The triggering of most geological disasters, such as landslides and debris flows, is directly related to abrupt changes in soil moisture content. Continuous rainfall infiltration leads to saturated soil moisture, increasing the weight of the soil mass and reducing its shear strength, thereby inducing instability. Therefore, soil moisture content is one of the key precursor parameters for landslide early warning.
Automated monitoring systems for geological disasters are required to operate 24/7 and enable remote data transmission and intelligent analysis. Traditional point-based, manually operated soil moisture sensors cannot meet the demands for long-term, continuous, and profile-based monitoring.
Moreover, the sliding surface of many landslides is located several meters underground. Monitoring only surface soil moisture would miss critical information. There is a need for equipment capable of comprehensive, multi-layer monitoring from the surface down to the potential sliding surface.
The Multi-Depth Soil Moisture Probe meets the requirements for automated geological disaster monitoring. By integrating sensors within a tubular body, it enables long-term, continuous, in-situ monitoring of soil moisture at different depths, providing essential data support for applications such as agricultural irrigation and geological disaster early warning.
The device can be permanently installed in the field, powered by solar energy, and equipped with wireless transmission (4G/NB-IoT/LoRa) to enable automatic data collection and uploading.
With its profile-based layered measurement, the probe can be customized to monitor specific depths (e.g., 0.5m, 1.0m, 1.5m, 2.0m, 3.0m underground), accurately capturing moisture changes in different soil layers and identifying saturated zones.
The sensors are sealed inside a PVC tube and do not directly contact the soil, effectively resisting corrosion from chemicals and electrolytic effects in the soil. This ensures a longer service life and more stable data.
Within an automated geological disaster monitoring system, the Multi-Depth Soil Moisture Probe can be integrated with the following devices to form a comprehensive assessment network:
Rain Gauge: Monitors surface rainfall intensity and cumulative precipitation.
Pore Water Pressure Gauge: Monitors the pressure of pore water in the soil, directly reflecting the stability of the soil mass.
GNSS/Crack Meter: Monitors surface displacement and crack development.
Inclinometer: Monitors the displacement of deep underground soil masses.
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