exacerbating the instability of infrastructure in these regions.