Abstract
This paper presents the application of tilt sensors to measure the movements of a slope surface and slope crest just before failure during excavation of the lower parts of the slope. The tilt sensors used here consisted of highly sensitive and accurate accelerometers, which could measure tilt angles along the XY directions. Full-scale model slopes were prepared using river sand in the laboratory; the slopes were excavated from the lower parts (toe excavations) until slope failure occurred. A gradual increment in tilt angle during the excavation and rapid increment just before slope failure were observed by the tilt sensors, verifying the applicability and efficiency of using tilt sensors to predict slope movement in actual excavation sites.
