Evaluation of LIDAR for landslide mapping.

F-01-TL-18
The Caltrans’ GeoResearch Group, in collaboration with the Department of Conservation, successfully
used LIDAR technology to map landslides along two heavily forested highway corridors in Humboldt
and Del Norte Counties. LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) is a technique that uses reflections
from lasers to determine distance, similar to a survey total station, but is typically performed aerially
using a denser array of laser sources from a small aircraft. LIDAR has an advantage over
conventional mapping methods in that it can effectively map true ground surface, and not just treetops
in heavily forested areas. The LIDAR survey will be used in conjunction with traditional interpretation
of aerial photographs and field methods to prepare landslide maps of two demonstration corridors.
The deliverables of this study includes specifications for contracting LIDAR survey projects and this
report that summarizes the results of the LIDAR surveys and their applicability to landslide mapping.