DELFT, The Netherlands, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- On Friday March 7 the Dutch Ministry of Transportation awarded Alert Solutions BV with the assignment to develop and produce a prototype system for remote electronic monitoring of levees. The system encompasses a large area sensor network to generate early warning signals of potential hazards concerning the stability of flood control structures. Sensor technology has not yet been applied for this purpose at this scale. With the assignment the Ministry confirms its confidence in the benefits of such a system for high water management.

The assigned project is part of the Ministry's 'DigiDijk' or 'digital levee' program. This program aims to enable the development of novel detection methods to provide reliable and real time information concerning the safety level of levees. The developed techniques will contribute to limiting the costs and damages associated with flood risks.

GeoBeads

Based on Alert Solutions' sensor network 'GeoBeads' a large number of detection modules are positioned inside a levee. These detection modules contain various tiny sensors that can measure ground stability related parameters, such as pore pressure, temperature, and movements. The measurements are simultaneously collected and visualized. Changes in conditions are detected instantly and provide input for (preventive) safety measures. This decreases the occurrence of hazardous situations and can lower the costs for maintenance and control significantly.

Program Flood Control 2015

The assignment by the Ministry coincides with the recent announcement by a consortium consisting of the Dutch government, research institutes and private companies to invest 45 million Euros in two water management programs. In the program named Flood Control 2015 development of a national control room for flood control will be coordinated. Data for this control room is to be provided by sensor networks such as GeoBeads.

Alert Solutions develops innovative sensor systems for measuring geotechnical parameters. Besides monitoring levees, the product GeoBeads is being developed for related infrastructure environments such as roads, bridges and tunnels. Alert Solutions is based in Delft, The Netherlands, and collaborates closely with Delft University.

For more information: Erik Peters, CEO, +31-628839709, e.peters@alertsolutions.nl