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Practical evaluation of single-frequency dGNSS for monitoring slow-moving landslides

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Abstract

Understanding the kinematics and triggers of a landslide is central to assessing the risk of a landslide. This understanding can be achieved through a robust instrumentation plan that addresses key factors such as meteorological conditions, groundwater conditions, and deformation trends and velocity. High-frequency landslide displacement measurements at multiple locations across a sliding mass allow for the evaluation of the impact of meteorological events in the short and long terms. Installation of a monitoring system that provides reliable and accurate high-frequency displacement data from multiple locations can be expensive, and thus, this approach is not commonly used. Single-frequency differential GNSS (dGNSS) provides a relatively low-cost alternative to achieve long-term monitoring goals at multiple locations within a landslide. Networks of single-frequency Geocube™ dGNSS units were installed at test sites at two slow-moving Canadian landslides: the Ten-mile landslide near Lillooet, BC, and the Chin Coulee landslide near Taber, AB. The Geocube system monitored surficial deformation every 60 s for the duration of the monitoring program (> 500 day) and achieved a precision in direct measurements characterized by a standard deviation of 10.5 mm or less. The quality of the collected data was compared to data provided by a high-end multi-frequency GMX 910 Leica GPS, installed at the Ripley landslide near Ashcroft, BC. The data collected from the Geocube systems revealed that displacement orientations and rates varied within each of the sliding masses. The application of multiple monitoring points provided a relatively low-cost method to evaluate the shape of the sliding shear surface and the causal factors driving movement at each site. A practical evaluation of cost-effective dGNSS systems that provide reliable information as required for enhanced understanding of landslide kinematics and the development of early warning systems is presented in this paper.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank CN for providing access to the Ten-mile site and for purchasing the Geocube units. We also thank Alberta Transportation for purchasing the Geocube units for the Chin Coulee landslide and for facilitating site information and logistics. Research at the Ten-mile landslide was conducted through the (Canadian) Railway Ground Hazard Research Program, which is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC ALLRP 549684-19), Canadian Pacific Railway, CN, and Transport Canada. The research at the Chin Coulee landslide was completed through a collaboration with Klohn Crippen Berger (KCB) and Alberta Transportation and was funded by NSERC and KCB (Engage Gant # EGP 521877-17; KCB CRD # CRDPJ 543429-19).

Funding

Research at the Ten-mile landslide was conducted through the (Canadian) Railway Ground Hazard Research Program, which is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC ALLRP 549684–19), Canadian Pacific Railway, CN, and Transport Canada. The research at the Chin Coulee landslide was completed through a collaboration with Klohn Crippen Berger (KCB) and Alberta Transportation and was funded by NSERC and KCB (Engage Gant # EGP 521877–17; KCB CRD # CRDPJ 543429–19).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Rodriguez J, Deane E, Hendry M. T & Macciotta R

  2. Canadian National Railway, Kamloops, BC, Canada

    Evans T

  3. Klohn Crippen Berger Ltd, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Gräpel C

  4. Alberta Transportation, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Skirrow R

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  1. Rodriguez J
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All authors contributed to the work in this manuscript and approve this submission.

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Correspondence to Macciotta R.

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J, R., E, D., T, H.M. et al. Practical evaluation of single-frequency dGNSS for monitoring slow-moving landslides. Landslides 18, 3671–3684 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-021-01737-y

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