Slope Disaster Detection System Using Sensor Networks and Its Field Experiment Evaluations

: The authors developed a slope disaster monitoring system using distributed sensors. The sensor node has wireless communication and tilt detection capabilities. Each sensor node communicates with others and sends the corrected data to a base station that can send an alert message to administrators in case of emergency. Wireless communication abilities and the accuracy of an acceleration sensor that will be used as a tilt detection sensor of the developed sensor nodes were checked through a small field test in the Osaka University campus. The developed slope disaster monitoring system was installed on a slope along the Chugoku Expressway, and a performance evaluation experiment has been performed over 8 months. Throughout the field experiment study, the authors found that the developed sensor network system is e ff ective to detect a slope disaster. They also found that, depending on geometric arrangements of the nodes, for establishing a steady network connection at the starting up stage of the system, relatively long time was required. E ffi cient sensor arrangements may require further studies.