Taiwan’s rail network traverses a variety of terrain, including many steep slopes. Natural disasters such as landslides or earthquakes can cause slopes to become unstable or slippery, posing a threat to the safety of public transport and passengers. A reliable slope monitoring system is essential in order to protect lives and property. The system must be able to detect potential hazards early, and provide early warning and prediction so that the relevant authorities can take appropriate measures before an incident occurs.
Advantech provided the solution using a combination of off-the-shelf LoRaWAN devices, with sensors, solar power and a cloud service to collect and present the data.
The system description
- WISE-4610P: Advanced Industrial LoRa/ LoRaWAN Wireless I/O Module
- WISE-S617: 2AI/2DI/1DO Wireless Modular I/O with 1RS-485 & M12 Connectors
- WISE-6610-A100C: Industrial LoRaWAN Gateway
- GeoSupply IoT Cloud Monitoring System
How the system works
Most of the railroad slopes in Taiwan have a shallow slope sliding risk. It’s extremely inconvenient to install pipelines as part of the monitoring system, given that slopes are often subject to hoeing operations which can damage the pipelines. Based on these considerations, a wireless transmission monitoring solution via poles installed on slopes is simpler, and the installation and maintenance costs are greatly reduced.
Each monitoring device is self-contained for ease of installation, featuring power-saving design and low power consumption, with strong water and dust resistance to provide high stability and reliability.
The solution from Advantech includes about 500 sets of WISE-4610P advanced LoRaWAN wireless I/O modules connected to dozens of WISE-6610 industrial LoRaWAN gateways. Each WISE-4610P is equipped with a high-resolution low-temperature effect tilt meter, soil moisture meter and solar panels.
The LoRaWAN network protocol used in the solution offers long range, low power consumption, high scalability and flexibility. This makes it ideal for slope stability monitoring projects.
The advantages of the solution are that the WISE-4610P has a built-in rechargeable battery that is continuously charged via a solar panel, as well as a wide range of industrial I/O combination solutions for connecting to a variety of sensors.
The low power consumption means that the power requirements of the WISE-4610P and its attached sensors can be met entirely by its on-board batteries and solar panels. There is no need to install separate batteries or power supplies. The sensors are turned off when not in use. When a measurement is required, the WISE-4610P sends a signal to turn them on.
The WISE-4610P’s IP65 LoRaWAN rating for water and dust resistance and industrial-grade wide temperature means it remains highly reliable in outdoor environments.
Measurements and monitoring in real time
The system covers more than 10 regions, with 30~40 monitoring points set up in each region. By default, the system collects data every 15 minutes. However, the measurement frequency can be adjusted in case of adverse conditions (typhoons, earthquakes, rainstorms, etc).
GeoSupply imports measurements into cloud servers and online databases in real time, and then imports them into GIS to enhance the visualisation of the operation interface and improve the management efficiency. GeoSupply also connects to the Central Weather Bureau’s OpenData information, such as typhoon track maps and typhoon track maps of the cumulative rainfall in the radar echo, to assist in determining the distribution and development of the rainfall, and uses them in conjunction with AI as a means of evaluating the stability of the slopes.
The solution implemented by Advantech supports different I/O solutions in one product, and features power output channels that can power on the sensor directly, eliminating the need to prepare separate power sources for the sensors. It is a rigorous, cost-effective, and efficient solution for monitoring slopes and facilitating the early detection of potential disasters.
ESIS is your expert Australian IoT integrator. We’ll discuss your requirements in detail with you, and engineer a comprehensive solution to fit. We can integrate Advantech WISE and other IoT devices, with ESIS’ versatile cloud data logging service, to provide a customised solution for monitoring almost any kind of physical parameters. We’ve done projects covering weather stations, water metering, pipeline pressure and condition monitoring, power monitoring, fire panel SMS alerts, agricultural product dispensing stations, and many more. Please contact us to discuss your application.
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Article and photos courtesy of Advantech
