Slope Stability Monitoring Methods and Technologies for Open-Pit Mining: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Slope failures in open-pit mining pose significant operational and safety issues, underscoring the importance of implementing effective stability monitoring frameworks for early hazard detection to allow for timely intervention and risk mitigation. This systematic review presents a comprehensive synthesis of existing and emerging methods and technologies used for slope stability monitoring in open-pit mining, including both remote sensing and in situ methods, as well as advanced technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines, a total of 49 studies were selected from a collection of four engineering databases, and a comparative analysis was conducted to determine the underlying differences between the various methods for open-pit slope stability monitoring in terms of their performance across key attributes, such as monitoring accuracy, spatial and temporal coverage, operational complexity, and economic viability. Their juxtaposition highlighted the notion that no universally optimal slope stability monitoring system exists, due to a series of compromises that arise as a result of inherent technological limitations and site-specific constraints. Notably, remote sensing methods offer large-scale, non-intrusive monitoring, but are often limited by environmental factors and data acquisition infrequency, whereas in situ methods provide high precision, but suffer from limited spatial coverage and scalability. This review further highlights the capacity of emerging methods and technologies to address these limitations, providing suggestions for future research directions involving the integration of multiple sensing technologies for the enhancement of monitoring capabilities. This study provides a consolidated knowledge base on open-pit slope stability monitoring methods, technologies, and techniques, to guide the development of integrated, cost-effective, and scalable slope monitoring solutions that enhance mine safety and efficiency.