A Novel Sensor for Monitoring Settlement

− In this study we describe a new concept for a sensor using fully distributed sensing along optical fibres designed especially for monitoring lateral movements in embankments and settlement areas, and deformations of excavation walls and tunnels. The sensor design includes four components: mass block housing, middle cylinder, connector housing, optical fibers and mass-block. The block housing is to hold the mass block and guide its sliding. Two blocks are designed to stretch sensing optical fiber when the block housing has inclination. The sensing optical fiber are required for performing sensing task in a ela range. One end of the whole pipe sensor is fixed to a pole, which was deeply embeded in soil of embankment dam. The permofmance of designed pipe sensor was carried out by a loading model of the dam settlement. DiTeSt-STA202 is then adopted to read and determine the sensitivity of the pipe sensor, which is the most impotant parameter for a sensor. The sensor provides a useful and precise method to detect and mornitor inside change of the embankment dam, as well as to detect and mornitor the settlement of other structures.