Wireless monitoring for dams & reservoirs
Connect your dam instruments.
Access readings remotely.
Ackcio Beam acquires readings from supported instruments across dam structures, foundations and surrounding slopes, then carries the data through a wireless network to your monitoring workflow.
- Supported instrument interfaces
- Self-Healing Mesh
- Remote data access
Published deployment evidence
Reservoir slopes. A documented communication challenge.
At Feitsui Reservoir, DECL connected slope instruments across steep, forested terrain to a gateway on the dam.
Feitsui Reservoir · Taiwan
Bring slope readings back to the dam
DECL installed Measurand ShapeArrays at three locations around the reservoir. Solar-powered Ackcio Digital Nodes and repeater nodes carried the readings through the terrain to a gateway on the dam.
- Hourly
- configured reading interval
- 3 locations
- ShapeArrays in 30 m casings
Measurement: reservoir-slope deformation
Pathway: ShapeArrays → Digital Nodes → repeaters → gateway
The published account reports automated readings beginning in October 2021, at the start of a planned two-year pilot.
Read the published case study
“can transmit the data reliably”Eric Hoe, Vice President, DECL · Feitsui Reservoir
Read the project account ↗
From measurement to review
How Ackcio fits your monitoring setup
Start with the instrument output, reading interval and site layout. Then select the acquisition node, communication paths and data destination.
01 / INSTRUMENTS + NODES
Match the instrument output
Connect supported third-party instruments or Ackcio sensors to the appropriate node. Local sensor cables still need protection.
Analogue Nodes Vibrating Wire Nodes Digital Node
02 / GATEWAY
Bring readings together
The gateway receives data from the Beam network. Plan its position, power and internet or local network connection around the site.
Gateway
03 / SOFTWARE
Review and integrate
Use Snape for network and sensor-data management. Supported API or FTP integrations can deliver readings to compatible monitoring platforms or internal systems.
SnapeUse the instruments your plan requires
A vibrating wire piezometer connects through a VW acquisition node. GeoArray and supported digital instruments use the appropriate digital interface. Analogue water-level or flow instruments need compatible analogue acquisition. Select by the actual signal and electrical requirements.
Keep the review workflow connected
Agree the data destination, units, timestamps, reading interval and access requirements. Validate the complete path from each instrument to the engineer’s software during commissioning.
The wireless differentiator
Self-Healing Mesh
Dam geometry, terrain and site activity can affect radio links. Ackcio Beam selects communication paths and can reroute through other nodes where alternative paths exist.
Mesh reroutes radio communication. Instruments, sensor cables and power supplies still need inspection and maintenance.
Beam Mesh and TM-L LoRa are distinct systems. Specify the radio architecture for each device.
Self-Healing Mesh
Explore the Ackcio product family and acquisition requirements
Confirm sensor model, output, excitation, power, channel count, protocol and sampling needs before specifying a node. Water-level, flow and weather instruments are supported third-party categories; they are not presented here as Ackcio products.
What can you monitor?
Six areas. A connected measurement plan.
Explore structures, water, ground and the quality of the data itself. Each area pairs a monitoring illustration with readable parameters and relevant acquisition options.
Monitoring area 01
Reservoir level and weather
How are water level and weather changing?
Read environmental conditions alongside the dam’s response.
- Reservoir and tailwater level
- Suitable water-level instruments record level at defined locations and reference datums.
- Rainfall in the catchment
- Rain gauges provide rainfall records for the areas represented by their locations.
- Wind and temperature
- Weather stations and temperature sensors add environmental context.
Measurement and acquisition considerations
Water-level, flow and weather instruments are supported third-party categories. Confirm each model’s signal, power, protocol and acquisition requirements; a pulse-output rain gauge needs compatible pulse acquisition.
Monitoring area 02
Dam body deformation
Is the dam displacing, settling or tilting?
Select measurements that distinguish displacement at depth, vertical movement and angular change.
- Displacement profile
- GeoArray or a suitable in-place inclinometer can characterise displacement for the specified installation.
- Crest settlement
- Suitable settlement cells or other displacement instruments measure vertical change against the project reference.
- Tilt of structures
- Tiltmeters record angular change at parapets and other selected structures.
Measurement and acquisition considerations
Tilt is an angular measurement, not direct settlement or dam-body displacement. Array orientation, reference stability, installation method and instrument output determine what is measured.
Monitoring area 03
Seepage and uplift
How are pore pressure and drainage conditions changing?
Acquire pressure readings and flow observations at the locations defined in the dam’s monitoring plan.
- Pore-water pressure
- VW piezometers measure pressure at installed points within the embankment or foundation.
- Seepage flow
- A suitable weir-level or flow instrument records drainage conditions; flow conversion depends on the installation and calibration.
- Uplift pressure
- Suitable pressure instrumentation at specified foundation locations supports assessment of uplift conditions.
Measurement and acquisition considerations
Individual pressure readings do not establish the complete phreatic surface or dam stability. Engineers must confirm uplift instrumentation, drainage layout, weir geometry, flow conversion and interpretation.
Monitoring area 04
Spillway and structures
How are the spillway, walls and gates responding?
Track selected structural details alongside reservoir operation and inspection records.
- Crack and joint opening
- Crackmeters and suitable joint sensors measure opening and closing across an installed gauge length.
- Tilt of walls and gate piers
- Tiltmeters measure angular changes at selected mounting points.
- Strain in gates and gate arms
- Suitable strain gauges measure local response at the selected structural member.
Measurement and acquisition considerations
Match the sensor and mounting method to the member and expected response. Strain-to-stress conversion needs material properties and engineering assumptions; a strain reading is not a direct measure of gate load.
Monitoring area 05
Foundation and abutments
Is the ground under and beside the dam moving?
Combine displacement and pressure measurements with the geological and structural model.
- Movement at depth
- Suitable extensometers or in-place arrays measure displacement along the installed direction and reference.
- Foundation joints
- Joint or displacement instruments follow relative opening and closing at selected locations.
- Abutment and reservoir slopes
- Appropriately installed arrays and piezometers add displacement and pore-pressure records; surface tilt adds angular context.
Measurement and acquisition considerations
Confirm borehole layout, reference anchorage, measurement direction and deformation method with the technical reviewer. Tilt alone is not direct foundation displacement. Extensometers and joint sensors may be third-party instruments.
Monitoring area 06
Data health
Does a change reflect the asset or the measurement chain?
Review the acquisition record alongside instrument checks and site events.
- Battery and radio status
- Review the device and network indicators available for the deployed hardware and software.
- Missing or unusual readings
- Investigate gaps and unexpected changes alongside wiring, power, instrument condition and site activity.
- Communication paths
- Self-Healing Mesh can use alternative radio routes where the network provides them.
Measurement and acquisition considerations
Available battery, signal and temperature fields depend on the device and software version. Data gaps or spikes require investigation; no automatic fault diagnosis or unreleased AI capability is implied. Mesh does not repair physical faults.
Between inspections
A measurement record between site visits.
Wireless acquisition adds scheduled instrument readings to inspections and engineering assessment. It helps the team review selected changes alongside operating conditions.
Periodic access
Manual rounds capture conditions at specific times. Access to remote crests, galleries or reservoir slopes can limit reading opportunities.
Long local cable routes
Connect sensors to nearby nodes where suitable. Local cables, glands and power systems still need protection from water, lightning and physical damage.
From data to review
Agree who checks readings, how gaps are investigated and what action follows. More readings support a response plan; they do not establish dam safety on their own.
Periodic observations
Inspections and manual readings document conditions at particular times and provide essential physical observations.
Configured acquisition
Readings from suitable instruments arrive at the configured intervals, building a record for review with inspections, reservoir levels and site events.
Start with one asset
Build a deployment around the engineering question.
Select measurements, communication paths and responsibilities for the dam’s specific construction, geology and operation.
Embankment dams
Coordinate pore-pressure, displacement and settlement records.
Concrete dams
Specify strain, joint movement and foundation pressure measurements.
Spillways and gates
Track selected cracks, joints, tilt and local structural response.
Reservoir slopes
Plan subsurface displacement and pressure monitoring across terrain.
Foundations and abutments
Define references, borehole geometry and movement directions.
Nearby structures
Select measurements for buildings and slopes around the asset.
Define the question
Agree the parameters, locations, reading intervals, review responsibilities and response procedure.
Plan and commission
Check sensor outputs, node fit, radio coverage, alternative paths, power, backhaul, access and protection. Validate baseline readings and the data pathway.
Review, then extend
Check data completeness and maintenance needs with the engineering team. Extend only after the first scope and review workflow have been validated.
A project-specific business case
Assess actual reading rounds, access costs, installation, connectivity and maintenance. Savings depend on the monitoring scope and operating arrangements.
Keep engineering assessment central
Measurements complement inspections and analysis. The owner and engineering team define how readings inform decisions and the action plan.
Common questions
Before you specify a system
Can we use instruments already installed at the dam?
Potentially. Check each sensor’s exact model, electrical output, excitation, power, channel count and sampling requirements against the node. An instrument category alone does not establish compatibility.
Does wireless monitoring remove all sensor cables?
Some instruments still connect by cable to a local node. In a Beam deployment, Mesh carries data wirelessly between nodes and the gateway. Those local connections still need protection and maintenance.
What happens if a radio path is blocked?
Self-Healing Mesh can select an alternative communication route where the network provides one. Coverage and recovery depend on site conditions and network design. It does not restore a failed sensor, cable or power supply.
Can water-level, flow and weather instruments be connected?
Supported third-party instruments can be considered after checking output, power and acquisition requirements. The team must also confirm the installation, calibration and any conversion from level to flow.
Can one piezometer show the dam’s phreatic surface or stability?
A piezometer measures pressure at its installed location. Interpreting a pressure distribution or stability requires an appropriate instrument layout, other evidence and engineering assessment.
Is TM-L part of the Beam Mesh network?
TM-L uses LoRa and is distinct from the Beam Mesh architecture. Select the correct device, gateway support and communication layout for each system.
Can monitoring replace dam inspections?
Instrument readings complement inspections, analysis and the owner’s monitoring plan. Engineering interpretation and a defined response procedure remain essential.