Experimental study on displacement monitoring of instable highway slope based on MEMS sensors

IntroductionThe monitoring of soil displacement during highway slope instability currently faces challenges such as poor stability, low accuracy, and high costs. In this study, a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensor is proposed for measuring internal soil displacement during slope movement....

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Di Wu, Taiming Liang, Yanxin Yang, Qingpeng Pei, Yang Yi, Jianjian Wu, Dan Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Earth Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1541217/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849774285769408512
author Di Wu
Taiming Liang
Yanxin Yang
Qingpeng Pei
Yang Yi
Jianjian Wu
Dan Li
author_facet Di Wu
Taiming Liang
Yanxin Yang
Qingpeng Pei
Yang Yi
Jianjian Wu
Dan Li
author_sort Di Wu
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionThe monitoring of soil displacement during highway slope instability currently faces challenges such as poor stability, low accuracy, and high costs. In this study, a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensor is proposed for measuring internal soil displacement during slope movement. A method for converting MEMS-based acceleration signals into displacement data is also developed.MethodsTo evaluate the applicability of MEMS technology for deep displacement monitoring, an indoor model test was conducted using a highway slope composed of gravelly soil from Jiangxi Province as a case study. Three slope models with varying gravel contents (20%, 40%, and 60%) were designed to simulate displacement caused by slope instability. Displacement data obtained from the MEMS sensors were analyzed and compared with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) data.Results and DiscussionThe results showed that the average relative errors of vertical displacement for the MEMS sensor compared to PIV at three measurement points in the sliding area were 5.79%, 5.54%, and 5.89% for slopes with 20%, 40%, and 60% gravel content, respectively. Similarly, the average relative errors of horizontal displacement were 6.11%, 5.21%, and 4.73%. These findings indicate that the trends in soil movement within the sliding area correspond to changes in gravel content. Furthermore, the relatively small average relative errors of the MEMS sensor demonstrate its feasibility and potential for deep soil displacement monitoring in slope stability studies.
format Article
id doaj-art-183f7ed895a64951a6b03cd2b84bde63
institution DOAJ
issn 2296-6463
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Earth Science
spelling doaj-art-183f7ed895a64951a6b03cd2b84bde632025-08-20T03:01:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Earth Science2296-64632025-03-011310.3389/feart.2025.15412171541217Experimental study on displacement monitoring of instable highway slope based on MEMS sensorsDi Wu0Taiming Liang1Yanxin Yang2Qingpeng Pei3Yang Yi4Jianjian Wu5Dan Li6School of Architecture and Transportation Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Transportation Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Sichuan University of Science and Engineering, Zigong, Sichuan, ChinaGuangxi Guiguan Electric Power Co., Ltd., Nanning, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Transportation Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Transportation Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Transportation Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, Guangxi, ChinaIntroductionThe monitoring of soil displacement during highway slope instability currently faces challenges such as poor stability, low accuracy, and high costs. In this study, a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) sensor is proposed for measuring internal soil displacement during slope movement. A method for converting MEMS-based acceleration signals into displacement data is also developed.MethodsTo evaluate the applicability of MEMS technology for deep displacement monitoring, an indoor model test was conducted using a highway slope composed of gravelly soil from Jiangxi Province as a case study. Three slope models with varying gravel contents (20%, 40%, and 60%) were designed to simulate displacement caused by slope instability. Displacement data obtained from the MEMS sensors were analyzed and compared with Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) data.Results and DiscussionThe results showed that the average relative errors of vertical displacement for the MEMS sensor compared to PIV at three measurement points in the sliding area were 5.79%, 5.54%, and 5.89% for slopes with 20%, 40%, and 60% gravel content, respectively. Similarly, the average relative errors of horizontal displacement were 6.11%, 5.21%, and 4.73%. These findings indicate that the trends in soil movement within the sliding area correspond to changes in gravel content. Furthermore, the relatively small average relative errors of the MEMS sensor demonstrate its feasibility and potential for deep soil displacement monitoring in slope stability studies.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1541217/fullMEMS sensorsslope with gravelly soilgravel contentmodel testdeep soil displacement
spellingShingle Di Wu
Taiming Liang
Yanxin Yang
Qingpeng Pei
Yang Yi
Jianjian Wu
Dan Li
Experimental study on displacement monitoring of instable highway slope based on MEMS sensors
Frontiers in Earth Science
MEMS sensors
slope with gravelly soil
gravel content
model test
deep soil displacement
title Experimental study on displacement monitoring of instable highway slope based on MEMS sensors
title_full Experimental study on displacement monitoring of instable highway slope based on MEMS sensors
title_fullStr Experimental study on displacement monitoring of instable highway slope based on MEMS sensors
title_full_unstemmed Experimental study on displacement monitoring of instable highway slope based on MEMS sensors
title_short Experimental study on displacement monitoring of instable highway slope based on MEMS sensors
title_sort experimental study on displacement monitoring of instable highway slope based on mems sensors
topic MEMS sensors
slope with gravelly soil
gravel content
model test
deep soil displacement
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2025.1541217/full
work_keys_str_mv AT diwu experimentalstudyondisplacementmonitoringofinstablehighwayslopebasedonmemssensors
AT taimingliang experimentalstudyondisplacementmonitoringofinstablehighwayslopebasedonmemssensors
AT yanxinyang experimentalstudyondisplacementmonitoringofinstablehighwayslopebasedonmemssensors
AT qingpengpei experimentalstudyondisplacementmonitoringofinstablehighwayslopebasedonmemssensors
AT yangyi experimentalstudyondisplacementmonitoringofinstablehighwayslopebasedonmemssensors
AT jianjianwu experimentalstudyondisplacementmonitoringofinstablehighwayslopebasedonmemssensors
AT danli experimentalstudyondisplacementmonitoringofinstablehighwayslopebasedonmemssensors