2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

A Case Study on Integrating LiDAR and AHP for Applied Learning in Terrain Stability and Hazard Mapping

Presented at A Queen's Gambit: Developing Professional Skills for an Uncertain World

This paper presents a case study examining the integration of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)-based geospatial analysis with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) as an applied instructional approach for teaching terrain stability and hazard mapping in civil engineering education. The study aims to enhance students’ capacity to interpret geomorphologic processes, analyze high-resolution geospatial data, and apply structured decision-making methods within a hazard-assessment context relevant to infrastructure resilience and sustainability. Multi-temporal LiDAR-derived Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) from 2014, 2018, and 2020 were processed in ArcGIS Pro to generate geomorphic parameters including slope, aspect, curvature, elevation, Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), and DEM of Difference (DoD) to characterize terrain variability and surface deformation. AHP, following Saaty’s methodology, was employed to weigh these parameters through pairwise comparisons and consistency ratio (CR) validation. The weighted overlay analysis produced a landslide susceptibility map classified into five risk zones: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. A mixed-methods assessment strategy was used to evaluate educational impacts. Quantitative analysis was based on pre- and post-instruction questionnaires measuring students’ performance in AHP weighing, CR computation, and weighted overlay implementation, with results indicating measurable gains in technical accuracy and procedural understanding (mean post-instruction CR = 0.02). Qualitative analysis drawn from open-ended responses from post-instruction reflective questionnaires, which revealed improved student confidence in geospatial reasoning, enhanced ability to interpret terrain indicators, and stronger connections between geomorphic parameters and slope-failure risk. The findings suggest that integrating LiDAR analysis with AHP as a curricular case study promotes computational literacy, data-driven decision-making, and geospatial interpretation. Limitations of the study include the single-course implementation, modest sample size, reliance on self-reported qualitative feedback, and the absence of field-based validation within the instructional module. Future work will expand the framework across multiple courses and institutions, incorporate InSAR-based deformation analysis, and integrate field verification to strengthen both predictive capability and educational generalizability.

Authors

Micheal Oketunde Okegbola http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2817-4737 Morgan State University [biography]

Surv. Micheal Okegbola is a faculty member with the Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics, Federal School of Surveying, Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria, and an adjunct with the Surveying and Geoinformatics department, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses. Surv. Micheal is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Engineering with a focus on Transportation Systems Engineering at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America. He is a graduate research assistant at the Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Smart Innovation, and Resilient Engineering Research Laboratory and a graduate teaching assistant also at the Civil Engineering Department. His research interests include highway safety and geohazard mitigation, UAV applications in high-rise and bridge infrastructure monitoring, remote sensing and GIS in engineering applications, engineering education, student success, and hands-on engineering pedagogy for program enhancements.

He is a University of Nigeria (UNN) alumnus, having earned his M.Sc. in Surveying and Geoinformatics (Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System). He previously completed a B.Sc. in Surveying and Geoinformatics at Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria. Surv. Micheal had developed a passion for research, and he is an enthusiast when it comes to teaching and tutoring the young professionals in the field of surveying (geomatics engineering) and civil engineering. He also obtained a National Diploma (associate degree), a Higher National Diploma (bachelor's degree), and a Postgraduate Diploma in Surveying and Geoinformatics from the Federal School of Surveying, Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria, and the University of Nigeria, respectively.
Dr. Oludare Adegbola Owolabi P.E. Morgan State University [biography]

Dr. Oludare Owolabi, a professional engineer in Maryland, joined the Morgan State University faculty in 2010. He is the director of the Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Smart Innovation and Resilient Engineering Research Lab, Department of Civil Engineering at Morgan State University.
Julius Ogaga Etuke http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2710-2803 Morgan State University [biography]

Julius Ogaga Etuke is a seasoned civil engineer and Ph.D. Candidate in Civil Engineering at Morgan State University, where his research focuses on sustainable and resilient infrastructure engineering. With over 15 years of consulting and project leadership experience, primarily in Nigeria's infrastructure landscape, he brings a robust, practical perspective to academic inquiry. His doctoral research is at the cutting edge of transportation resilience, integrating virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), climate adaptation modeling, and data-driven solutions to improve disaster preparedness and risk mitigation in complex transportation systems. As a COREN-registered engineer and member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, his work emphasizes impactful research and consultancy that bridges structural design principles with urgent sustainability and resilience challenges.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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