Journal of Environmental Sciences 2011, 23(Supplement) S100–S105

Real time remote monitoring and pre-warning system for Highway

landslide in mountain area
Yonghui Zhang ∗, Hongxu Li, Qian Sheng,
Kai Wu, Guoliang Chen

State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China. E-mail: yhzhang@whrsm.ac.cn

Abstract
The wire-pulling trigger displacement meter with precision of 1 mm and the grid pluviometer with precision of 0.1 mm are used to
monitor the surface displacement and rainfall for Highway slope, and the measured data are transferred to the remote computer in real
time by general packet radio service (GPRS) net of China telecom. The wire-pulling trigger displacement meter, grid pluviometer, data
acquisition and transmission unit, and solar power supply device are integrated to form a comprehensive monitoring hardware system
for Highway landslide in mountain area, which proven to be economical, energy-saving, automatic and high efficient. Meantime, based
on the map and geographic information system (MAPGIS) platform, the software system is also developed for three dimensional
(3D) geology modeling and visualization, data inquiring and drawing, stability calculation, displacement forecasting, and real time
pre-warning. Moreover, the pre-warning methods based on monitoring displacement and rainfall are discussed. The monitoring and
forecasting system for Highway landslide has been successfully applied in engineering practice to provide security for Highway
transportation and construction and reduce environment disruption.
Key words: geological disaster; environment protection; Highway landslide; real time remote monitoring; pre-warning

Introduction data acquisition and transmission unit, and solar power

In China, mountain area is about 69% of whole land
area and Highway landslide in mountain area is the most
common geological disaster which causes traffic jam, ca-
sualties, economic loss and environment disruption. Along
with the development of wireless communication technol-
ogy, the remote monitoring and pre-warning system has
been developed and applied in the projects of hydroelectric
power station (Xu et al., 2007), mining (He, 2009) and
tunneling (Zhang et al., 2009; Ye et al., 2009), but not
commonly applied in the projects of Highway. In fact,
Highway slope has the characteristics of spot distribution
along road, long interval, small scale, large quantity and
lack of statistics, which makes high monitoring costs and
difficult pre-warning. At present, the common monitoring
method is still manual operation (Zhang et al., 2008; Zhu,
2009), which cannot get the data in bad environment
and climate. Although global positioning system (GPS)
can realize remote monitoring, the machine is expansive
and the precision is only 3–5 mm (Wang et al., 2009a,
2009b). This article introduces a remote monitoring and
pre-warning system developed by the authors especially
for the geological disaster of Highway slope in mountain
area. The hardware system is developed by integrating the
wire-pulling trigger displacement meter, grid pluviometer,
* Corresponding author. E-mail: yhzhang@whrsm.ac.cn
supply device, while the software system is developed
based on MAPGIS platform by using programming lan-
guage C++. Moreover, the pre-warning methods based on
monitoring displacement and rainfall are also developed.
The real time remote monitoring and pre-warning system
introduced in this article has the advantages of low costs,
energy-saving, high automation and efficiency, and has
been successfully applied in Changde-Jishou and Loudi-
Xinhua Highways in Hunan Province in China, to provide
security for Highway transportation and construction, and
reduce the environment disruption.
1 Materials and methods
1.1 System structure and functions
General packet radio service (GPRS) is a kind of wire-
less packet switching transmission service based on global
system of mobile communication (GSM) system. It can
provide point to point, wide area wireless internet protocol
(IP) connection. In any place covered by GSM network,
GPRS can be used to provide powerful and convenient
data transmission scheme (Chen et al., 2009). The wireless
monitoring system design is shown in Fig. 1. The data
collector gathers data from wire-pulling trigger displace-
ment meter and grid pluviometer and sends data to GPRS
module, which is in charge of TCP (transmission control
Supplement Real time remote monitoring and pre-warning system for Highway landslide in mountain area S101

Trigger displacement meter

Data collector GPRS

Grid pluviometer
GPRS wireless base station
Solar power supply device

Client
Remote surveillance and
Internet GPRS
control center
Client
Fig. 1 System structure.

protocol)/IP conversion and transferring the data packet to 1.3 Grid pluviometer
GPRS wireless base station. Through the data receiving
Grid displacement sensor with high precision is used in
software, the server at the surveillance and control center
the grid pluviometer (Fig. 3) to improve the resolution ratio
can receive data from internet in real time and store data
to 0.01 mm and measure precision to 0.1 mm. Two electric
in data base for management, inquiry, analysis and web
valves are used to automatically control the entering and
sharing.
exiting rainfall in water container, and this design can
MAPGIS is the secondary development platform which
prevent the rainfall loss even under rainstorm, which often
supports true 3D data processing. Based on MAPGIS and
happens in siphon and bucket raingauge.
SQL-Server (structured query language) database man-
agement system, the 3D information management system 1.4 Data acquisition and transmission unit
for mountain Highway geological disaster has been de-
The data acquisition and transmission unit is composed
veloped. The system functions include 3D slope geology
of data collector, GPRS module and solar supply device
modeling and visualization, data inquiring and drawing,
(Fig. 4). The data collector gathers data from different
stability calculating, displacement forecasting, and real
sensors, transforms data to the same format and sends to
time pre-warning.
GPRS module. The pre-applied domain name is written in
1.2 Wire-pulling trigger displacement meter GPRS module for connection with domain name system
(DNS) server after power on and finding the public net IP
Wire-pulling trigger displacement meter is used to mea-
of surveillance and control center, then wireless communi-
sure the relative displacement between measured point
cation can be set up.
and relative fixed point, with precision of 1 mm and
In sunny day, the solar panel can charge the storage
measured range of 400 mm (Fig. 2). When the wire is
battery and supply electric power for system. In cloudy
pulled for more than 1 mm, a pulse signal will be triggered
day without sunshine, the storage battery can support the
and sent to the transmitter. The short distance wireless
system working for about 20 days.
communication function (500–1000 m) makes it possible
to form one group of several meters without cable. Usually 1.5 Three dimensional modeling and visualization
for one landslide, several displacement meters are needed
Based on the investigation and design data of Highway,
to monitor the displacement in difference positions. For
the 3D slope integration geology model is constructed
convenience of networking, short distance wireless com-
(Fig. 5) by using constraint surface modeling method
munication is set up between the transmitter and receiver.
and simplified ground and underground modeling method
The receiver can receive wireless signal from 8 transmitters
(Chen, 2009). The visual functions include model translu-
at the same time, and then send to the collector with
cent display, 3D scene roaming, geographical base map
standard communication interface RS-232.
overlying, and 3D interact positioning.

Displacement Receiver
meter

Transmitter
Fig. 2 Wire-pulling trigger displacement meter. Fig. 3 Grid pluviometer.
S102 Journal of Environmental Sciences 2011, 23(Supplement) S100–S105 / Yonghui Zhang et al. Vol. 23

Pluviometer

Receiver
Data collector and antenna
transport module
Data collector and
transport module

GPRS
Displacement antenna
receiver

Fig. 4 Data acquisition and transmission unit.

ZK25
ZK24 ZK25
ZK26
ZK5 ZK24
ZK27 ZK26
ZK28 ZK5
ZK29
ZK1 ZK6 y ZK1 ZK28 ZK27
m z ZK29
8960
m ZK6
8880 200
ZK4
ZK4
8800 160
x
8720 120 4700 m
4600
80 4500
4400
8640 4300
40 4200
4100

Fig. 5 Three dimensional modeling and translucent display.

140 Verhulst inverse function model for short-term forecasting,

Monitored displacements
120 and least square fitting model and neural network model
Displacement (mm)

Forecasted displacements
100 for medium and long term forecasting. Figure 6 shows the
80 comparison of monitoring data curve and forecasting curve
by grey dynamic model.
60
40 1.8 Real time pre-warning
20 When the data reaches the pre-set critical value, the
0 r r r r monitoring point will twinkle with 4 colors: blue, or-
ay

Ap Ap Ap
ay
ay
ay

Ap
ay
r
Ap

ange, yellow and red, respectively corresponding to four

M
M
M
M
M

01 07 13 19
25

25
19
07
01

13

pre-warning levels. At the same time, short message of

Date (dd/mm)
pre-warning will be sent to the target mobile phone auto-
Fig. 6 Comparison of monitoring curve and forecasting curve by grey
dynamic model. matically.
1.9 Displacement pre-warning method
1.6 Data inquiring and stability calculating For most Highway slope in mountain area, lack of
In 3D scene, by clicking the corresponding monitoring computing parameters such as the mechanical parame-
point, user can inquire the monitoring data according to ters, permeability coefficient and soil-water characteristic
date, type and value, and plot displacement process curve curve, will cause the difficult calculation of stability analy-
and rainfall histogram of one or several days.
User also can pick up the section locating point in PLAXIS Safety
strength
3D scene and call the FEM analysis software such as reduction factor FS
“Geo-Slope” and “PLAXIS” to analyze the stability of the
Combination Relationship
corresponding slope.
of ECφ of FS u
1.7 Displacement forecasting PLAXIS Displace-
Plastic
ment u
The system provides smoothing model for pre- analysis
processing of monitoring data, grey dynamic model and Fig. 7 Displacement pre-warning method.
Supplement Real time remote monitoring and pre-warning system for Highway landslide in mountain area S103

sis. A simplified method (Fig. 7) is proposed here. Firstly, 120

y =22.67255+ 61.4516 × exp(-(x-1.00282)/0.00887)
the different combinations of mechanical parameters E/C/ φ + 38.5651 × exp(-(x-1.00282)/0.04899)
(deformation modulus/internal friction angle/cohesion) of 100
R2 = 0.99437
slope are designed in the reasonable value range, and then

Displacement (mm)
the strength reduction analysis and plastic analysis are 80
conducted for the monitoring slope by using the finite
element analysis software–PLAXIS, and finally, based on 60 D
the calculation results, the relationship of slope safety
factor and surface displacement is established, then the 40 C
corresponding displacement pre-warning values can be
20 B
proposed. A

1.10 Rainfall pre-warning method 0

Based on the effective rainfall model by Gao and Yin
(2007), considering the influence of rainfall type, continue
time, strength and permeability coefficient to slope stabili-
ty, the adjusted effective rainfall model can be drawn as:
R = R (R < S )
R = R (R  S )

25 
3
ai Ri + ak Rj  Rc
i=4 j=0
where, R (mm) is daily rainfall; R (mm) is daily effective
rainfall; S is coefficient of saturated permeability; a is
the decaying coefficient; Rc (mm) is the critical value
of effective rainfall; I, j, k are relevant days respectively.
Based on the statistics of Highway slope disaster and
rainfall in mountain area in Hunan Province, the slope risk
classification in order of effective rainfall can be described
as: the slope is in micro-risk for effective rainfall 0–50 mm;
low-risk for 50–80 mm; mid-risk for 80–130 mm; high-risk
for 130–180 mm; super-risk for more than 180 mm.
2 Results and discussion
2.1 Application in Changde-Jishou Highway
The real time remote monitoring and pre-warning sys-
tem has been applied in the slope of K169+110 to
K169+600 (odometer of Highway) of Changde-Jishou
Highway which is in operating in Hunan Province of
China. Five wire-pulling trigger displacement meters and
one grid pluviometer were installed at the slope for dis-
placement and rainfall monitoring on 1st June, 2009.
0.900 1.000
1.200 1.100
1.300 1.400 1.500
Safety factor
Fig. 8 Relation curve of surface displacement and safety factor
(Changde-Jishou Highway). A, B, C, and D are the curve turning points.
reached 110 mm, the displacement was out of any change,
(1) which shows the slope was stable under the torrential rain.
(2)
2.2 Application in Loudi-Xinhua Highway
(3) The real time remote monitoring and pre-warning
system has been applied in the slope of 10 bid lot of Loudi-
Xinhua Highway which is under construction in Hunan
Province, China. Three wire-pulling trigger displacement
meters and one grid pluviometer were installed at the slope
for displacement and rainfall monitoring on 7th February,
2010.
According to the displacement pre-warning method
presented above, through the computing with different
parameter combinations, the relationship of surface dis-
placement and safety factor for point 2 of this slope is
established in Fig. 9. Because one crack with 156 mm
width has developed at the slope surface before monitor-
ing, the corresponding displacement value of Point A, B,
C and D should minus 156 mm to get the incremental
displacement pre-warning values (Table 2).
Figure 10 shows the displacement curves of three mon-
itoring points and effective rainfall histogram from March
19th 2010 to May 24th 2010. For rainfall pre-warning, the
y = -7.44676 + 81609.52895*exp(-(x-1.00203)/0.00169)
+ 389.93005*exp(-(x-1.00203)/0.11415)
500 R2 = 0.9994
400
Displacement (mm)

According to the displacement pre-warning method

presented above, through the numerical computing with D
different parameter combinations (Zhang et al., 2009b, 300
2010), the relationship of surface displacement and safety C
factor is established (Fig. 8). Point A, B, C and D are the
200
curve turning points and can be taken as the pre-warning B
points. Thereby, the displacement stage pre-warning values
are acquired as shown in Table 1. From June 1st 2009 to 100
present, the maximum monitoring displacement is 2 mm, A
which means the slope is in low risk. 0
At the end of June 2009, Hunan Province was attacked 0.95 1.00 1.05 1.10 1.15 1.20 1.25 1.30 1.35 1.40
by torrential rain. The proposed system monitored the Safety factor
displacement and rainfall data. Though the maximum daily Fig. 9 Relation curve of surface displacement and safety factor (Loudi-
rainfall reached 80 mm and the maximum effective rainfall Xinhua Highway). A, B, C, and D are the curve turning points.
S104 Journal of Environmental Sciences 2011, 23(Supplement) S100–S105 / Yonghui Zhang et al. Vol. 23

Table 1 Displacement pre-warning values (Changde-Jishou Highway)

Low-risk Mid-risk High-risk Super-risk

Incremental displacement (mm) 2–7 7–20 20–38 38

Development stage Initial Accelerated Rapid Collapse
Associated measures Strengthen monitoring Investigation and reinforcement On-site warning Close road

Table 2 Displacement pre-warning values (Loudi-Xinhua Highway)

Low-risk Mid-risk High-risk Super-risk

Incremental displacement (mm) <2 2–79 79–172 172

Development stage Initial Accelerated Rapid Collapse
Associated measures Strengthen monitoring Investigation and reinforcement On-site warning Close road

180 240
160 Effective rainfall
Point 1 displacement 200
Effective rainfall (mm)

140
Point 2 displacement
120 160

Displacement (mm)
Point 3 displacement
100
120
80
60 80
40
40
20
0 0
19 Mar 25 Mar 31 Mar 6 Apr 12 Apr 18 Apr 24 Apr 30 Apr 6 May 12 May 18 May 24 May
Date (dd/mm)
Fig. 10 Displacement curve and effective rainfall histogram (Loudi-Xinhua Highway).

(May 6th) mean high-risk. For displacement pre-warning,

the increment displacement of point 2 reached 5 mm on
March 25th, which mean that point 2 was in mid-risk, on
April 15th it reached 87 mm which mean point 2 was
in high-risk, on May 1st it reached 174 mm which mean
point 2 was in super-risk. In fact, on May 6th, point 2
collapsed (Fig. 11) in the attack of torrential rain with daily
rainfall 147 mm and effective rainfall 155 mm. Because the
construction department was pre-warned by us and stopped
the construction, the collapse of point 2 did not cause any
injury and loss.

3 Conclusions

The real time remote monitoring and pre-warning sys-

Fig. 11 Collapse process of point 2.
effective rainfall reached 80 mm (April 4th), which mean
the slope was in mid-risk, the effective rainfall 155 mm
tem for the geological disaster of Highway slope in
mountain area developed by authors has the advantages
of low costs, energy-saving, high automation and high
efficiency. The system functions include 3D slope geology
modeling and visualization, data inquiring and drawing,
stability calculating, displacement forecasting and real
time pre-warning. The engineering applications show that
the system is successful and it can provide security for
Highway transportation and reduce environment disrup-
tion.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the National Natural
Science Foundation (No. 40972202), the National High
Technology Research and Development Program (863
plan) (No. 2007AA11Z121), the Western Transportation
Supplement Real time remote monitoring and pre-warning system for Highway landslide in mountain area
Project (No. 200831878542), the National Science and
Technology Supporting Plan of the Eleventh Five-year
(No. 2008BAB29B01-1).
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