The use of the Enhanced

Deformation Algorithm when

hard rock and loose materials
are in the scan area
By Albert Cabrejo Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Overview
The Enhanced Deformation Algorithm (EDA) is
in the process of deployment in the SSR fleet
across the world.
The behaviour of the EDA in the external world
is still a matter of study, analysis and
calibration.
Education to the GP staff and external
customers is required in order to maximize the
use of this new feature of the SSRViewer
while keeping the information as reliable as
possible.
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 2

Objectives
Show the performance on the real environment of the EDA.
Teach the GP staff and customers how to distinguish the behaviour
of the EDA from the previous algorithms.
Understand the consequences in the deformation images of
replacing scans (deformation plots are not available in the software
yet).
Illustrate a case in which the use of the EDA requires refinement in
terms of masks in order to achieve high quality monitoring by
avoiding the replacement of scans that should not be replaced.
Provide recommendations for the correct use of the EDA.

The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when

hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 3

Enhanced Deformation
Algorithm How does it
work?

The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when

hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 4

How does it work?

The EDA evaluates the scan area for ambiguous pixels, those who,
to sit a case, use to appear as purple pixels surrounded by red
pixels.
If a number of ambiguous pixels is found matching certain
parameters the scan is declared ambiguous.
An average of the deformations in the 5 previous scans is made and
the result is assigned as the deformation value that the user sees in
the SSRViewer.
The replacement of the scan is done for all the pixels in the scan
area so no individual pixels are replaced. This means that if a region
in the scan area is ambiguous the consequences will affect the rest
of the scan area, which might not be ambiguous.
The SSRViewer creates the image of Enhanced Deformation and
the images of Standard Deformation
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 5

Example of a scan that has been replaced

Enhanced Deformation Image

Standard Deformation Image

The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when

hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 6

Which pixels are declared ambiguous?

Pixels that have an ambiguous step, positive or negative that define
a clear boundary from positive deformations to negative
deformations in large areas of the scan.
Pixels that are not masked out by the Enhanced Deformation Mask
Pixels with low coherence.
Pixels with low amplitude.
Pixels that didnt suffer an ambiguous step large enough to become
suspicious of being the consequence of a rapid atmospheric change.
Pixels that have been declared in the previous scan.
Pixels that have been declared ambiguous twice in the last 10 scans.

The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when

hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 7

This scan was not replaced (low coherence)

Zero scans have been replaced

(not red squares in the chart)

Strong
boundary
from red
to purple
Low coherence in the pixels
with the deformation ambiguity
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 8

This scan was not replaced (few amb. pixels)

One scan was replaced, but not

in the scan selected (blue line)

Boundary
too small

High coherence at the scan

selected.
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 9

This scan was replaced: all criteria reached

The EDA image
is different than
the SDA image
as
consequence of
the replacement

The scan selected (blue line)

shows a red square: it has been
replaced by the EDA.

Long and well

defined boundary

High coherence at the scan

selected.
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 10

Long term consequence

of replacing scans

The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when

hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 11

The consequence in loose materials might be

negligible (large deformations involved)

Hard materials at the top

Loose materials at the bottom

Standard Deformation Image

400mm

The differences in deformations between the two algorithms might not be so

important, since the magnitude of deformations is several times larger than the
possible artefact introduced by each replaced scan.
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 12

The consequence in loose materials might be

negligible (large deformations involved)

Enhanced Deformation Image

Standard Deformation Image

400mm

400mm

The differences in deformations between the two algorithms might not be so

important, since the magnitude of deformations is several times larger than the
possible artefact introduced by each replaced scan.
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 13

The consequence in hard materials might be significant

Continuous replacement of scans due to ambiguities in the loose materials
might hide the rapid development of collapses in the hard materials in the scan
area.

Enhanced Deformation Image

5mm

The small positive and negative deformations indicated by the deformation image
might be significant in terms of alarming for brittle failures.
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 14

The consequence in hard materials might be significant

Enhanced Deformation Image

Standard Deformation Image

5mm

5mm

Larger deformations reported

by the SDA compared to the
EDA in these pixels?

The small positive and negative deformations indicated by the deformation image
might be significant in terms of alarming for brittle failures.
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 15

Example of missing positive deformations

Where did these
deformations go
with the EDA?

2mm

Enhanced Deformation Image

Positive deformation
measured with the SDA

2mm

Standard Deformation Image

Replacing scans might keep the user from detecting rapid developing deformations
leading to brittle failure.
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 16

Optimization of the
Enhanced Deformation
Algorithm Application

The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when

hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 17

How to use the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm Correctly?

The example presented in the previous slide represents a situation in which the
Enhanced Deformation Mask needs to be applied.
In rare situations this mask is required and we are
starting to learn which are the possible situations in
which it should be used.
The site presented before is Andina, where a high
wall is being scanned along with active dumps that
are deforming at large rates, triggering ambiguities.
Normally, when the dumps are active they will have low coherence due to the
constant change in the superficial appearance of the rocks. However, there
might be periods of no dumping in and high deformation rates without large
changes in the surficial appearance of the materials (high coherence). In
consequence, the dump might be a valid area for evaluation of the Ambiguous
Scan, which could lead to problems of unintended scan replacements.
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 18

How to use the EDA Correctly? (cont)

To keep the loose materials from being investigated for ambiguities it is
required to apply the Enhanced Deformation Mask over them.
The use of a normal mask will keep the user from monitoring the
dumps, so it is not an option.
The use of the alarms mask is not related to the EDA evaluation
process.
If no mask is applied, several scans might be replaced due to fast
deformations on the dumps rather than being applied only under
extreme atmospheric conditions, which is the goal of this algorithm.

The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when

hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 19

How to use the EDA Correctly? (cont)

Applying the Enhanced Deformation Mask will prevent the replacement
of scans that should not be replaced due to the important deformation
measurements that might be in development in the hard materials. A
suggested Enhanced Deformation Mask is presented in the image
below.

The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when

hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 20

Brown Alerts
If number of 5 scans are replaced consecutively, the result of the
deformation measurements is the average of previous averages, rather
than a real measurement of the displacement of the wall. This is not
adequate and could lead to wrong decisions due to the lack of real data.
The brown alerts were introduced in order to provide warning on this
situation happening so the issue can be addressed. For further
information consult the SSRViewer Suite 5.4 User Manual.
06:07, Mon 12 Dec, 2011 brown alert
Wall directory is
d:\ssr\SSR108_111211_Andina_MinaSurSur_Botadero2
Computer's SSR label is: 192.168.1.2
The recommended optimal limit of 5 consecutive scans has been
exceeded.
Seek Geotechnical support for review of your radar scan setup.
Push the 'Delay for 15 minutes' button to suppress this grey alert for
15 minutes to undertake analysis of the enhanced deformation data.
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 21

Conclusion
The Enhanced Deformation Algorithm is a powerful tool that GroundProbe
has developed in order to achieve higher data quality than ever before.
This algorithm is the preferred selection when defining the atmospheric
correction algorithm in the vast majority of cases. The older algorithms are
to be used only under specific direction by GroundProbe, in special cases.
From the case study presented here we are learning that when dumps are
in the same scan area than hard rock the Enhanced Deformation Mask
needs to be applied.
The inappropriate use of the EDA could lead to:
Unintended replacement of scans
Lack of deformation data in areas that are susceptible of brittle failure
Constant grey alerts.
If SMS and e-mail procedures are defined, the users will receive
meaningless notifications.
The use of the Enhanced Deformation Algorithm when
hard rock and loose materials are in the scan area
Commercial in Confidence

Slide 22