Development of Wireless Pore Water Pressure Transducer and Measurement at Embankment Dams

Abstract

The purposes of this paper are to introduce wireless pore water pressure transducer and to indicate the performance of the transducers installed within embankments of dams. Some experimental tests were conducted to investigate the design specifications. It was confirmed from these tests that the transducers could express more than 100 m underground-communication, the lives were more than 10 years, and the waterproof was more than 3 MPa etc. The installation procedure was also investigated. The wireless transducers and conventional pressure gauges with cables were installed into two real embankment dams constructing by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan. The pore water pressure values measured with these wireless transducers were compared with those of the conventional pressure gauges. It was found from the results that both values measured were consistent.