In this second part, we focus on how new technologies are improving safety in mines, tailings dams, transport corridors, and groundwater systems. Tools like DAS, satellite InSAR, and wireless IoT networks are helping detect problems early and respond faster.
Missed Part 1? Read it here: Emerging Technologies in Geotechnical Instrumentation 2018–2025 (Part 1)
Mining and Tailings Monitoring
Mining safety instruments are adopting these same trends. Notably, fiber-optic sensing (DAS/DTS) is applied to tailings storage facilities (TSFs) and waste rock piles. OptaSense (Luna) deployed fiber on a TSF crest to “listen” 24/7 for incipient breaches. The result is “the smallest strain changes… equivalent to over 1,000 sensors covering the dam slope”. Underground wireless networks (ULF radio, LoRa) now link sensors in mines for real-time tilt, load or gas monitoring. Seismic acoustic monitoring (microseismic networks, fiber DAS) is used for subsidence and wall stability. Smartbolts (instrumented rock bolts) with digital telemetry have been introduced for stope deformation. All these offer higher resolution and timely alerts compared to manual gauges and periodic surveys.
| Technology / Product | Application(s) | Description | Year | Advantages | Key Players / References |
|---|
| Fiber DAS/DTS for Tailings (LunaOpta) | Tailings dams, heaps | Fiber laid on dam crest acts as thousands of sensors (strain, vibration, temperature) | 2020s | Continuous 24/7 monitoring of entire dam; early warning of internal movement | Luna Innovations / OptaSense |
| Wireless Mine Sensor Networks | Underground mining | LoRa or UWB mesh networks connecting | 2020s | Extends communication into tunnels; low | Newtrax Technologies; Hexagon Mining |
| Microseismic & DAS monitoring | Slope stability in mines | Dense array of geophones or fiber DAS for detecting rock mass movements or blasts. | 2018– | Sensitive to tiny cracking; spatial mapping of rockfall risk. | CSIRO (Australia); Mines & Silixa |
| Instrumented Rockbolts (“Smartbolt”) | Stope roof support | Rockbolts with FBG/strain sensors and wireless readouts to measure support load. | 2022 | Real-time bolt load; safety alerts if loading too high. | SeismoCloud; Terracon Mines (Gravitec) |
Read more: Monitoring from Earth to Sky: Risk Management in Mining Operations
Groundwater & Pore-Pressure Monitoring
Emerging tools for pore-water monitoring include submersible pressure sensors with IoT and fiber-optic temperature profiling. Wireless remote-read piezometers (LoRa or NB-IoT) report pore pressure and water level data automatically, replacing monthly manual readings. Researchers are also exploiting Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) to infer groundwater flow: by heating a buried fiber in an embankment or around a well, one can locate seepage paths via the resulting thermal anomalies. A 2024 study developed a two-field model for DTS-based seepage monitoring, achieving ~1.3% location accuracy. These methods aim to map underground flow dynamics that point-sensors cannot resolve.
| Technology / Product | Application(s) | Description | Year | Advantages | Key Players / References |
|---|
| NB-IoT / Cellular Piezometers | Pore pressure, GW | Low-power piezo water-level sensors with built-in NB-IoT or LoRaWAN modems (e.g. Geokon EOS). | 2020s | Immediate data access; minimal wiring; battery long-life. | Geokon; Turner Designs; UK Watertech journals |
| Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) | Seepage detection | Heated fiber optical cable in embankment dam; measures temperature along its length to infer seepage. | 2024 | High-resolution mapping of seepage zones; continuous monitoring. | Li & Yang (2024); Aqualogy |
Rail and Road Infrastructure Monitoring
New sensing is enhancing transport corridor monitoring. A recent Scientific Reports (2025) paper demonstrated fiber-optic DAS for traffic monitoring on highways. By using urban telecom fibers, vehicles induce strain signals that can be classified by AI with ≈92% accuracy. Similarly, embedded fiber sensors in rails detect the passage of trains and identify defects. Wireless track-side nodes (accelerometers, tiltmeters, GPS) send deformation data (track gauge, alignment) to central servers. UAV and mobile LiDAR systems are also used for rapid inspection of bridges and roadbeds after events. These methods complement conventional track recording vehicles and manual inspections.
| Technology / Product | Application(s) | Description | Year | Advantages | Key Players / References |
|---|
| DAS-based Traffic Monitoring | Road traffic flow | Fiber-optic cables along roads used as acoustic sensors; ML algorithms count/classify vehicles. | 2025 | Leverages existing fiber; privacy-preserving (no video); 24/7 real-time analytics. | Cohen et al. (SciRep 2025) |
| Fiber-Optic Rail Monitoring | Railway alignment | Fiber sensors on rails or ties detect strain/vibration from trains, indicating speed and defects. | 2019– | Real-time track condition; long sensor life; multiplex many points. | Silixa (UK); Dynatest; Russian Rail Institutes |
| GNSS Monitoring (RTK/PPP) | Highways/Bridges | Permanently installed GNSS units measure millimetric settlement of bridges or embankments. | 2018– | Wide-area coverage; continuous, weather-independent. | Leica; Trimble; UNAVCO |
| UAV & Mobile Mapping | Road infrastructure | Drones and vehicle-mounted LiDAR map surface and subsurface features (e.g., bridge decks). | 2016– | Fast post-event surveying; cm accuracy; asset inventory. | Topcon; Mobileye (Intel); Trimble |
Landslide Early Warning Systems (EWS)
An early-warning system integrates sensors, analysis and alerts. Wireless sensor networks (WSN) are widely adopted: e.g. a 2022 LoRaWAN‐based landslide system in China achieved stable, reliable communications and real-time alarms in rugged terrainfrontiersin.org. Such WSN combine tiltmeters, piezometers, rain gauges and geophones.
In parallel, distributed fiber-optic arrays (DAS/DTS), as noted above, now provide high-resolution monitoring of creeping landslides. Geospatial EWS also use InSAR and ground-based radar for broad surveillance. Crucially, modern EWS platforms employ cloud dashboards with automated thresholds, sending SMS/email alerts when sensors cross critical values. These integrated systems mark a leap over static thresholds and periodic checks of earlier decades.
| Technology / Product | Application(s) | Description | Year | Advantages | Key Players / References |
|---|
| LoRaWAN Landslide Sensor Network | Landslide EWS | Sensor nodes (tilt, pore, moisture) communicate via LoRa to a gateway; cloud-based alarms. | 2022 | Covers large, remote areas; very low power; automated alerts. | Wang et al. (Front. Earth Sci. 2022); KLC Glotech |
| Distributed Fiber-Optic Arrays (DAS/DTS) | Landslide detection | Fiber cable buried across slope, providing continuous strain and temperature monitoring. | 2024 | Ultra-high spatial/temporal resolution; detects slow precursors undetectable by other means. | Ouellet et al. (Nat. Commun. 2024); OptaSense |
| Real-Time Cloud Platforms (EWS software) | All EWS projects | Web services (e.g., Sigtech EWS, Yishan-EWS) aggregate multi-sensor data, trigger multi-level alarms. | 2015– | Centralizes data for multiple stakeholders; mobile alerts. | Encardio-Rite (DRISHIT); Univ. Bristol Landslide Lab |
| Integrated Rainfall–Hydrology Sensors | Rainfall-triggered landslides | Tipping-bucket pluviometers and soil moisture probes networked to predict pore pressure rises. | 2010s | Early detection of trigger conditions; low-cost networkable. | – |
Modern geotechnical tools do more than collect data. They help predict risk and automate alerts. With AI, cloud dashboards, and smart networks, early-warning systems are more reliable than ever.
Start from the beginning: Read it here: Emerging Technologies in Geotechnical Instrumentation 2018–2025 (Part 1)
FAQs
1. What is the focus of Part 2 in the Emerging Technologies series?
Part 2 explores how modern sensing technologies are transforming safety and monitoring in mines, tailings dams, transport corridors, and groundwater systems. It highlights advances such as fiber-optic Distributed Acoustic/Temperature Sensing (DAS/DTS), IoT networks, and cloud-based early warning systems.
2. How is fiber-optic sensing (DAS/DTS) improving mine and tailings safety?
Fiber-optic cables act as thousands of sensors that continuously measure strain, vibration, and temperature. In tailings dams, systems from companies like Luna Innovations and OptaSense provide 24/7 real-time alerts that can detect early signs of internal movement or potential failure.
3. What role do wireless sensor networks play in underground mining?
Wireless systems using LoRa or UWB mesh networks connect various geotechnical and environmental sensors deep within mines. These networks enable real-time tracking of tilt, load, and gas levels, improving situational awareness and safety without extensive cabling.
4. What are “Smartbolts” and how do they enhance rock stability monitoring?
Smartbolts are instrumented rock bolts equipped with strain or load sensors that transmit data wirelessly. They provide real-time feedback on roof stability in stopes, offering early warnings when rock support loads exceed safe limits.
5. How are groundwater and pore pressure now being monitored remotely?
Modern NB-IoT and LoRaWAN piezometers automatically transmit pore pressure and groundwater level data. Combined with Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) systems that map seepage through heat tracing, they eliminate manual readings and improve accuracy in detecting flow patterns.
6. What new methods are being used to monitor roads, bridges, and railways?
Transport infrastructure now benefits from fiber-optic DAS traffic sensors, fiber-rail strain monitoring, GNSS settlement tracking, and UAV or mobile LiDAR mapping. These technologies enable continuous, high-resolution monitoring of structural performance and deformation.
7. How is fiber DAS used in traffic monitoring applications?
Recent research (e.g., Cohen et al., SciRep 2025) demonstrated how existing telecom fibers can serve as acoustic sensors. By interpreting vibration patterns with machine learning, the system can classify vehicle types and traffic flow without cameras or privacy concerns.
8. What technologies are advancing landslide early warning systems (EWS)?
EWS platforms now integrate LoRaWAN sensor networks, distributed fiber arrays (DAS/DTS), and InSAR radar data. These systems are linked to cloud dashboards that issue automated SMS or email alerts when sensors detect dangerous slope movements or rising pore pressures.
9. What is the benefit of cloud-based geotechnical monitoring platforms?
Platforms like Sigtech EWS and Yishan-EWS centralize diverse sensor data streams—piezometers, inclinometers, rainfall gauges—into one interface. This enables multi-level alarms, faster decision-making, and mobile access for field teams and stakeholders.
10. How do these emerging technologies collectively improve safety and risk management?
By integrating AI analytics, real-time data transmission, and automated alerts, modern geotechnical instrumentation detects subtle precursors to failure—often days or weeks in advance. This proactive approach helps operators prevent incidents, optimize maintenance, and safeguard people and infrastructure.