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Settlement rod

5 Key Points: Maximize Settlement Rod Measurement with Locator One
How can geotechnical teams move from manual settlement measurements to real-time, data-driven decision-making? Our latest blog explores how automated settlement rod monitoring with Locator One helps teams gain continuous insight into settlement behavior, fill layer development, stabilization trends, and potential anomalies, reducing uncertainty and improving project execution.

From manual settlement monitoring to automated geotechnical insights

Settlement rod monitoring is widely used in geotechnical and earthworks projects to track ground behavior during and after filling operations. However, traditional approaches are still largely manual, delayed, and dependent on expert interpretation.

In practice, this leads to:

  • Time-consuming manual measurement rounds
  • Data availability only after days
  • Reliance on specialist interpretation
  • Delayed geotechnical assessment for planning
  • Uncertainty about stabilization status

Result: slower decision-making, reduced planning certainty, and reactive project execution.

Automated settlement rod monitoring with Locator One changes this model.

By combining GNSS and radar technology directly mounted on the settlement rod, Locator One enables continuous geotechnical monitoring of settlement, fill layers, and displacement, supporting real-time interpretation and project planning.

It provides insight into:

  • Settlement of original ground level
  • Thickness of applied fill layers
  • XY displacement and tilt behavior
  • Stabilization trends over time
  • Abnormal behavior and disturbances

With up to 5 mm vertical accuracy under suitable conditions, Locator One delivers more than measurement, it provides accurate monitoring insights via Parvamoti or API integration.

5 Key Points to Maximize Settlement Rod Monitoring with Locator One

  1. Define project phases and stabilization thresholds upfront

Set clear definitions before monitoring starts.

  • Define construction phases in advance
  • Define stabilization thresholds (e.g. allowable settlement limits)

This ensures settlement monitoring data directly supports phase validation and execution control.

Result: Measurement data becomes a confirmation mechanism for project progress, not just a reporting tool.

 

2. Use daily automated monitoring and alerts

Continuous monitoring replaces intermittent manual readings.

  • Enable daily settlement data collection
  • Configure alerts for abnormal behavior or threshold exceedance. For example: a maximum 1 cm settlement over 30 days triggers an alert

Result: Early detection of deviations enables faster operational response and reduces delayed reactions.

 

  1. Plan fill layers based on trend data, not time intervals

Do not rely on calendar-based execution cycles.

  • Use settlement trends to determine readiness for next fill layer
  • Monitor stabilization development in real time

Result: Fill layer planning becomes data-driven, reducing unnecessary waiting time and improving project efficiency.

 

  1. Configure rod setup and processing correctly from the start

Correct configuration ensures reliable measurement integrity.

  • Extend settlement rods up to 4 meters for multi-layer fill projects
  • Apply tilt correction logic in data processing
  • Use extension and offset handling via Parvamoti configuration
  • Utilize XY data to detect tilt, impact or displacement

Result: Higher data reliability and safer working conditions through the reduced need for manual site inspections.

 

  1. Turn monitoring data into operational decision input

Settlement monitoring is only valuable when it drives decisions.

Locator One enables insight into:

  • Daily settlement behavior
  • Total settlement development
  • Stabilization progression
  • Fill layer thickness validation
  • Detection of abnormal movement patterns

Use this data to:

  • Plan next fill layers
  • Assess remaining stabilization time
  • Identify anomalies early
  • Reduce unnecessary waiting time
  • Document execution decisions with evidence

Result: Shift from reactive measurement to informed project steering.

 

Conclusion: From measurement to data driven decision making

Automated settlement rod monitoring with Locator One transforms how construction and geotechnical teams manage earthworks.

Instead of delayed manual readings, teams gain continuous insight into settlement behavior, fill layer development, and stabilization trends, enabling faster, evidence-based decisions.

This reduces uncertainty, improves execution control, and increases efficiency across project phases.

Would you like to learn more from our experts:

Join our upcoming webinar with our CEO, Martijn Arkesteijn and International Partner Manager, Koen van Dillen:

Automating Settlement Rod Monitoring with Basetime
📅 June 24, 19:00 CEST

Register your spot here: https://basetime.webinargeek.com/automating-settlement-rod-monitoring-with-basetime

Or explore more about settlement rod monitoring at Basetime, or contact us directly: sales@basetime.nl

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What’s new in Parvamoti? Part 3 of 3: View Movement Parallel and Perpendicular to Your Asset

For Object Monitoring projects, movement can now be viewed in relation to the actual direction of the asset.

By defining the Angle Linear Asset, Parvamoti can visualise displacement parallel and perpendicular to the structure, making it easier to understand whether movement is occurring along or across bridges, railways, roads and other linear assets.

A clearer way to interpret movement. More context for your monitoring data.

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Part 3 of 3: View Movement Parallel and Perpendicular to Your Asset

INTERGEO 2026 recap: three days of monitoring in Munich

INTERGEO 2026 is a wrap!
We had three great days in Munich, meeting people from across the geospatial and monitoring industry and talking about projects, monitoring challenges and the possibilities of automated GNSS monitoring.

A big thank you to everyone who stopped by the Basetime booth.

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barry, erik, martijn, koen en luna op intergeo 2026 in munchen

Introducing Alerts in Parvamoti

Monitoring shouldn’t mean continuously checking a dashboard to see whether something has changed.

With Alerts in Parvamoti, users can define relevant movement conditions and automatically notify the right people by email, SMS or both when those conditions are met.

That means less time spent manually checking monitoring dashboards, greater oversight of changing conditions and more focus on what happens next.

With the latest Alerts V2 update, we’ve expanded this functionality with more precise device targeting, new movement comparison options, clearer threshold guidance and a simpler configuration flow.

It’s another step towards our goal of making Parvamoti a more proactive monitoring platform, moving from reliable monitoring data towards timely information and action.

In our latest newsletter, we introduce Alerts in Parvamoti and take a closer look at what the new functionality offers.

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What’s new in Parvamoti? – Part 2 of 3: Understand settlement relative to your project baseline

In the second part of our Parvamoti update series, we’re highlighting the 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗼𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱.

This allows users to analyse soil level and ground plate height relative to the initial project baseline, making it easier to follow settlement development and recognise movement trends over time.

The dashboard also brings these measurements together visually, with the option to review individual measurements, averaged values and export the data for further analysis.

Read Part 2 to learn more about how Relative Settlement provides clearer context for settlement monitoring.

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