Waste disposal facilities across the nation have recently experienced slope failures. Many are attributed to the accumulation of liquids resulting in an overall strength reduction  of the waste mass. Slope failures at disposal facilities can have massive financial implications for owners and may result in potential environmental releases or considerable safety hazards for site personnel. Early signs of instability are often identified and monitored through visual observations made by onsite personnel. This results in subjective observations, and the labor-intensive nature makes continuous monitoring costly.

Recent advancements in geotechnical instrumentation data loggers and remote communications allow for real-time, remote data viewing. Remote geotechnical instrumentation is a more quantitative method, providing actionable data to monitor slope instability and track slope movements trends when signs of instability are observed. By providing real-time data without requiring site personnel to access potentially unstable areas of the site, these remote monitoring systems reduce labor costs and improve site safety.

Remote monitoring capabilities allow sites to verify/monitor assumptions made during the design process and identify trends to key slope stability parameters. This enables sites to make proactive efforts to improve slope stability long before instability becomes a concern.

This session will discuss the various remote geotechnical monitoring instrumentation including piezometers, inclinometers, GNSS/GPS units, thermistors, and remote communication systems used on recent projects to aid in proactive and reactive slope stability monitoring. Attendees will learn how adopting remote geotechnical monitoring technology can help modernize site safety and environmental protection.