Radar Interferometry Using gNB Base Stations: Estimation and Compensation of Mast Motion and Atmospheric Effects.

Area of Science:

• Geophysics
• Civil Engineering
• Telecommunications

Background:

• Radar interferometry is crucial for structural health monitoring (SHM) of transportation infrastructure.
• Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS) offers cost-effective ground-based radar solutions.
• Estimating radar support movement is a significant challenge impacting measurement accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a technique for estimating radar support movement in JCAS systems for SHM.
• To accurately retrieve true target displacements by compensating for radar system motion.
• To apply the developed method for bridge and antenna mast monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing multiple permanent scatterers (PSs) to track radar support displacement.
• Applying linear regression to fixed PSs at various viewing angles to isolate target motion.
• Accounting for both radar movements and atmospheric displacement components.

Main Results:

• The technique was successfully validated on a bridge test site using real-world data.
• Accurate displacement estimation was achieved for a target with known movements.
• The method demonstrated effectiveness in bridge dynamic monitoring and antenna mast vibration characterization.

Conclusions:

• The proposed technique effectively estimates radar support movement, enhancing SHM accuracy.
• JCAS infrastructure can be reliably used for ground-based radar applications in structural monitoring.
• This method provides a robust approach for analyzing structural dynamics and vibrations.