Moisture sensing technology as preventive measures against Rainfall-induced slope Failures – A review

Global warming contributes to the changes in climatic conditions such as the frequency and duration of rainfall around the world. Previous research has shown that slope failures are more likely to occur after a long period of drought followed by heavy rainfall or after long periods of low rainfall followed by heavy rainfall. This demands effective slope prevention measures to maintain the stability of high-risk slopes prior to collapse. This study focused on analysing various moisture measurement techniques and real-time assessment of rainfall-induced slope failures, with a case study serving as a validation. The methods to obtain water content were examined, including thermal, satellite-based sensing, radiological approach, resistivity, and dielectric. The result stated that capacitance sensor has the most potential due to its cost-effectiveness and efficiency for tropical region. The proposed case study investigates the utilization of the best outcome of a sensor system established to mitigate rainfall-induced landslides in Bukit Teresa, Singapore. Ultimately, a suitable sensing system should be utilized in alongside numerical modelling to mitigate slope failures to ensure the Early Warning Slope Stability Monitoring (EWSSM) system can function effectively.