On October 23rd, 2010 ScienceDaily.com announced the creation of a sound sensor system that is able to predict the likelihood of a landslide. This device is able to “measure and analyze the acoustic behavior of soil,” and by doing so authorities are capable to calculate when a landslide is going to occur. With this knowledge authorities are able to take action in order to ensure the safety of residents in the area of the risky slope.
You may be asking what type of noise signifies the probability of a landslide? Well the sound of soil stays at a constant level until the friction between the soil particles begin to crescendo as the slope becomes unstable. An analogy to this action is when a twig is slowly being bent until it breaks. You can hear it begin to weaken until it loudly snaps in half. Similarly with the sound sensor system as the noise level increases, the likelihood of a catastrophic soil collapse increases as well.
This newly designed system consists of numerous different sensors (which act as microphones) spread out beneath a slope or hill thought to be of high risk for a landslide. The sensors record the noise levels and transmit their data signals back to a central computer for analysis. The sensors are picking up the amount of friction occurring between the particles of the soil. Once a certain noise level is reached the central computer can alert authorities via text message, giving them enough time to evacuate residents, close transport routes by the area, or create a way to stabilize the moving soil.
According the Neil Dixon, professor of geotechnical engineering at Loughborough University and principal investigator on the project, this technology had been used since the 1960’s. But what makes this system more advanced is its ability to quickly report the increased noise level in order to take preventative action.
This article fits with our discussion of the different types of soil and landscapes. Multiple forces hold land surfaces together; the most important of these is friction. There are three different types of soil: sand, silt, and clay. The particles in sand are large and gritty, making it hard for them to bind together. Clay on the other hand has very fine particles that can stick tightly together. A landslide occurs when a force is introduced that weakens the bond between the soil particles. This could be weathering from increased rain, erosion, earthquake, etc. These forces allow for gravity to overcome the friction in the soil, causing a landslide to occur.
I think this system is a great creation that can greatly decrease the damages formed by landslides. However I think it would be difficult to alert everyone in danger with enough time to efficiently evacuate. This would be especially difficult in developing countries where there is little means of quick traveling media. This is why I am hopeful for the formation of these systems to be sold to the public at a low cost. Independent acoustic slope sensors without a central computer would be a great way for remote houses to receive instant notification and find a safer place to be.
Hillary Faulkner
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geology/landslide3.htm
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