This document describes a new method for taking semi-real time inclinometer readings using wireless technologies. The current practice of downloading data from inclinometers to a PC on site and then transporting the PC back to the office takes over 13 hours for readings from 10 boreholes. The new method uses a battery-powered device with Bluetooth to transmit readings from the inclinometer to a worker's mobile phone. The data is then sent via GPRS to a central server where it is automatically processed, plotted, and emailed to stakeholders, taking only 70 minutes total. This provides an 11-fold improvement in throughput time and allows stakeholders to immediately discuss unexpected readings and monitor critical sites more safely and effectively. Feedback from users has been

1. Semi-Real Time
Inclinometer readings
using Wire-less
Technologies
G.H. Tan, Y.K. Poh
SysEng (S) Pte Ltd
N. Osborne, C.C. Ng
Land Transport Authority, Singapore

2. Geotechnical Instruments are :-
•Site Investigation Work
•Design Verification
•Performance
•Safety
•Construction Control
•Quality Control
•Legal Protection

3. When safety is the highest
priority, it must have a reliable
and fast method to deliver on-
site results to decision
makers:-
•Safety
•Construction Control
•Quality Control
•Legal Protection

4. Lessons
learned from
a Major Past
incident

5. Inclinometers are used for monitoring
the soil movements over time
Daily
Automatic
Data
Processing of
Inclinometer
Readings

6. Current Industry
practice

7. Geokon Slope Indicator Encardio-rite
RST Instruments (PDA)
Inclinometers from various manufacturers
Soil Instruments (PDA)
There readout
boxes require a
PC to download
their data

8. Timing for measuring 10 bore holes in a site
10 mins
In Main office, switch on
PC to download,
process, verify and
email to Stake Holders
Drive back
for 60 mins
Case Study:
Total Throughput time
for Bore Hole#1 data to
reach end user is
60x10 + 10x9 + 60 + 30
mins = 780 mins (13 hrs)
30 mins for
processing data
60 minsBore
Hole#1
10 mins
60 minsBore
Hole#2
10 mins
60 minsBore
Hole#3
60 minsBore
Hole#10

9. Many challenges to ensure
consistency as construction sites
are far from ideal conditions with
practical constraints of :-
•Human Errors
•Measurement bore holes with
blockages
•Worker inexperience
•Inefficiencies due to manual work
•Weather (Rain, Lightning and Heat)

10. A new method to
reduce the time taken
from the
measurement until it
reaches the Stake
Holder using Wire-
less Technologies

11. Simple steps for Data retrieval from sites using
existing inclinometer, user’s mobile phone
Short Range
Device consists
of a battery
powered
embedded
computer with
Wire-less
Bluetooth
module
3 m

12. Central
Server
System
Transferring data from Mobile Phone to
Stake holder using Central Server
GPRS
Open
Public
Network
Email with
raw data &
Inclinometer
plot

13. Worker walks
to another
bore hole
Timing taken in the New Work Flow Process
2 mins
Case Study:
Total Throughput time
for Bore Hole#1 data to
reach end user is
60 + 2 + 8 mins = 70 mins
60 minsBore
Hole#1
8 mins
GPRS
Transmission
Automatic
Processing
and Emailing
10 mins

14. Comparison of the time taken to
obtain on site measurements
Current Practice : 780 minutes
Improve Method : 70 minutes
Throughput improvements :
= 780 / 70 = 11 !
+

15. Advantages of the Semi-Real Time
Inclinometer solution
• PC-less system to retrieve the data
• Preventing loss of PC on site
• Maximum use of inclinometer system
• Low Error possibility with less human
intervention of data processing
• Worker uses this own Mobile Phone with only
additional GPRS charges
• Consultant gets measured data immediately
• Any measurement re-confirmation can be done
immediately via a phone call rather than doing it
the next day

16. Site Workers Office staff gets
information and
discuss resultsMeasures and Transmit data
+
SDR

17. The feedback comments from
the users:-
• When the readings showed
unexpected movements, it
provides opportunity to
immediately phone the site staff
to re-measure and verify that
particular bore-hole.

18. • When there are Critical Lateral
Displacements to be monitored,
this is the best approach to
control the Site Work Activities
to enhance the Safety as well as
to allow Critical Activity to be
carried out

19. • Without this technology, the
technician needs to monitor all
the inclinometers of the project
before he comes back to office
at the end of the day to down
load the raw data readings
logged in the readout box to the
PC. It will take a few hours for
the readings of the inclinometer
to reach the user after it is taken

20. An added advantage for
the data security to
prevent unaware data
alteration in the system
to help Professional
Engineers minimize
their risks & liabilities

21. Current Data Flow Practice
Readout
Box and
Computer
for down
loading
Monitoring
Engineer
Process
Report with
justifiable
adjustment
Mistakes ?
Care-less ?
Forget ?
Authority
Consultant

22. Proposed Data Flow Security
Central
Server
Monitoring
Engineer
Process
Reports with
justifiable
adjustments
Raw data
kept intact
using Parallel
Information
Flow for
verification
Processed
Inclinometer
Information
Authority
Consultant

23. Benefits of the Proposed System
• The measured data is automatically plotted
and email simultaneously to all stake holders
• This processed information will be over-
ride, if the monitoring engineer has
correction with justifications
• Unique User ID tagged to Readout Box to
avoid mixed up information from various
Readout Boxes and Files
• Date & Time when the readings are carried
out are Logged at the Server, & NOT using
the clock of the Readout Box, which could
be altered at Box level