Real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development
Through real-time remote monitoring devices and image processing technology, the problem of insufficient accuracy in soil crack monitoring has been solved, and refined monitoring and analysis of the entire crack cycle has been achieved, thereby improving monitoring accuracy.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202421954766.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-08-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-30
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-08-13
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies have low accuracy in soil crack monitoring, especially in detecting newly developed cracks in small areas and lack the ability to conduct detailed monitoring, making it impossible to achieve full-cycle real-time monitoring.
A real-time remote monitoring device consisting of a monitoring shed, viewfinder, soil moisture monitoring instrument, lights, solar panels and 4G RTU is used to obtain crack images and moisture content information through photography and soil moisture monitoring, and the crack development characteristics are analyzed by combining image processing and machine learning.
It realizes real-time monitoring of the entire cycle of soil cracks, improves the accuracy of crack development law analysis, obtains the relationship between crack width, length, curvature and water content, and provides a reliable basis for subsequent analysis.
Smart Images

Figure CN223400801U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of soil crack development monitoring, and more particularly to a real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development. Background Art
[0002] Cracks are widely distributed on the surface and within rock, soil, and structures. Their formation adversely affects the stability of these structures. Accurately monitoring the initiation and development of cracks is a prerequisite for the protection and management of rock, soil, and structures. Understanding crack width and location, and analyzing their causes, provides a reliable basis for soil crack prevention and control.
[0003] The means of crack detection in different media are not the same. For example, the detection and monitoring methods for cracks in concrete and bedrock include ultrasonic method, radar method, infrared method, impact echo method, and acoustic emission method. The detection methods for structures include drone inspection, remote sensing technology, close-up photography, etc. However, only a small number of scholars have studied soil monitoring technology, especially fine-grained monitoring of soil.
[0004] (1) Monitoring method based on conductivity, moisture and temperature measurement probes
[0005] This monitoring method leverages the electrical conductivity of the soil to enable continuous and dynamic monitoring of the development of cracks in rock and soil. It involves arranging measurement points in a grid pattern within the soil and implanting conductivity, moisture, and temperature measuring probes. The conductivity, moisture content, and temperature of the soil at the measurement points are monitored and recorded. The measured conductivity values are corrected for moisture content and temperature, and an inversion is performed based on the conductivity of the monitored soil. The development of soil cracks is analyzed in both the temporal and spatial domains to monitor the development of soil cracks. This monitoring method allows for continuous and dynamic in-situ monitoring of crack development within the soil over a large spatial scale without disturbing the monitored soil, enabling real-time monitoring of the extent of crack development in length and depth. However, this type of monitoring method is highly dependent on the level of inversion and has varying degrees of accuracy.
[0006] (2) Monitoring method based on distributed optical fiber
[0007] This method involves laying several specialized optical cables in parallel along the slope surface and along the slope's direction. The strain of the inclinometer tube is then used to detect deformation deep within the soil. By sequentially fusing these specialized optical cables together to form a sensing circuit, which is then connected to a remote computer, a distributed optical fiber strain monitoring system is constructed. The distributed optical fiber temperature measurement and data processing system obtains the temperature distribution of the temperature-sensing optical fibers within the temperature-sensing cables after self-heating. The location and width of the cracks are then inverted based on the temperature distribution. The development of internal cracks in the soil is monitored by using the difference in thermal conductivity between the soil and air. This method is suitable for measuring deformation or displacement on soil slope surfaces and deep within the soil, as well as for stability assessment. However, distributed optical fiber monitoring primarily targets large-scale cracks, and the accuracy of identifying fine soil cracks is poor.
[0008] (3) Image-based monitoring methods
[0009] This method is often used to observe existing cracks in earthen sites. It begins by specially marking the sample area to be measured, then periodically photographing the cracks to capture images of their development. Finally, a special measuring scale is used to tally the crack growth. This method has two drawbacks. First, it can only observe existing cracks and cannot accurately observe the entire development cycle of newly emerging cracks. Second, the development of existing cracks is generally stable, with small dynamic changes. This makes it difficult to achieve a completely uniform angle through periodic manual photography, thus failing to meet the precision requirements for crack development patterns.
[0010] It is not difficult to find that the monitoring of soil cracks has not received much attention in the industry. There are few monitoring methods, the accuracy of information obtained is not high, and the monitoring targets are mostly concentrated on the development of single-point cracks. These methods are slightly weak in the ability to detect newly developed cracks in small areas and fine-tune crack monitoring. Utility Model Content
[0011] The purpose of this utility model is to provide a real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development, aiming to address the technical problems encountered in the prior art. This device can monitor the entire crack development cycle in real time, analyzing and extracting information such as the length, width, and characteristic moisture content of each crack at each stage of development, significantly improving the accuracy of soil crack development analysis.
[0012] In order to achieve the above purpose, the utility model adopts the following technical solutions:
[0013] A real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development, comprising:
[0014] A monitoring shed is arranged around the sample area and is a closed space formed above the sample area;
[0015] A viewfinder, which is arranged on the top of the monitoring shed and is used to frame and take photos of the observation frame in the sample area;
[0016] Lights, a plurality of said lights are arranged on the inner wall of the monitoring shed above the observation frame;
[0017] A soil moisture monitoring instrument is used to monitor the soil moisture content around the sample area.
[0018] In some embodiments, the four side walls of the monitoring shed extend into the soil around the sample area and are fixed by a concrete layer.
[0019] In some embodiments, the depth of the concrete layer is the same as the depth of the sample area.
[0020] In some embodiments, the observation frame is fixed to the inner wall of the monitoring shed via a connecting rod, and the observation frame is arranged directly above the soil in the sample area.
[0021] In some embodiments, the plurality of lamps form a shadowless lamp.
[0022] In some embodiments, a solar panel is provided on the top of the monitoring shed, a battery is provided on the side wall of the monitoring shed, the solar panel is connected to the battery, and the battery is used to power the detection device.
[0023] In some embodiments, the viewfinder is arranged on the top of the monitoring shed via an L-shaped cantilever; the viewfinder is arranged on the horizontal section of the L-shaped cantilever.
[0024] In some embodiments, a 4G RTU and a matching antenna are provided on the vertical section of the L-shaped cantilever, and the 4G RTU is connected to the viewfinder and the soil moisture detection instrument respectively.
[0025] In some embodiments, drainage ditches are provided around the soil layer outside the monitoring shed.
[0026] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:
[0027] The utility model can remotely monitor the entire process of soil crack development, capture crack images in real time, and provide a reliable basis for background analysis of the relationship between crack width, length, curvature and water content. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development according to an embodiment;
[0029] Illustration: 1-Solar panel, 2-Battery, 3-L-shaped cantilever, 4-Antenna, 5-4G RTU, 6-Viewfinder, 7-Light, 8-Monitoring shed, 9-Observation frame, 10-Sample area, 14-Soil moisture monitoring instrument, 15-Concrete layer, 16-Drainage ditch. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described in more detail below in conjunction with the drawings in the preferred embodiments of the present application. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar parts or parts with the same or similar functions. The described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present application, and should not be understood as limitations on the present application. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0031] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0032] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to a fixed connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, internal communication between two components, or an interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0033] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are orientations or positional relationships based on the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on this application.
[0034] In addition, the terms "comprises" and "having" and any variations thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or display that comprises a series of steps or elements is not necessarily limited to those steps or elements expressly listed but may include other steps or elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, product, or display.
[0035] The following will be combined Figure 1 , a real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development involved in the embodiment of the present application is described in detail. It is worth noting that the following embodiments are only used to explain the present application and do not constitute a limitation of the present application.
[0036] Embodiment 1:
[0037] like Figure 1 As shown, a real-time remote monitoring device for the development of soil cracks includes: a monitoring shed 8, a viewfinder 6, a lamp 7, and a soil moisture monitoring instrument 14. The monitoring shed 8 is arranged around a sample area 10 and is a closed space formed above the sample area 10; the viewfinder 6 is arranged on the top of the monitoring shed 8 and is used to frame and take pictures of an observation frame 9 in the sample area 10; a plurality of the lamps 7 are arranged on the inner wall of the monitoring shed 8 above the observation frame 9; and the soil moisture detection instrument 14 is used to detect the soil moisture content around the sample area 10.
[0038] The distance between the viewfinder 6 and the sample area 10 to be observed must always remain consistent; therefore, in this application, the viewfinder 6 is installed on the top of the monitoring shed 8 using an L-shaped cantilever 3; the viewfinder 6 is located on the horizontal section of the L-shaped cantilever 3. Furthermore, the use of the L-shaped cantilever 3 minimizes physical interference from human intervention and the outside world after the viewfinder 6 is installed. The viewfinder 6 can remotely adjust the viewing frequency based on the characteristics of the crack development. The viewfinder 6 can operate normally throughout the day, and the viewing environment (exposure) should remain consistent.
[0039] The image quality acquired using this device is highly consistent. This consistency includes image size, exposure, exposure time, light intensity, and framing height. This consistency facilitates unified image processing. The crack information analysis method is implemented through a series of steps: image enhancement, image noise reduction, machine learning, deep learning, and information extraction.
[0040] The purpose of image enhancement and noise reduction is to enhance the effective information of the image and improve the signal-to-noise ratio. There are generally many methods of image enhancement. The contrast between the effective information and invalid information to be identified in this application is relatively strong and relatively easy to distinguish. The histogram averaging algorithm can meet the needs, but the information of the image in this application is relatively easy to distinguish. Therefore, without increasing the computing power, a more accurate restrictive contrast histogram equalization algorithm can be selected. There are also many methods of noise reduction, which mainly rely on various filtering methods to reduce noise and increase the signal-to-noise ratio. This application uses an adaptive median filtering method to meet the distinction between cracks and soil.
[0041] The monitoring shed protects the monitoring sample area, preventing rainwater backflow and providing a suitable observation environment. It also serves as a mount for the viewfinder, cables, and lighting equipment. A solar panel 1 is located on the top of the shed, and batteries 2 are located on the side walls. The solar panel is connected to the battery, which is used to power the detection device. It should be noted that the battery can also be connected to the mains electricity supply, automatically switching according to the operating status of the solar panel to ensure the viewfinder's power supply during monitoring.
[0042] The viewfinder is primarily used to identify cracks; the soil moisture monitoring instrument is responsible for synchronously measuring soil moisture content. The signal transmission unit, consisting of a 4G RTU and a matching antenna, is responsible for transmitting the viewfinder's monitoring image and information such as soil moisture content from the soil moisture monitoring instrument. Through the combination of these units, the monitoring device can remotely adjust the viewfinder's image frequency based on the speed of crack development. This allows for the capture of images throughout the crack's development cycle, ensuring highly consistent exposure, focus, and spatial position, with each image corresponding to the soil moisture content at a specific moment.
[0043] The acquired images can be batch binarized in imaging software. By statistically analyzing the crack grayscale information, the width, length, morphology and other information of the cracks at each development stage can be obtained. Together with the synchronously transmitted soil moisture content, the characteristic moisture content of the cracks at each development stage can be obtained, such as the moisture content at the time of initial crack appearance, the moisture content at the time of maximum crack width, and the moisture content at the time of crack stabilization.
[0044] For details, please refer to the following:
[0045] 1. Image preprocessing: Batch correction and cropping of image angles and sizes to ensure that the position of each image remains relatively consistent;
[0046] 2. Image enhancement and noise reduction: In the IPP software, the restricted contrast histogram equalization method is used to enhance each image and improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the image. Then, the adaptive median filter method is used to reduce the noise of the image to achieve the effect of signal-to-noise separation;
[0047] 3. Threshold segmentation: Import the image into IPP software and convert the image from RGB to grayscale mode with a grayscale value range of 0-255.
[0048] In the grayscale mode, the grayscale value of the entire impact is threshold segmented, that is, a certain grayscale value is selected as the boundary between cracks and soil. Grayscale values less than this value are cracks, and grayscale values greater than this value are soil.
[0049] 4. Crack information extraction: Use the ruler and measurement tools in the IPP software to measure the cracks and obtain information such as the length and width of the cracks in the image.
[0050] The construction of the monitoring device of this application can refer to the following:
[0051] Step 1: Clear the ground of weeds and gravel. Excavate a 1.5m x 1.5m square trench, 10cm wide and 30cm deep. To ensure adequate operating space and ventilation within the monitoring shed, the shed should be three times the size of the area to be monitored for crack development, with an unobstructed top 25cm. For example, if the target crack observation area is 0.5m x 0.5m, the shed should be at least 1.5m x 1.5m.
[0052] Step 2: Use rectangular steel to weld a 1.5m×1.5m rectangular monitoring shed frame. The sunny side of the shed is 1.8m high, and the shady side is 2.0m high. The outside is wrapped with colored steel.
[0053] Step 3: Place the monitoring shed in the square trench excavated in Step 1 and fill it with concrete and compact it; at the same time, dig a drainage ditch outside the shed; to prevent rainwater outside the shed from causing additional impact on the soil inside the shed, absolute water isolation should be ensured above the monitoring depth, which can be achieved by pouring concrete, digging drainage ditches on the outside, and other measures.
[0054] Step 4: Use rectangular steel to weld two 0.9m long L-shaped cantilevers from the center of the roof downward in parallel;
[0055] Step 5: Install solar panels and batteries on the roof and outside the shed respectively, connect them to the dual-frequency switch relay of the equipment, and test the dual-frequency switch switching function;
[0056] Step 6: Place the device viewfinder facing the ground and horizontally mount it on the L-shaped cantilever welded in step 4;
[0057] Step 7: With the viewfinder directly below as the center, dig a square exploration pit of 80cm×80cm×30cm and quickly level the bottom of the pit to form the sample area;
[0058] Step 8: Weld a 50cm x 50cm square observation frame with steel bars and fix it in the air 1cm above the bottom of the exploration pit in step 7. Mark calibration points with red paint on the four corners of the observation frame.
[0059] Step 9: Bury the soil moisture detection instrument outside the observation frame;
[0060] Step 10: Fine-tune the level of the viewfinder set up in step 6, manually adjust and fix the viewfinder focus, connect the 4GRTU and transmission antenna, and turn on the power of the soil moisture monitoring instrument;
[0061] Step 11: Connect to the monitoring platform via the network, set the framing time interval, start and end time, and synchronize the on / off time of the lighting equipment in the monitoring studio with the framing time;
[0062] Step 12: On-site test of the viewfinder's photo taking function, data transmission function, and power switching function.
[0063] Step 13: In the early stage of crack development, the shooting interval is set to 10 minutes. After the cracks are basically stable in the later stage, the shooting interval can be set to 4 hours or longer.
[0064] The background obtains photos of crack development, and automatically obtains information such as crack width, length, and curvature through supervised classification methods, and analyzes the relationship between each data and water content.
[0065] Step 14: The soil moisture information can be transmitted to the backend via 4G RTU and compared with the crack information to obtain the crack development pattern.
[0066] In some embodiments, the side walls of the monitoring shed extend into the soil surrounding the sample area and are fixed by a concrete layer. The depth of the concrete layer is the same as the depth of the sample area.
[0067] In some embodiments, the plurality of lamps form a shadowless lamp, so as to achieve better observation effect.
[0068] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent replacements and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development, characterized in that: include: A monitoring shed is arranged around the sample area and is a closed space formed above the sample area; A viewfinder, which is arranged on the top of the monitoring shed and is used to frame and take photos of the observation frame in the sample area; Lights, a plurality of said lights are arranged on the inner wall of the monitoring shed above the observation frame; A soil moisture monitoring instrument is used to monitor the soil moisture content around the sample area.
2. A real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development according to claim 1, characterized in that: The side walls of the monitoring shed extend into the soil around the sample area and are fixed by a concrete layer.
3. The real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The depth of the concrete layer is the same as the depth of the sample area.
4. The real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The observation frame is fixed on the inner wall of the monitoring shed through a connecting rod, and the observation frame is arranged just above the soil in the sample area.
5. The real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development according to claim 1 is characterized in that: Several of the lamps form a shadowless lamp.
6. The real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development according to claim 1 is characterized in that: A solar panel is provided on the top of the monitoring shed, and a storage battery is provided on the side wall of the monitoring shed. The solar panel is connected to the storage battery, and the storage battery is used to supply power to the monitoring device.
7. The real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The viewfinder is arranged on the top of the monitoring shed through an L-shaped cantilever; the viewfinder is arranged on the horizontal section of the L-shaped cantilever.
8. The real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development according to claim 7, characterized in that: A 4G RTU and a matching antenna are provided on the vertical section of the L-shaped cantilever. The 4G RTU is connected to the viewfinder and the soil moisture detection instrument respectively.
9. The real-time remote monitoring device for soil crack development according to claim 1, characterized in that: Drainage ditches are arranged around the soil layer outside the monitoring shed.