Nondestructive/Noncontact Inspection Protocols and Technologies for Aging Mechanically Stabilized Earth and Modular Block Retaining Walls, Volume II

Details

• Creators:
  Maghiar, Marcel ; Maldonado, Gustavo O. ; Nam, Soonkie ; Ahmed, Shakil ; Hossain, Md. Mehrab ; Lawal, Charles
• Corporate Creators:
  Georgia Southern University. Department of Civil Engineering and Construction Management
• Corporate Contributors:
  Georgia. Department of Transportation. Office of Performance-Based Management & Research ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Close-Range Photogrammetry Infrared Thermography Inspection Protocol Laser Radar Mechanically Stabilized Earth Modular Structures Nondestructive Tests Photogrammetry Retaining Walls Terrestrial LiDAR
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA-GA-25-2217
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States ; Georgia
• Edition:
  Final Report: April 2023 – October 2025
• Corporate Publisher:
  Georgia. Department of Transportation. Office of Performance-Based Management & Research
• Abstract:
  This volume is the second in a series. The other volume in the series is FHWA-GA-25-2217 Volume I. As Mechanically Stabilized Earth and Modular Block retaining walls age within Georgia's highway infrastructure, their stability and safety are critical concerns. Currently, unlike bridges, these retaining walls lack standardized inspection protocols, and studies show that, nationwide, a significant number of them exhibit signs of distress such as cracking or bulging. GDOT's Research Project RP 22-17 addresses this by exploring nondestructive, noncontact inspection using advanced sensing technologies. The project specifically evaluates terrestrial LiDAR, Close-Range Photogrammetry (CRP), and Infrared Thermography (IRT), using a robotic total station (RTS) for reference. Key findings indicate that terrestrial LiDAR, particularly Target-Based LiDAR, with field-acquired targets at high-resolution, is soundly effective in detecting small, near-centimeter displacements. Visual-Alignment LiDAR also showed comparable accuracy with less field work, but requiring highly overlapped scans and more post-processing. The goal is to proactively detect issues like structural movement and deterioration, which can extend the service life of those walls, enhance safety, and reduce costly repairs. The research aims to equip GDOT with a data-informed strategy for monitoring critical displacements in these essential infrastructure components.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  PI#0019323
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:927c2dc966e9b2cddd90ae74ab0052132a7045d8cfe2e5730999c64145bdbe4f34ec4f1da0cb259d683a4b7f65ea044024362220e3c1c9ed0525ef59dae15bac
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/87527/dot_87527_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 31.32 MB ]