Integration of an InSAR and ANN for Sinkhole Susceptibility Mapping: A Case Study from Kirikkale-Delice (Turkey)

Suitable route determination for linear engineering structures is a fundamental problem in engineering geology. Rapid evaluation of alternative routes is essential, and novel approaches are indispensable. This study aims to integrate various InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) techniques for sinkhole susceptibility mapping in the Kirikkale-Delice Region of Turkey, in which sinkhole formations have been observed in evaporitic units and a high-speed train railway route has been planned. Nine months (2019–2020) of ground deformations were determined using data from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Sentinel-1A/1B satellites. A sinkhole inventory was prepared manually using satellite optical imagery and employed in an ANN (Artificial Neural Network) model with topographic conditioning factors derived from InSAR digital elevation models (DEMs) and morphological lineaments. The results indicate that high deformation areas on the vertical displacement map and sinkhole-prone areas on the sinkhole susceptibility map (SSM) almost coincide. InSAR techniques are useful for long-term deformation monitoring and can be successfully associated in sinkhole susceptibility mapping using an ANN. Continuous monitoring is recommended for existing sinkholes and highly susceptible areas, and SSMs should be updated with new results. Up-to-date SSMs are crucial for the route selection, planning, and construction of important transportation elements, as well as settlement site selection, in such regions.