The deployment of deep-earth sensor probes for landslide detection

Abstract

In this paper, we present a state-of-the-art wireless sensor network (WSN) of deep-earth probes (DEPs) that has been deployed to monitor an active landslide in the Western Ghats mountain range of South India. While India has one of the highest incidences of landslides and landslide-induced fatalitiesprimarily in the Himalayas of North India and in the Western Ghats of Central and South India-our study is perhaps the first comprehensive attempt to instrumentally detect landslides in the Western Ghats. Wireless networks have enabled us, since June 2009, to continuously monitor the deployment site in real time and from anywhere around the globe. There have been a few earlier landslide monitoring WSNs using accelerometers in Emilia Romagna Apennines, Italy; global navigation satellite system (GNSS) sensors to monitor the Hornbergl landslide, Austria; and vibrating wire stress sensors to monitor a slope in China. We improved upon these WSN systems by incorporating a variety of sensors-piezometers, dielectric moisture sensors, strain gauges, tiltmeters, a geophone, and a weather station-and installing some of these sensors as deep as 20 m below the ground surface. We present the salient aspects of the field deployment of DEPs: the selection of sensors and their incorporation in DEPs, the methodology we used in embedding these DEPs into the soil, and a few of the key aspects of the wireless sensor network. We also present a description of the deployment site and some of the results of geotechnical investigations carried out on borehole corings. Finally, we present the more interesting field data collected from the monitoring system during a rainy season in July and August 2009.

Wireless Sensor Networks and Sensor Fusion for Early Warning in Engineering Geology

“…Currently emerging areas for WSN applications in geosciences are hazard monitoring (Hartung et al 2006;Beutel et al 2009;Ramesh and Vasudevan 2012;Werner-Allen et al 2006) but also construction and construction site monitoring for safety reasons (Picozzi et al 2009;Stoianov et al 2007;Kim et al 2007;Fernandez-Steeger et al 2013). An emerging field for monitoring tools will be the safety analysis, where besides deterministic models, the observation method defining thresholds, becomes in large and limit testing projects more important.…”

Redes De Sensores Sem Fio Para Monitoramento E Detecção De Deslizamentos De Terra: Uma Revisão Sistemática

“…O trabalho de (Uchimura et al 2015) envolveu este problema, chegando a conclusão de que os locais dos sensores na área de monitoramento não podia ser decidido de forma definitiva por conta da dificuldade de se definir a localização exata das regiões instáveis do solo; de acordo com os autores, pode-se amenizar o problema com a instalação de nós sensores simples e de baixo custo em regiões com inclinações possivelmente instáveis. O artigo de (Ramesh & Vasudevan 2012) descreve um protótipo que é instalado sob o solo para detecção. O projeto também sofreu com solos instáveis, pois houve a preocupação de que a futura retirada do protótipo de nó da terra pudesse trazer um colapso a um poço de água contido sob a região de instalação.…”

Geomorphic appraisal of landslides on the windward slope of Western Ghats, southern India

“…Such a holistic study has so far not been carried out in this area, which is frequently affected by landslides during monsoon. Recent studies in this area include a review on the history of landslide susceptibility and chorology (Kuriakose et al 2009b), correlation of weathering with landslides ), a real-time monitoring of landslides using deep-seated sensors (Ramesh and Vasudevan 2012), a risk assessment and management ), a study on the effects of quarrying on (Sajinkumar et al 2014b) and delineation of subsurface piping (Sajinkumar et al 2014c). Hence, such a study is of paramount importance and can be used as a model in other parts of the world experiencing a similar climatic, geologic, tectonic and geomorphic set-up.…”