Assess underground moisture conditions for multiple applications
ASTERRA EarthWorks provides visualized soil moisture assessments for ground infrastructure and surrounding rights-of-way. EarthWorks creates a mapped view of the actual moisture itself as it gathers beneath the roadways, railbeds, and surrounding land.
EarthWorks can assess underground soil moisture conditions across vast sections of track and rail system rights-of-way simultaneously, up to 1,300 sq miles (325,000 hectares), with frequent temporal coverage allowing change detection over time. It points out areas of concern and potential failure locations so that immediate and long-term problems can be found, and preventative repairs made, before more expensive damage and safety issues occur.
EarthWorks gathers data via an orbiting satellite and a highly sensitive radar band that reflects off underground moisture, and once it is processed with ASTERRA patented algorithms, it provides a data layer revealing the areas of relative soil moisture content levels.
EarthWorks gives ground engineers a capability they have never had before: the ability to see — instantly and over an expansive area — where moisture is accumulating beneath and around critical ground infrastructure. Penetrating to a depth approximately 10 feet, EarthWorks sees through concrete, macadam, and treetops, and through all light and weather conditions to gather its insights. Planners and engineers can make intelligent decisions and initiate repairs using complete information, and before more extensive damage occurs.
Owners and managers of large property installations use EarthWorks Property to locate and assess underground moisture beneath parking lots, roadways, sidewalks, and other paved surfaces. Likely failure locations are mapped out so that owners can mitigate problems before more severe and expensive damage occurs from improper ground assessments.
Rail system engineers, operators, and rail service providers use EarthWorks Rail to locate and evaluate underground soil moisture beneath the railbed and within the rail system rights-of-way. Potential rail failure locations are mapped out so that engineers can mitigate problems before more severe and expensive damage occurs from improper ground assessments.
The deliverable is a contour map with the colors and contours representing percentages of soil moisture. It is delivered as a GIS (Geographic Information System) file for viewing through all GIS platforms. As with all products, they are delivered to a customer through the ASTERRA customer portal website.