Smith et al_GeotechniqueLetters_October2014.pdf (1.32 MB)
Download fileAcoustic emission monitoring of a soil slope: comparisons with continuous deformation measurements
journal contribution
posted on 2014-10-16, 10:39 authored by Alister Smith, Neil DixonNeil Dixon, Philip Meldrum, Edward Haslam, J. ChambersAcoustic emission (AE) has become an established approach to monitor the stability of soil slopes.
However, the challenge has been to develop strategies to interpret and quantify deformation
behaviour from the measured AE. This paper presents the first comparison of continuous AE
(measured using an active waveguide) and continuous subsurface deformation measurements. The
active waveguide is installed in a borehole through a slope and comprises a metal waveguide rod or
tube with a granular backfill surround. When the host slope deforms, the column of granular backfill
also deforms, generating AE that can propagate along the waveguide. This paper presents results
from a field trial at a reactivated soil slope in North Yorkshire, UK. The measurements confirm that AE
rates generated are directly proportional to the velocity of slope movement (e.g. the AE rate versus
velocity relationship determined for a series of slope movement events produced an R2 value of 0?8)
and demonstrate the performance of AE monitoring of active waveguides to provide continuous
information on slope displacements and displacement rates with high temporal resolution.
Funding
The UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funded much of the Slope ALARMS research and development.
History
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- Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering