Applied Geomechanics

Fiber Optic

Fiber optics offer many advantages for monitoring large engineered structures such as dams, bridges, wells, buildings and pipelines. A major advantage is the fact that optical fibers do not conduct electricity. For this reason, they are immune to the high-voltage electrical transients, typically caused by lightning, that can cause failure of other types of geotechnical field instrumentation. Lightning-induced damage is virtually eliminated when fiber optic sensors are used. Another advantage of fiber optic measurements is the ability to use a single cable to make measurements in multiple locations over distances of tens of kilometers. This feature can reduce the cost of monitoring very large or very long structures, such as pipelines or bridges. A third advantage is the intrinsically safe nature of fiber optic measurements. Because no electricity is used, the possibility of a spark igniting a fire is nil.

GPS

 The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based system that allows for a precise determination of location anywhere on or above the Earth’s surface. There are currently 30 NAVSTAR satellites operating as part of the GPS constellation. The ability of civilian users of GPS to process and make use of the system has come a long way since its inception and the launch of the first satellite in 1989. The original accuracy was crude by today’s standards. Using AGI’s 3D Tracker™ software, today we can achieve 1-2 mm accuracy using off-the-shelf GPS hardware.

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