Earth Observation Assessments Supporting Road Resilience in Pakistan
The GDA Transport & Infrastructure (T&I) activity is using Earth Observation data to improve understanding of infrastructure performance, highlight vulnerable sections of the road network, and strengthen planning and maintenance decisions for safer, more resilient connectivity throughout Pakistan.
ADD TO E-PORTFOLIO
SUGGEST AN EDIT
Description
Pakistans road network faces major climate and environmental pressures – from landslides in the mountainous Khyber Pass to recurrent flooding across the Indus and Kabul river plains. In response to this, the ESA GDA Transport & Infrastructure activity is supporting several World Bank projects by using satellite Earth Observation (EO) to better understand these risks and guide safer, more resilient infrastructure planning.
The collaboration centres on three EO‑based assessments: Eight years of Sentinel‑1 InSAR data to detect subtle ground displacement along the Khyber Pass, highlighting areas where engineers should prioritise inspections; radar and optical imagery from Sentinel‑1, Sentinel‑2 and Landsat (2010–2024) analysis to map locations repeatedly exposed to flooding and identify the road and bridge assets most at risk; and using Copernicus GLO30 elevation data, the team assessed flash‑flood susceptibility by mapping natural runoff pathways during heavy rainfall, particularly in the Khyber Pass where floods occur too rapidly for satellites to capture, helping pinpoint road sections that may require protective measures or design adaptations.
The work is ongoing and will expand based on user needs. Beyond Pakistan, this EO-driven approach can be replicated in other climate‑vulnerable transport corridors worldwide to strengthen infrastructure resilience.
You can read more about this Case Study here: Assessing road infrastructure quality across Pakistan