Light-based fiber optic integrated dynamic laboratory model developed for landslide monitoring

Fiber sensors have gained prominence among various measurement techniques for monitoring landslides due to their environmental adaptability, real-time data capabilities, and potential use in early warning systems. This study presents a laboratory-scale landslide monitoring system that utilizes optical fiber cables to detect deformations caused by any triggered mechanism. A landslide simulator was constructed on a shaking table to simulate dynamic sliding conditions. To evaluate the deformation sensitivity, fiber optic cables with diameters of 2, 3, and 4.5 mm were configured in the simulator, and a Brillouin Optical Time Domain Analyzer (BOTDA) was used to acquire distributed microstrain (µε) data along the fiber length. Subsequently, linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs) were integrated into the system to correlate deformations on a metric scale, verifying fiber optical readings. Correlation analyses between microstrain and metric measurements yielded novel empirical equations for estimating measurement sensitivity (µε to mm) with high accuracy (R² = 0.73–0.87). Furthermore, finite element analyses (FEA) were conducted with a real-time earthquake record to verify the reliability of the dynamic deformation responses. The maximum deformation observed in the FEA (1.38 cm) corresponded closely with the LVDT measurements (1.08 and 1.14 cm) obtained from the landslide simulator, thereby validating the sensor’s reliability. The study validates an experimental and numerical framework for selecting fiber-optic cables in landslide monitoring. The findings confirm the sensitivity of fiber-optic cables in laboratory-based landslide monitoring and offer a practical methodology to guide future field implementations of early warning systems.