Firefly Sensor Developed for the Monitoring of Ground Failures
▲ Department of Geotechnical Engineering Research, KITC
- Smart Sensor and System Developed to Detect Symptoms of Ground and Structural Failure
- Field-deployable, Fast, and Accurate Technology that Contributes to Public Safety
The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) has developed a smart detection sensor (Firefly Sensor), which can detect signs of ground and structural failure, along with a real-time remote monitoring system. The technology was developed jointly with Disaster Safety Technology Co., Ltd., KICT's first research affiliated company, and EMTAKE Co., Ltd., a Korean venture company.
The developed Firefly Sensor can be easily mounted in various high-risk areas where ground failures are a concern, with a spacing of 1 m to 2 m. In addition, it can detect deviations as small as 0.03° in real-time, surpassing the 0.05° threshold of the slope inclinometer criteria set by the Korea Forest Service for slope collapse. When a sign of collapse is detected, an immediate alert is triggered using LED illumination. The LED alert utilizes high-efficiency optical transmission lens technology, enabling managers and workers on site to visually confirm the alert, even at a distance of 100 m during daylight hours. Site conditions can be simultaneously and remotely monitored from the control room in real time, facilitating additional measures such as sharing the risk situation with related institutions.
In addition, the sensor offers easy installation, resulting in more than a 50% cost savings compared to the installation and operation expenses of conventional measurement sensors. It offers the advantage of operating for a full year without battery replacement, thanks to its ultra-low power design. Additionally, the sensor is designed to operate reliably in extreme temperatures ranging from -30°C to 80°C, and is considered especially suitable for regions with distinct seasonal variations.
The Firefly Sensor is equipped with an algorithm technology that prevents malfunctions by analyzing and assessing risks based on the installation location. This means that it can be utilized in a range of locations that includes construction and civil engineering sites, aging buildings, cultural heritage and fortress structures, steep slopes, areas prone to landslides, tunnel construction, mines and underground structures, bridges, dams, areas where erosion protection is needed, and more.
Currently, the Firefly Sensor is being operated in pilot installations that include Jeju Lava Cave, water treatment and sewage plants in Incheon, cut slopes and mountain slopes along national highways, the KINTEX station section of the GTX-A route, construction sites for apartment complexes in Daejeon and Damyang-gun, and LG chemical factories. It has also been incorporated into the design of the extension project for the 2023 Sin Bonding Line. It is expected that its application in national infrastructure construction projects, including in the demolition of buildings, will increase.
This achievement would not have been possible without the support of the Ministry of Science and ICT, specifically as part of the KICT's main project (Regional Cooperation Project) entitled "Development of Jeju-type Ground Subsidence Response System for Road Safety Operation (2020-2022)."
