SLOPE STABILITY MONITORING
GroundProbe & SSR correction - Precision Atmospherics ®
Precision Atmospherics ® is the latest innovation to be born from GroundProbe ’ s industry-leading research and development and product development programs . It is a revolutionary atmospheric correction algorithm designed to distinguish and remove clutter or noise from Slope Stability Radar ( SSR ) data caused by changing atmospheric conditions .
By processing standard deformation data from GroundProbe ’ s 2D-Real Aperture Radars and removing atmospheric noise , Precision Atmospherics ® provides a decisively clearer picture of real deformation , resulting in more refined , higher-value data that is easy to interpret and analyse . GroundProbe told IM : “ Precision Atmospherics ® has been designed to complement GroundProbe ’ s current industry-leading atmospheric correction algorithm - Stable Reference Areas ( SRA ) – rather than replace it . Working in conjunction , Precision Atmospherics ® overcomes several limitations experienced by SRA alone to provide the clearest data possible .”
Precision Atmospherics ® resolves ambiguities that result in deformation steps in the data between scans from the noise associated with changes in refractivity caused by the most turbulent atmospheric conditions . This allows users to better discern real deformation movement from induced atmospheric movements , which may have been difficult to identify using SRA alone . Depending on the severity of the atmospheric conditions , atmospheric clutter is typically suppressed to ± 1 mm , providing an approximate five-fold improvement in atmospheric noise as seen on pixel deformation time series charts . Precision Atmospherics ® also improves the radar ’ s ability to track very slow-moving deformation , necessary for long-term data analysis . “ An essential requirement for an atmospheric correction process is to maintain a safety-critical performance and not miss , remove or suppress real wall movement . Precision Atmospherics ® is designed to resolve severe events to keep better data continuity and make monitoring more effective over an extended period . Maintaining safety-critical performance ensures maximum mine site safety , assuring the safety of people and communities .” Complementing GroundProbe ’ s existing powerful software solutions , Precision Atmospherics ® is available within GroundProbe ’ s existing data analysis and visualisation software , MonitorIQ ® Desktop ( 2022 ), providing great data clarity through its powerful and easyto-understand data visualisations and high-resolution imagery of the monitoring scene . MonitorIQ ® Desktop offers analysis using Precision Atmospherics ® and SRA algorithms , providing users with an easy method to crosscompare and validate wall movements , ensuring enhanced confidence .
Precision Atmospherics ® is the result of several years of rigorous research , development and testing , " proving GroundProbe ’ s commitment as the industry ’ s foremost geohazard monitoring expert that delivers technology solutions with certainty and confidence .” It is currently available with GroundProbe ’ s 2D-Real Aperture Radar ( 2D-RAR ) technologies , including SSR-FX and SSR- Omni . Looking towards the future , GroundProbe expects to see further automation and incorporation of AI ( Artificial Intelligence ) and machine learning to produce smarter , more intuitive slope monitoring systems capable of running more independently and managing data better . " This is why GroundProbe will continue to invest heavily in solutions such as Precision Atmospherics ® , MonitorIQ ® , and others , to provide even smarter and more sophisticated data analysis and visualisation of slope and geotechnical movement ."
horizontal ShapeArrays in the Santarem Decant Gallery to monitor settlement .
Measurand offers three in-house data acquisition systems ( DAS ) to help clients get their remote automated deformation monitoring program up and running . For wired remote monitoring , the DAS-1 and DAS-5 house
Campbell Scientific data loggers and other components within a weatherproof NEMA 4-rated
enclosure for one to five ShapeArrays respectively . These DAS enclosures can either
store that ShapeArray data for manual retrieval or can be configured to transmit data via thirdparty communication solutions .
For wireless remote monitoring , Measurand ’ s DAS-RSTAR combines Campbell Scientific data loggers with RST Instruments ’ RTU for wireless radio communication with ShapeArrays connected to DT-ShapeArray loggers .
In addition , Measurand also partners with several third-party leaders like sensemetrics , Worldsensing , and Ackcio for flexible wireless remote monitoring . Many of these solutions can be thought of as a digital node and hub- with a digital node communicating data from geotechnical sensors to a centralised hub that sends that data to the cloud via cellular or satellite .
Measurand ’ s software package-SAASuitebundles all the applications required to install , configure , record , and view ShapeArray data . However , Measurand ’ s open export policy means that clients can integrate their ShapeArray data into whatever workflows best suit their needs . SAASuite tools enable automated exports to third-party data delivery and viewing software . ShapeArray data is viewable with a number of industry-leading third-party solution providers like Vista Data Vision , Canary and many others .
Senceive solution for Grecian marble mine
The F . H . L . Kiriakidis Group is one of the world ’ s leading marble and granite quarrying and trading companies . They own several quarries throughout Greece and specialise in the supply of white marble . One of the company ’ s largest sites - the Volakas quarry , located in the Macedonia Region of Greece , supplies nearly 250,000 t of marble blocks a year . The marble is extracted via open-pit and underground mines - through tunnel excavation - before it is sent on for further processing . The extensive mining taking place at Volakas requires structural and geotechnical monitoring to provide crucial data about the site . Above ground , the stability of the slopes , and below ground , the profile of the tunnels ( convergence and divergence ) must be measured to ensure the safety of the site .
Traditional methods of monitoring , including manual data gathering and the collection of data from separate systems were originally used at the site , but proved to be time consuming , costly , and inadequate to meet the needs of this growing mining site . It was therefore necessary to find a monitoring system that was flexible , extremely accurate , unobtrusive , reliable , and easy to install .
Because of the size and complexity of the site , including the significant distance between monitoring locations , Senceive ’ s Greek distributor Landmark recommended Senceive ’ s GeoWAN™ monitoring communication platform - a long-range , low power , remote wireless system . The platform is based on industry-standard
58 International Mining | AUGUST 2022