Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Automatic TDR Monitoring System for Rock Mass Deformation in a Landslide Area

  • Applications paper
  • Published:
Experimental Techniques Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study employs time domain reflectometry (TDR) technology for the automatic monitoring of a landslide area to explore rock deformation mechanism in comparison with rock cores and to estimate the location of a potential sliding surface and the amount of the sliding. Comparing to the data from the TDR monitoring and rock cores in Lushan landslide area in Taiwan, sliding surfaces of the landslide area occurred mainly at two locations of rock formations. One was located at an interface between colluvium and weathered rock; the other’s location was a buckling type of rock structures associated with slope creeping. Using a regression equation of the relation between TDR reflection coefficients and shear displacements, the magnitude of a TDR-cable deformation in the field can be determined. Resulting from field TDR monitoring, rock mass creep increased from 0 to 0.67 cm at 13.4-, 57.9- and 70.6-m depths of T3 borehole in the landslide area from September 2018 to May 2019. Overall, the TDR technology is practically used for a real-time and automatic slope monitoring system to detect the location and magnitude of sliding surfaces in the landslide area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

We can upload our data if necessary.

References

  1. Goodman RE (1989) Introduction to rock mechanics (second edition). Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  2. Borgatti L, Corsini A, Barbieri M, Sartini G, Truffelli G, Caputo G, Puglisi C (2006) Large reactivated landslides in weak rock masses: a case study from the northern Apennines (Italy). Landslides 3:115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Dowding CH, Su MB, O'Connor KM (1988) Principles of time domain reflectometometry applied to measurement of rock mass deformation. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 25:287–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Dowding CH, Su MB, O'Connor KM (1989) Measurement of rock mass deformation with grouted coaxial antenna cables. Rock Mech Rock Eng 22:1–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Dowding CH, Pierce CE (1994) Use of Time Domain Reflectometry to Detect Bridge Scour and Monitor Pier Movement. Proceedings of the Symposium on Time Domain Reflectometry in Environmental, Infrastructure, and Mining Applications, Evanston, Illinois. U.S. Bureau of Mines Sept. pp.7–9

  6. Osasan KS, Afeni TB (2010) Review of surface mine slope monitoring techniques. J Min Sci 46:177–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Su MB, Chen IH, Liao CH (2009) Using TDR cables and GPS for landslide monitoring in High Mountain area. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng 135:1113–1121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Yin Y, Wang H, Gao Y, Li X (2010) Real-time monitoring and early warning of landslides at relocated Wushan town, the three gorges reservoir. China Landslides 7:339–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. O’Connor KM, Dowding CH (1999) GeoMeasurements by pulsing TDR cables and probes. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida

    Google Scholar 

  10. Federico A, Popescu M, Elia G, Fidelibus C, Internò G, Murianni A (2012) Prediction of time to slope failure: a general framework. Environ Earth Sci 66:245–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Su MB, Chen YJ (1998) Multiple reflection of metallic time domain Reflectometry. Exp Techniques 22:26–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Drusa M, Bulko R (2016) Rock slide monitoring by using TDR inclinometers. Civil Environ Eng 12:137–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Su MB (1990) Fracture monitoring within concrete structure by time domain Reflectometry. Eng Fract Mech 35:313–320

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Su MB, Chen YJ (1999) MTDR monitoring systems for the integrity of infrastructures. J Intell Mater Syst Struct 10:242–247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Chang KT, Ge L, Lin HH (2014) Slope creep behavior: observations and simulations. Environ Earth Sci 73:275–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Chang KT, Huang HC (2015) Three-dimensional analysis of a deep-seated landslide in Central Taiwan. Environ Earth Sci 74:1379–1390

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Mitchell JK, Soga K (2005) Fundamentals of soil behavior. Wiley

  18. Mufundirwa A, Fujii Y, Kodama J (2010) A new practical method for prediction of geomechanical failure-time. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 47:1079–1090

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Su MB, Chen YJ (2000) TDR monitoring for integrity of structural systems. J Infrastruct Syst 6:67–72

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Dowding CH, Dussud ML, Kane WF, O’Connor KM (2003) Monitor deformation in rock and soil with TDR sensor cables. Geotechn Instrum News June:51–59

  21. Lin YS, Chen IH, Ho SC, Chen JY, Su MB (2019) Applying time domain reflectometry to quantification of slope deformation by shear failure in a landslide. Environ Earth Sci 78:123–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Xu ZL, Pierce CE (2013) TDR-based shear deformation measuring system for slope failure modelling. Adv Mater Res 639:1155–1161

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Karthik G, Jayanthu S (2017) Quantification of cable deformation using TDR-experiments. Eur J Electr Eng 19:209–219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Ho SC, Chen IH, Lin YS, Chen JY, Su MB (2019) Slope deformation monitoring in the Jiufenershan landslide using time domain Reflectometry technology. Landslides 16:1141–1151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Chen IH, Lin YS, Ho SC, Chen JY, Su MB (2019) Applying Time Domain Reflectometry Technology to Measure Slope Deformation in Landslides. The 8th Civil Engineering Conference in THE ASIAN REGION (CECAR8), Tokyo, Japan, GS-6-2_GS-3, No.2

  26. Chigira M (1992) Long-term gravitational deformation of rocks by mass rock creep. Eng Geol 32:157–184

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Lo CM, Feng ZY (2014) Deformation characteristics of slate slopes associated with morphology and creep. Eng Geol 178:132–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Drnevich VP, Lin C, Yi Q, Lovell JE (2001) Real-Time Determination Of Soil Type, Water Content, and Density Using Electromagnetics. Publication FHWA/IN/JTRP-2000/20. Joint Transportation Research Program, Indiana Department of Transportation and Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana

  29. Hoek E, Diederichs MS (2006) Empirical estimation of rock mass modulus. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci 43:203–215

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The field test presented in this study was made possible through the support and sponsorship of Second Maintenance Office, Directorate General of Highways in Taiwan. The consecutive projects including long-term monitoring are proposed and approved by the technical counselling committee on remediation works of the road in Lushan landslide area. Furthermore, the performance evaluation of each project is periodically reviewed by the committee annually.

Code Availability (Software Application or Custom Code)

Custom code.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering of National Chung Hsing University, 145 Xingda Rd., South Dist., Taichung City, 402, Taiwan

    Y.-M. Chu, I.-H. Chen & M.-B. Su

Authors
  1. Y.-M. Chu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. I.-H. Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M.-B. Su
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors have participated in (a) conception and design, or analysis and interpretation of the data; (b) drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; and (c) approval of the final version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to I.-H. Chen.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of Interest/Competing Interests

This manuscript has not been submitted to, nor is under review at, another journal or other publishing venue. The authors have no affiliation with any organization with a direct or indirect financial interest in the subject matter discussed in the manuscript.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chu, YM., Chen, IH. & Su, MB. Automatic TDR Monitoring System for Rock Mass Deformation in a Landslide Area. Exp Tech 45, 673–684 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40799-021-00446-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40799-021-00446-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation