Wireless Geotechnical Monitoring has Many Practical Applications

In recent years, wireless geotechnical monitoring systems have really proven their worth and made a positive impact on the way productivity and safety are managed in modern open-pit and other surface mines.

As a result, many people have come to mostly associate these systems with the mining industry – which is, of course, perfectly understandable, considering the significant difference they have made in this sector.

However, wireless geotechnical monitoring systems can also be used to manage large infrastructures in a variety of other applications and environments; for example:

• Tunnels. Many tunnels, especially in densely populated urban environments, carry sizeable volumes of traffic on a daily basis, usually in the form of cars, trucks and trains passing through. As a result, they are subjected to heavy loads and high vibration levels, all of which can cause damage over time. Changes to the surrounding water table and general topography can also affect the stability of tunnels.

• Sewers. In the same way as tunnels, large sewers can also be affected by changes in the surrounding water table and topography, and they suffer damage or become dangerous as a result. In addition, if they start leaking or suffer a full or partial collapse, the large volumes of water and sewage that may escape could have a catastrophic effect on surrounding areas.

• Stadiums.  At the times when they are used to peak capacity (e.g. during sports events and music concerts), large stadiums must withstand a lot of extra weight and movement. In the case of sports fields, the moisture content in and around the field is also important, from both performance and safety perspectives, and the use of digital hydrology sensors has become more common.

By quickly and efficiently gathering data from geotechnical and hydrological sensors and then making it easily accessible to engineers, a comprehensive wireless geotechnical monitoring system can help to ensure that large infrastructures remain safe and perform the way they were intended to.

Wherever wireless geotechnical monitoring of large infrastructures is required, the Loadsensing LS-G6 Surface Wireless Data Acquisition System (Supplied by MDT) offers class-leading adaptability, efficiency, reliability and ease of use. Click here for more information about this comprehensive and versatile system.