Assessing the Feasibility of Persistent Scatterer Data for Operational Dam Monitoring in Germany: A Case Study

Multi-temporal synthetic aperture radar interferometry (MT-InSAR) has evolved from a niche research technique into a powerful global monitoring tool. With the launch of nationwide and continent-wide ground motion services (GMSs), freely available deformation data can now be analyzed on a large scale. However, their applicability for monitoring critical infrastructure, such as dams, has not yet been thoroughly assessed, and several challenges have hindered the integration of MT-InSAR into existing monitoring frameworks. These challenges include technical limitations, difficulties in interpreting deformation results, and the rigidity of existing safety protocols, which often restrict the adoption of remote sensing techniques for operational dam monitoring. This study evaluates the effectiveness of persistent scatterer (PS) data from the German ground motion service (Bodenbewegungsdienst Deutschland, BBD) in complementing time-consuming in situ techniques. By analyzing a gravity dam in Germany, BBD time series were compared with in situ pendulum data. We propose a two-stage assessment procedure: First, we evaluate the dam’s suitability for PS analysis using the CR-Index to identify areas with good radar visibility. Second, we assess the interpretability of BBD data for radial deformations by introducing a novel index that quantifies the radial sensitivity of individual PS points on the dam. This index is universally applicable and can be transferred to other types of infrastructure. The results revealed a fair correlation between PS deformations and pendulum data for many PS points (up to R2 = 0.7). A priori feasibility assessments are essential, as factors such as topography, land cover, and dam type influence the applicability of the PS technique. The dam’s orientation relative to the look direction of the sensor emerged as a key criterion for interpreting radial deformations. For angle differences (ΔRAD) of up to 20° between the true north radial angle of a PS point and the satellite’s look direction, the line-of-sight (LOS) sensitivity accounts for approximately 50 to 70% of the true radial deformation, depending on the satellite’s incidence angle. This criterion is best fulfilled by dams aligned in a north–south direction. For the dam investigated in this study, the LOS sensitivity to radial deformations was low due to its east–west orientation, resulting in significantly higher errors (6 mm ≤RMSE≤43 mm) compared to in situ pendulum data. Eliminating PS points with an unfavorable alignment with the sensor should be considered before interpreting radial deformations. For implementation into operational monitoring programs, greater effort must be spent on near-real-time updates of BBD datasets.