Munisense | Pore Pressure Monitoring | Real-Time Insights

Real-time insight into pore pressure

Reliable pore pressure data

Pore pressure is the pressure exerted by water within the pore spaces of the soil. It plays a key role in soil stability and behaviour. Continuous pore pressure monitoring provides real-time insight into changes in pore pressure, allowing design limits to be monitored continuously and deviations to be detected at an early stage.

With Munisense’s telemetric pore pressure meters, measurement data is automatically transmitted to the INSIGHTNOW™ platform. This ensures that current and historical measurement data is always available online for analysis, alerts, and reporting.

Pore pressure and groundwater level: what’s the difference?

Pore pressure is often confused with groundwater level, even though the two measurements serve different purposes.

A groundwater level indicates the elevation of the groundwater table.

A pore pressure measurement determines the pressure of the water between soil particles at a specific depth. It is precisely this pressure that influences the stability of the subsoil and is therefore of great importance in geotechnical projects.

In many projects, both measurements are combined to obtain a complete picture of subsurface conditions.

Why pore pressure is important

Changes in pore pressure can result from, among other things:

  • dewatering
  • dike reinforcements
  • excavations
  • embankment construction
  • foundation work
  • infrastructure projects
  • changes in groundwater conditions

Continuous monitoring reveals developments that often go unnoticed with occasional measurements. This allows calculated threshold values to be continuously monitored and deviations to be detected in a timely manner.

From sensor to real-time insight

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A reliable measurement starts with proper installation

Measuring pore pressure requires specialized equipment and precise installation.

Unlike groundwater level, pore pressure cannot be read manually. The sensor must be placed at the correct depth and properly prepared so that only the actual pore pressure is recorded.

Munisense provides the telemetric pore pressure meter for this purpose, along with specialized instructions for preparing the sensor prior to installation. The Cone Penetration Test (CPT) or borehole installation and the placement of the sensor must therefore be carried out by a specialized geotechnical company or by the client themselves.

After installation, the measurement data is automatically transmitted to INSIGHTNOW™, where the development of the pore pressure can be continuously monitored.

All measurement data in INSIGHTNOW™

Continuous monitoring generates a large amount of data. INSIGHTNOW™ turns measurement data into actionable insights.

With a single online platform, you have access to:

  • real-time dashboards;
  • GIS maps;
  • historical time series;
  • alert notifications;
  • automatic data validation;
  • reports;
  • Web Service APIs;
  • management of all monitoring points.

This ensures you always have access to both current and historical data to analyze developments in the subsurface.

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For which applications?

Continuous pore pressure monitoring is used in a wide range of geotechnical projects, including:

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    Dike monitoring

    Track changes in pore pressure during the construction, reinforcement, and management of flood defenses.

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    Construction pits and dewatering

    Monitor the impact of dewatering on the subsurface and identify anomalies in a timely manner.

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    Roads and rail

    Monitor changes in pore pressure beneath transport infrastructure during construction and maintenance.

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    Site development

    Support geotechnical monitoring during the site preparation of construction sites.

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    Foundations and Civil Structures

    Gain long-term insight into the development of the subsoil around foundations, retaining walls, and other structures.

    Reliable technology for long-term monitoring

    It’s not just the sensor that determines the quality of the measurement data. The reliability of data processing, communication, and management are also essential for long-term monitoring.

    That’s why, with Munisense, you’re choosing:

    • high-quality pore pressure sensors
    • in-house development of both hardware and software
    • automatic data validation
    • LTE-M communication
    • full remote management
    • long battery life
    • nearly 20,000 active monitoring points
    • ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 27001

    Our contact information

    Address

    Munisense B.V.
    Touwbaan 38, A0.
    08
2352 CZ Leiderdorp

    Phone

    +31 (0)71-711 46 23

    Questions about pore pressure monitoring?

    Our specialists are happy to help.

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    Frequently Asked Questions

    Pore pressure is the pressure exerted by water within the pore spaces of the soil. This water is found between soil particles and plays an important role in the stability and behavior of the soil.

    A groundwater level indicates how high the groundwater table. Pore pressure describes the pressure exerted by the water between soil particles at a specific depth. Both parameters complement each other, but measure something fundamentally different.

    Changes in pore pressure can affect the stability of the subsurface. That is why pore pressure monitoring is widely used in the geotechnical monitoring of levees, excavation pits, foundations, railways, and other civil engineering projects.

    No. Unlike groundwater levels, pore pressure cannot be read manually. A properly installed pore pressure sensor is required for this.

    The sensor is placed at the desired depth during a Cone Penetration Test (CPT) or in a borehole. Proper preparation and sealing are essential to reliably measure the actual pore pressure.

    Munisense supplies the measuring equipment and specialized installation instructions. The sounding or drilling is carried out by a specialized geotechnical company or by the client themselves.

    The pore pressure meters automatically transmit measurement data via the LTE-M mobile network to the INSIGHTNOW™ platform. This ensures the data is always available online.

    Yes. INSIGHTNOW™ can automatically send notifications when preset thresholds are exceeded.

    Depending on the selected measurement and reporting interval and the quality of the connection, the battery life is approximately five to seven years.

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