Visual inspection aided by digital photography: application to the slopes of Foz Tua dam

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for aided visual inspections of rock slopes based on change detection techniques usually used in remote sensing. This methodology, that uses photographs taken by an ordinary digital camera, has undergone several field tests during the excavation works of Foz Tua dam. Its main goal is to detect displacements of the visible rock blocks that can lead to rock falls and to mitigate the ensuing risks.