Geotechnical monitoring: ground and surroundings in view to the millimetre

We monitor excavations, slopes, tracks and adjacent buildings with automated total stations, GNSS and wireless sensors. The readings flow continuously into the online portal, and an alert follows if defined limit values are exceeded.

Request a quote Measuring with a total station
  • Automated total stations
  • Settlement and displacement in 3D
  • Alerts on limit values
Automated total station under a protective cover on a measuring pillar beneath a railway bridge in Cologne

Your benefits

Detecting ground movement early and reliably

Anyone working in the ground changes its surroundings. Automated geotechnical monitoring shows how much, and gives everyone involved a shared data basis.

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Measurement around the clock

The total station measures automatically at a fixed interval, day and night. The interval can be adjusted remotely, without anyone having to be on site.

Three directions in one system

Settlement and horizontal displacement are recorded together at every prism. One measurement shows whether a point is sinking, tilting or moving sideways.

Self-referencing

Reference points outside the zone of influence check the station’s own position in every cycle. Real movement therefore stays distinguishable from movement of the station.

Sensors can be combined

Tilt, crack, vibration and groundwater sensors run on the same platform. All measured quantities of a site are in one place.

The basics

What is geotechnical monitoring?

Geotechnical monitoring is the instrumented monitoring of geotechnical assets, also known as geomonitoring. It records how ground, excavations, slopes and the structures within their zone of influence move. It is often part of the observational method under DIN EN 1997-1 (Eurocode 7), in which prediction, measurement and decisions during construction work together.

What is monitored

Ground, excavations and shoring, slopes and embankments, plus structures, tracks and utilities within their zone of influence.

What is measured

Displacement and settlement, plus tilt, crack width, vibration and groundwater level, depending on the task.

What for

Detecting changes early, checking limit values, alerting those responsible and documenting the trend without gaps.

Measuring with a total station

How an automated total station measures

A total station is a motorised surveying instrument. In monitoring, it targets prisms on its own and determines their position to the millimetre, cycle after cycle.

Prisms on structure and shoring Reference points Shoring of the excavation
  1. 01

    Baseline measurement

    Before the works begin, the total station determines the initial position of all prisms. This is the reference for every later movement.

  2. 02

    Check its own position

    At the start of each measurement cycle, the station targets reference points outside the zone of influence and checks its location.

  3. 03

    Target the prisms

    It then measures all prisms on the structure, shoring, track or slope fully automatically and calculates their position in three directions.

  4. 04

    Check the limit values

    The readings are transferred automatically to the cloud and compared with the defined limit values there.

  5. 05

    Alert and document

    If a value is exceeded, an alert goes to the defined group of people. All readings are available in the online portal.

Measurement methods

Which method captures which movement

The total station is often the backbone. Depending on the task, we add sensors that record individual quantities continuously and densely.

Method What it measures Typical use
Automated total station with prisms Displacement and settlement in three directions at many points Excavations, bridges, tracks, adjacent buildings
GNSS station Position in three directions, also over large areas and without line of sight to a station Slopes, landslides, dams
Distributed fibre optic sensing (DFOS) Strain and temperature continuously along an optical fibre Piles, embankments, dikes, tunnels
Tilt sensor Tilt and the settlement derived from it Retaining walls, buildings, masts
Crack and displacement sensor Crack width and joint movement Adjacent buildings, rock faces
Cable extension sensor Deformation of rockfall barriers Rockfall, slope protection
Vibration monitor Peak particle velocity to DIN 4150-3 Piling, drilling, demolition
Groundwater and water level sensor Groundwater level and pore water pressure Dewatering, excavations

Applications

Where geotechnical monitoring makes the difference

Excavation

Excavations and shoring

Excavation and shoring change the ground around the site. Prisms on the shoring show its deformation in every construction phase.

Construction & development

Existing structures

Adjacent buildings and bridges

Structures within the zone of influence are monitored for settlement and displacement, complemented by crack and vibration monitoring.

Bridge monitoring

Railways

Tracks within the site

For works on or beneath railway assets, total station monitoring records the track geometry in line with the RIL requirements.

Track monitoring

Slopes

Slopes, embankments and rock faces

Landslides and rockfall announce themselves through movement. Sensors on the rock and the barrier report events immediately.

Slopes & guardrails

In practice · Railways

Railway bridge over Venloer Straße, Cologne

During works at the Hans-Böckler-Platz light rail stop, an automated total station monitors the railway bridge and the shoring of the construction pits: 27 prisms on the two abutments, measurement every 30 minutes, checks in the cloud and alerts when limit values are exceeded.

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In practice · Slopes

Rockfall monitoring in the Middle Rhine Valley

Over 45 metres, two levels of a rockfall barrier at different heights are fitted with cable extension sensors, complemented by displacement transducers on the rock face above. If the barrier catches falling rock, the event is reported immediately.

View the reference

All from a single source

From monitoring concept to alerting

We plan the geotechnical monitoring, install total stations and sensors, operate the system and evaluate continuously. One contact for the whole project.

  1. 01

    Concept

    We define measuring points, methods and limit values in the monitoring concept, matched to ground, construction sequence and requirements.

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  2. 02

    Installation

    We set up the total station, reference points, prisms and sensors and carry out the baseline measurement.

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  3. 03

    Maintenance and operation

    We keep the station and sensors ready for operation and adjust measurement intervals remotely if needed.

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  4. 04

    Monitoring and alerting

    We continuously check the readings against the limit values and alert the defined group of people.

    Learn more

Read more about settlement in our guide to settlement monitoring, and find an overview of all measured quantities under structural health monitoring.

Geotechnical monitoring for your site

Whether excavation, slope, track or adjacent building: we define measuring points, methods and limit values and monitor around the clock.

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Christian Steffes Christian Steffes

Data platform

All readings on one platform

The sensors transmit their readings wirelessly to the data platform, where they are evaluated, documented and continuously checked against your thresholds.

  • AI-assisted data analysis
  • User-focused reporting
  • Continuous evaluation
  • Warning and alarm thresholds
  • Alerts by email and text message
  • Remote access around the clock
More on monitoring & alerting
Monitoring platform Sample view
Reading history within limits
Warning threshold
  • AI-assisted data analysis Condition within limits
  • User-focused reporting Report ready
  • Alerting Thresholds monitored
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about geotechnical monitoring

What is geotechnical monitoring?
Geotechnical monitoring, also called geomonitoring, is the instrumented monitoring of geotechnical assets: ground, excavations, slopes and embankments, and the structures within their zone of influence. It mainly measures displacement and settlement, complemented by tilt, crack width, vibration and groundwater level depending on the task. The aim is to detect changes early and respond in time when limit values are exceeded.
How does monitoring with a total station work?
A motorised total station automatically targets prisms on the structure, shoring, track or slope and determines their position in three directions. In each measurement cycle, it first checks its own location using reference points outside the zone of influence. Every measurement is compared with the baseline measurement taken before the works begin.
When is GNSS used instead of a total station?
A total station measures many prisms from a fixed location and needs a line of sight to do so. GNSS stations determine their position from satellite signals and only need a clear view of the sky. This makes them suitable for large or widely spread areas such as slopes, landslides and dams. We often combine both methods with further sensors.
How often does the total station measure?
The measurement interval is set in the monitoring concept, for example every 30 minutes. It can be shortened remotely at any time, for instance for particularly critical construction phases. The station measures around the clock, without anyone having to be on site.
How does geotechnical monitoring differ from structural health monitoring?
Structural health monitoring looks at the structure itself, such as cracks, moisture or vibration. Geotechnical monitoring starts with the ground and its surroundings: excavations, slopes and everything that can be set in motion by work in the ground. In practice the two work together, for example when a bridge next to an excavation is monitored.
When is geotechnical monitoring useful?
Whenever work in the ground can affect nearby structures, tracks or utilities: excavations and shoring, piling and drilling, pipe jacking, dewatering and work on slopes. Clients, checking engineers or the operators of adjacent assets often require monitoring as a condition.
Which limit values apply?
Limit values are project-specific. They are set in the monitoring concept based on the ground, the structural design and the requirements of the client, checking engineer and operators, separately for settlement and horizontal displacement. The platform automatically checks every reading against them.
How am I informed if a limit value is exceeded?
The readings are checked automatically in the cloud. If a limit value is exceeded, an alert goes to the group of people defined in the monitoring concept. All trends can be viewed in the online portal at any time and are documented.
Does a total station need power on site?
The station can run on a fixed power connection. Where none is available, a self-sufficient supply with solar panels and buffer batteries is possible. We decide which solution fits in the monitoring concept.

Project inquiry

Let’s talk about your site

Tell us about the construction works, the surroundings and the requirements. You will receive an initial assessment with suitable methods and measuring points shortly.

+49 6742 8599600 DE +41 41 670 00 11 CH [email protected]
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