Tunnels play an important role in the transport system, but it is difficult to monitor these structures regularly and manually; for this reason, IoT technology was introduced to monitor heavy structures (such as tunnels) and their changing impact after the application of loads and the external action of environmental factors.
Tunnel Monitoring is included in the more general Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and includes after construction the typical parameters of structural deterioration (strain, stress state, inclination, displacements, cracking, deformation) with consideration of the behaviour of the rock mass around it and hydrogeological conditions changes; during construction it is used to verify the stability and strength of the tunnel. Tunnel Monitoring systems normally monitor squeezing of ground conditions, chimney positions, face collapse, and water level. But to be a 360-degrees service, it can be extended to both external environmental parameters (wind, temperature, humidity, turbidity) and geotechnical measurements (landslides, groundwater pressure, water level, flow, leakage, seismic events).
Tunnel Monitoring
Structural Health Monitoring
Measuring changes in the landscape to bet manage a tunnel
Benefits
to reduce maintenance and operations costs
to reduce the risk of structural collapses
to automatize data reading and collection
to improve safety in workplaces, public places, structures
Remote monitoring increases security
Tunnel failures and problems are challenging and can be addressed via remote monitoring and smart sensors.
Sensor tunnel monitoring helps to monitor the impending defect with fast response times in order to facilitate strategic decisions to prevent damage in the long term.
There are several types of monitoring applicable to tunnels:
- Monitoring of tunnels in poor rock in crushed / swollen conditions
- Monitoring in dynamic conditions
- Monitoring of the effect of rock type on bolt length
- Monitoring of groundwater conditions in tunnels
- Rainwater monitoring inside the tunnels.
IoT: ideal solution for tunnels monitoring
Tunnel monitoring systems are commonly composed of tunnel sensors, data acquisition systems (data logger), data transfer systems, data management systems, and data analysis. The analysis of collected data can provide essential information for the correct interpretation of the general structural status of the tunnel, especially for structures of particular complexity where 24/7 monitoring is strongly recommended.
IoT technology is ideal for this type of applications, where large volumes of digital data must be managed and it possible to access, collect, and analyze data real time and remotely, i.e., without being present on site to perform field tunnel test, inspections with human workers in the loop.
