Lab Demonstration of Ground-Based SAR for Deformation Monitoring

Microwave ground based synthetic aperture radar (GBSAR) is the key solution for deformation monitoring because of its uniqueness to sense minute-scale structural deformations with high resolutions remotely, all-time and in all-weather conditions. It uses phase information of received signal to detect deformations. In this paper, we report lab demonstration of GBSAR concept in the anechoic chamber using Universal Software Radio Peripheral, which is a feasible option due to its compact design and easy control. Deformations are simulated with the help of corner reflector and micro-positioner. The computed deformations are compared against the applied deformations and the results are found to be accurate and consistent. The experiments are carried out in both $\mathrm{S}(3.2 \mathrm{GHz})$ and $\mathrm{C}(5.4 \mathrm{GHz})$ bands, and the detectable deformation limits in each band are validated.