f The use of remote sensing for mapping and assessing Terrain-related Geo-engineering issues

"The need to develop an early understanding of the impact of terrain-related issues to budget and schedule remains one of the greatest considerations for any ground excavation work, and in particular for pipeline construction projects" (Sweeney, et aI., 2004). The key terrain-related issues are the variability of the ground conditions, the availability of suitable construction materials or the presence of geohazards that could impact on the construction and/or operation of the infrastructure being considered. Cost-effective handling of these issues requires not only an ability to map the geology and geomorphology of a project area, but also being able to understand how these attributes influence and control the ground conditions and earth surface processes ofthe site, which for many long linear infrastructure projects can cover large areas, often in remote locations.