Geotechnical Monitoring

Hoff Geotechnik offers in-situ geotechnical monitoring services for mining and civil engineering industry. This includes inclinometers, displacement transducers, crack meters, piezometers, TDR and GeoMos prisms

Mining companies across the world have traditionally used various types of in-situ-based slope stability monitoring systems to monitor the stability of both surface and underground mining excavations. However, in the early year 2000, there was a massive shift from the traditional in-situ-based slope stability monitoring techniques towards remote-based slope stability monitoring technologies such as slope stability monitoring radars.

However, findings from the recent major slope failures have shown that a comprehensive and efficient slope stability monitoring system should in most cases consist of both in-situ and remote-based monitoring techniques. This is because for most slope failures the deformation is initiated within 25-50m behind the slope surface (deep-seated). Also, there is evidence that there is a substantial time difference between the onset of slope deformation and the eventual slope failure. In instances where the remote-based or in-situ-based slope stability monitoring techniques are used in isolation, there is a risk of either missing the slope failure or detecting it too late, thereby reducing the efficacy of the risk detection strategy.

Since 2016, Hoff Geotechnik has been involved in providing consulting, installations, and training on slope stability monitoring to major mining companies across the world. We have also been a trusted service provider for rockfall hazard mitigation and slope stabilization by blue-chip mining companies across the world.

An in-situ slope stability monitoring system also provides real-time insight into the near-surface and deep-seated rock mass conditions of the slope, thereby providing early warning of potential slope instability.

The in-situ-based slope stability monitoring system consists of multiple components and various sensors that are strategically placed across the mine within deep boreholes to detect the onset of near-surface and deep-seated slope instability. The system also consists of a communication and software interface. The communication system consists of a data logger and transmission components.

Hoff Geotechnik’s services cover both the design and implementation of the in-situ-based slope stability monitoring systems. We have a team of specialized software engineers who will integrate the in-situ-based ground stability monitoring system with the existing slope stability monitoring system such as slope monitoring radar and laser monitoring systems. We also offer advanced training covering system management and interpretation of the data.

It should be noted that in almost all the cases where an in-situ slope stability monitoring system is required, it is in cases where the physical site access is highly restricted. Hoff Geotechnik has a team of specialized technicians to drill long boreholes and carry out installations in areas with very limited site access. Hoff Geotechnik has developed extensive technical expertise and proprietary systems to safely carry out these activities in any physical condition. Some of the IoT sensors integrated into the monitoring system are: