Gediminas Castle Hill
Work continues to stablise landslide damage affecting Gediminas’ Castle Hill in Lithuania. The castle was built in the 14th Century. Historical sources mention the first catastrophic landslide occurred in 1396. More recently, a catastrophic slide occurred in 2017 following severe rainfall.
The site was closed to the public and work began to stablise the area.
As well as controlling any movement in two retaining walls – a small stone one at the top and a main masonry wall at the bottom – the aim was also to activate an on-site landslide alert.
This is the first wireless, remote control monitoring system to be installed in Lithuania.
The site and the funicular has now reopened to visitors.
The project to stabilise the hill has so far cost the state 9 million euros.
Project Summary
- Name
- Gediminas Castle Hill
- Location
- Lithuania
- Date
- 2017-19
- Client
- National Museum of Lithuania
- Instrumentation Specialist
- GPS Partneris & Gintaris Maknavicius
- Consultant
- Geosense
Monitoring
Geotechnical monitoring began approximately two years ago following a series of severe landslides. Geosense sensors continue to provide online real-time monitoring and alarm alert.
So far, 23 wireless tilt meters have been installed, connected to the Wi-SOS 480 Gateway; 50 prisms are powered with four GeoMax Total Stations and five load cells measure the anchors’ load, powered by a Geologger G8-Plus.
Future plans include increasing the number of prisms, installing piezometers for water level measurement in boreholes and drainage water wells and using inclinometers in a 40m borehole in the centre of the hill.
