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Wireless Sensor Network for Ground Instability Monitoring (Wi-GIM Life)
Start date: Jan 1, 2014, End date: Mar 31, 2017 PROJECT  FINISHED 

Background Subsidence and land slides are two of the many natural processes that shape the surface of the earth. It is only when they threaten people or property that these processes represent a hazard. Scientists have long-since tried to analyse the factors that give rise to these processes and to develop methods for modelling and evaluating safety factors. Landslides, especially if large and catastrophic, cause significant changes to the Earth’s natural environment, negatively affecting forests, grasslands and wildlife. Ground instability monitoring systems play a vital role in assessing existing conditions and measuring the evolution of significant parameters in order to predict dangerous or catastrophic events. Such monitoring helps implement early warning systems and checks the effectiveness of consolidation works. Objectives The project aims to develop and demonstrate innovative technologies, methods and instruments for landslide and subsidence monitoring, in line with the objectives of the EU Soil Framework Directive (COM/2006/231). The specific objectives are to: Develop an innovative and cost-efficient WSN for the 3D superficial monitoring of ground deformations, such as landslides and subsidence; Assess the limits and potentials of Wi-GIM by comparing the results with conventional monitoring systems; Identify potential barriers to the full-scale application of the system, and demonstrate solutions to overcome them; Evaluate the environmental and social benefits, and the economic feasibility of this innovative system. Expected results: The main expected result is the development of a low-cost, accurate and flexible WSN (Wi-GIM) for ground deformation monitoring by means of the innovative integration of two radio technologies: LB technology, used for the acquisition of the 3D coordinates of the sensor position with an error radius with a metre magnitude; CWR, which is able to decrease the error radius down to a centimetre magnitude. The expected advantages of the Wi-GIM system for ground deformation monitoring are: Easy implementation and maintenance in comparison with conventional methods; Short installation time and high versatility; The possibility to monitor movements on a lattice consisting of a large number of nodes; 3D monitoring of movements.
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