Recently, the “Geo-safety Monitoring and Warning System for Coordinated Transportation Development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei” deployed at K12+800 of the G108 Line at Fozizhuang was officially dismantled. The project was undertaken by the Beijing Institute of Geological & Prospecting Engineering with the purpose of eliminating geohazard such as landslide. Within 84 days of deployment, the warning station issued three successful warnings, and provided professional support to the geohazard prevention work.
By adopting professional monitoring equipment, using scientific and technological means to continuously monitor potential sites of geological disasters, and through in-depth research on the early warning and forecasting system, the Fozizhuang monitoring station has dramatically improved the timeliness and accuracy of early warning and forecasting information, providing strong data support for the prevention and control of geological disasters during the flood season.
In July 2021, the Fozizhuang monitoring station successfully avoided a landslide hazard with a warning issued 44 hours in advance, which was well recognized by the industry and the society at large. The successful warning was reported by mainstream media such as China Natural Resources News, China Mining News, Beijing Daily, Beijing Youth Daily and Xuexi.cn as well as other leading newspapers at the municipal level. Zhang Wei, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director-General of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, has also personally called on the industry to “do a good job in publicity, engaged in technological innovations and scale up advanced practices”.
Answering the calls of the Commission leadership, technical staff of the Beijing Institute of Geological & Prospecting Engineering followed closely the changes in data and intensified on-site inspections, and identified a continuous deformation of the area. As of September 22, a total of 6 warnings had been issued, with 3 actual landslips that had further expanded the total area of the earthfall. The largest rock in the landslip reached the diameter of about 1.8 meters. The maximum diameter of the rock behind road fences reached 2.5 meters. Total landslip reached a volume of 40m3. Effective road control measures were put in place, sound and light warning facilities were deployed to remind vehicles and pedestrians passing the road section. Thanks to the appropriate measures in place, no loss of life or property had been caused due to this landslip.
By September 23, the displacement had widened and the deformation rate continued to rise according to the data monitored. After analyzing the geological environment of the site, the conclusion was made that even greater landslips could be triggered due to multiple previous collapses. Following the conclusion, the Beijing Institution of Geological & Prospecting Engineering issued another warning to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources. The Road Traffic Bureau of Fangshan District quickly initiated an emergency response protocol according to the Landslip Risk Warning Letter of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources, and took control measures over the road section after adopting the risk analysis and disposal suggestions of the Beijing Institute of Geological & Prospecting Engineering. People’s lives and properties were protected thanks to these response measures.
Up to now, the “Geo-safety Monitoring and Warning System for Coordinated Transportation Development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei” has been deployed and become operational at 29 mountainous sites and 7 plain sites with potential geohazards, using 407 sets of professional monitoring equipment covering 7 types of geo-disasters such as landslides, mudslides, cave-ins, unstable slopes, ground cracks and ground subsidence on railroads, national highways and provincial highways. The system will improve the overall monitoring of geological disasters in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei traffic network with professional technical and data support. The result of the monitoring will be of great significance to refining the delicacy urban management in the future.
In the next step, the Beijing Institute of Geological & Prospecting Engineering will aim at ensuring the geological safety of the capital city and further enhancing the awareness of risk prevention and control. It will empower its geological practice with science and technology, focus on risk-warning team building and system research, and consolidate its capabilities in geohazard warning, disaster prevention and relief.
