Subsurface Multi‐Physical Monitoring of a Reservoir Landslide With the Fiber‐Optic Nerve System

Abstract Reservoir landslides are typical geohazards with sophisticated thermo‐hydro‐mechanical interactions. However, direct observations of subsurface multi‐physical processes in bank slopes remain rare. Herein we present the design, implementation and evaluation of an innovative fiber‐optic nerve system based on weak‐reflection fiber Bragg grating to monitor a giant landslide located in the Three Gorges Reservoir region, China. The system is capable of measuring and imaging spatiotemporal distributions of temperature, moisture and strain along boreholes in near real‐time. Such visual profiles offer unique insights into the subsurface thermo‐hydro‐mechanical link between external conditions and geotechnical deformation, making it possible to decipher the substantial trigger of accelerated movements. Multi‐physical responses at depths of interest also enable us to better understand the evolution mechanism of reservoir landslides. Fiber‐optic nerve sensing can synergize with remote sensing and surface‐based technologies to build a space‐sky‐ground‐subsurface integrated monitoring system for landslides.