|
Due to its mountainous terrain with steep hillsides, Hong Kong is susceptible to landslides when there are heavy rainstorms or typhoons. Therefore, the Government of the HKSAR has been building debris-resisting barriers on natural hillsides throughout the years to improve public safety.
To enhance the effectiveness of the debris-resisting barriers built by the Government, the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) has initiated the project of Smart Barrier. The system adopts internet-of-things sensor technologies which allows real-time monitoring of landslide debris hitting the barriers and its build-up.
Smart Barrier uses solar energy and batteries for operation. It runs properly under severe weather conditions and provides visual checking on a regular basis or upon occurrence of landslides. It uses a web platform and mobile application to issue instant alerts to the authority. An instant camera system with infrared light has been developed to provide images which will be instantly transmitted to the relevant government agencies for timely follow-up actions.
Smart Barrier also consists of an on-site Warning Message System (WMS) which uses the technique of Moving Message Display to alert the public nearby in case of landslides. Smart Barrier is a low-cost, reliable and low-power consumption system which ensures real-time detection of landslides. It is being tested by the CEDD to monitor several debris-resisting barriers.
|
