Abstract:

The effects of climate change are expected to increase the frequency and severity of major storms in the coming years. Stronger and more frequent storms have the potential to cause excessive damage to roadway infrastructure. While these storms cannot be prevented, their effects can be mitigated if preventative actions are taken. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors are becoming increasingly affordable and present an emerging technology that can be used in flood mitigation measures. Using LiDAR technology to create elevation surfaces and geographic information systems GIS software to process and identify flood-prone locations, informative graphics depicting flood-prone areas can be developed. These maps can serve as an effective tool for making informed decisions when implementing flood mitigation projects. Additionally, a clear, easy to understand map of flood-prone roadway segments can assist the general public to alert them of potentially dangerous locations. The City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was selected as a suitable site for a case study due to its abundance of available spatial data.