Paper contribution

Status of Rock Slope Characterization Using Remote Sensing Techniques: A Bibliometric Analysis

Raymundo Ruiz Flores; Nelly Lucero Ramírez Serrato; Adrián J. Riquelme Guill; Fabiola Doracely Yépez Rincón; Rodrigo Gutiérrez Navarro; Javier Mancera Alejandrez

Proceedings
EUROCK 2026
Pages
667-672
Submitted
1 May 2026
Accepted
15 June 2026
Published
12 August 2026

Summary

Abstract

Rock slope characterization is essential for understanding its mechanical stability and its implications for geotechnical engineering projects. Geological conditions play a key role in controlling slope behaviour and are often the primary cause of geotechnical issues. However, traditional field-based characterization methods are frequently limited by site accessibility, safety concerns, and time constraints. In recent years, remote sensing techniques such as LiDAR and photogrammetry have emerged as powerful tools for acquiring high-resolution three-dimensional data, enabling more efficient and detailed analyses, and avoiding the limitations of traditional fieldwork. This study presents a bibliometric analysis of 1,205 publications from Web of Science database between 2010 and 2025, focusing on the application of remote sensing techniques in rock slope characterization. Using Bibliometrix and VOSviewer, connections in authors and country co-authorship, keywords, and most cited sources were identified. Results show a significant annual growth rate of 18.31%, with a marked increase in publications after 2021. In terms of scientific production, China leads global research output, followed by European countries, however international and research group collaboration remains limited. Keyword and citation network analyses reveal a strong focus on structural characterization of rock discontinuities, as well as the integration of advanced algorithms and machine learning techniques. The findings highlight the convergence between classical rock mechanics and modern remote sensing technologies, establishing these methods as fundamental tools in contemporary geotechnical research, but also the need to strengthen collaboration between countries and research groups. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the field and future research development.

Contributors

Authors

  1. Raymundo Ruiz Flores Instituto de Geofísca, UNAM, Mexico ORCID 0009-0000-1843-6177
  2. Nelly Lucero Ramírez Serrato Departamento de Recursos Naturales, Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mexico City, México
  3. Adrián J. Riquelme Guill Departamento de Ingeniera Civil, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, Spain.
  4. Fabiola Doracely Yépez Rincón Departamento de Geomática, Instituto de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Nuevo León, Mexico
  5. Rodrigo Gutiérrez Navarro División de Ingeniería en Ciencias de la Tierra, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
  6. Javier Mancera Alejandrez División de Ingeniería en Ciencias de la Tierra, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico

Index terms

Keywords

Full text

Attachments

Works cited

References

  1. 34850
  2. Authors Key Words (ID)
  3. 3301
  4. Keywords Plus (DE)
  5. 1775
  6. Authors
  7. 3898
  8. Single-Authored Docs
  9. 23
  10. Co-authors per Doc
  11. 99
  12. InternationalCo-Authorships %
  13. 14%
  14. In the last 15 years, the number of publications has increased considerably, with an annual growth rate of 18.31%. Since 2021 the number of articles published exceeded 100, and according to the data, it is possible to infer that in 2026 it surpassed 200 per year. The highest publication volumes were registered in 2022, 2024 and 2025 accounting nearly 39% of all publications. The distribution of the annual publication output of 1205 articles along with cumulative yearly publication output can be seen in Figure 1.
  15. Fig. 1 Evolution of scientific production based on annual publications and cumulative output (2010–2025).