A Multi-Module Fixed Inclinometer for Continuous Monitoring of Landslides: Design, Development, and Laboratory Testing

Continuous monitoring of landslides is of basic importance for understanding their behavior, defining their 3D geometry, and providing a basis for early warning purposes. While a number of instrumentations can be used for tracking surface displacement, only automatic or fixed multi-module inclinomet...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2020-06, Vol.20 (11), p.3318
Main Authors: Ruzza, Giuseppe, Guerriero, Luigi, Revellino, Paola, Guadagno, Francesco M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accelerometers
Algorithms
Arduino
continuous monitoring
Displacement
inclination monitoring
inclinometer
Inclinometers
Kinematics
Landslides
Landslides & mudslides
Linearity
Measuring instruments
micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)
Microelectromechanical systems
Monitoring
Optimization
Sensors
Software
Thermodynamic efficiency
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Summary:Continuous monitoring of landslides is of basic importance for understanding their behavior, defining their 3D geometry, and providing a basis for early warning purposes. While a number of instrumentations can be used for tracking surface displacement, only automatic or fixed multi-module inclinometers can be used for continuous monitoring of displacement at depth, providing valuable information for landslide geometry reconstruction. Since these instruments are very expensive, thus rarely used, a low-cost and multi-module fixed inclinometer for continuous landslide monitoring has been developed. In this paper, the electronics of the system, including sensor characteristics and optimization, controlling software, and structure are presented. For system development, a single module prototype was first developed and tested in the field to ensure sufficient measuring performance. Subsequently, the multi-module system was designed, assembled, and tested in controlled conditions. Test results indicate the good performance of the system with a displacement measuring accuracy of 0.37% of the length of the inclinometer chain. The linearity test indicates the high linearity of the measures, especially in the range ±20°, which is the typical operating range of such kinds of instrumentations. The thermal efficiency test indicates the high efficiency of the system in preventing measuring errors caused by thermal drifting.
ISSN:1424-8220
1424-8220
DOI:10.3390/s20113318