Underpass Flood Monitoring and Automated Safety with WISE and IoTstar

Underpass Flood Monitoring and Automated Safety with WISE and IoTstar

Application Overview

A customer implemented a water level monitoring and automated safety system for several underpass sections in Taichung City. The system uses ICP DAS leak detection equipment, a WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller, an iKAN-224-IP65 Industrial LED Display, tM-PD3R3 relay I/O, and IoTstar IIoT cloud management software to monitor flooding conditions and coordinate local safety actions.

When water reaches the configured warning level at the monitored location, the system can display a warning message, lower the boom barrier, start the pump system, send an alarm notification, and transmit on-site water-level information to the control center for real-time monitoring.

The Challenge

Low-lying underpasses can flood quickly during heavy rain or typhoons. If vehicles or pedestrians enter before the condition is recognized, they may become trapped in a hazardous area.

The customer needed a system that could continuously monitor flood conditions, respond locally without depending on a live connection to the background monitoring software, and give management personnel real-time visibility from the control center.

The ICP DAS Solution

The system combines point water detection, local edge control, warning equipment, relay control, and centralized IIoT monitoring. A CA-LLD-DP100 Leakage Probe is connected to an iSN-101 Liquid Leak Detection Module, which communicates with the WISE-5231. The WISE-5231 executes the application logic, coordinates warning and control actions, and sends field information to the control center. The iKAN-224-IP65 provides local warning messages, the tM-PD3R3 provides relay outputs for the boom barrier and pump control circuits, and IoTstar provides remote monitoring and data visualization.

Water Detection and Modbus RTU Communication

The CA-LLD-DP100 Leakage Probe detects water at a specific installed location. Two probes at its base must contact the water at the same time to complete the detection circuit. This makes the device suitable for detecting when water reaches a defined point rather than acting as a continuous analog level transmitter.

The CA-LLD-DP100 is used with the iSN-101 Liquid Leak Detection Module. The iSN-101 receives the resistance-based detection signal and communicates the measured condition to the WISE-5231 through Modbus RTU over RS-485. The iSN-101 also includes a configurable relay output that can be used for local alarm or device-control functions.

Automated Local Control with WISE-5231

The WISE-5231 Intelligent IIoT Edge Controller performs the real-time control logic using its built-in IF-THEN-ELSE mechanism. Once the configured flood condition is detected, the controller can execute the required safety actions locally even if the background monitoring software is not connected.

According to commands from the WISE-5231, the tM-PD3R3 3-channel Isolation Digital Input and 3-channel Power Relay Module provides relay outputs for the boom-barrier and pump control circuits. When the warning condition is reached, the boom barrier can be lowered to block vehicles and pedestrians, and the pumping system can be started. When the water condition returns below the warning point, the barrier can be raised again according to the configured control logic.

Local Warning Display

The iKAN-224-IP65 Industrial LED Display presents warning messages at the underpass entrance. The iKAN series supports ASCII and Unicode text and Modbus communication for integration with PLC, HMI, and SCADA systems. The display is IP65 rated for water and dust resistance, making it suitable for protected outdoor and semi-outdoor installations.

The original underpass application uses the display to provide immediate warning information to approaching drivers and pedestrians. The iKAN platform also supports multiple text colors and stored messages so different warning priorities can be presented clearly.

Control Center and IoTstar Monitoring

During a flood event, the WISE-5231 sends an alarm notification and transmits on-site data to the control center through Modbus TCP. The control-center computer uses IoTstar IIoT cloud management software to monitor WISE controllers and connected field devices.

In this application, IoTstar collects sensor data, imports it into a database, and displays underpass information on a dashboard for real-time monitoring. IoTstar can be deployed on a private Windows-based system or supported public cloud platforms and provides controller remote access, sensor data collection, and data visualization for WISE/PMC/PMD controllers.

Enhanced Alarm and Camera Monitoring

The system can be expanded with the ALM-Horn-BR Piezo Transducer Alarm Siren and iCAM series IP cameras. The iSN-101 has a relay output for liquid-leak alarm functions, allowing the ALM-Horn-BR to provide audible and visual warning signals when the flood condition is detected.

The WISE-5231 also supports CGI command operations for surveillance-system integration. In the enhanced application, the WISE controller can activate an iCAM series IP camera so images can be sent to the control center. The iCAM-ZMR8422X is a 2 MP Full HD auto-focus IR bullet IP camera with day/night operation and an IP67-rated enclosure

How the System Works

1. The CA-LLD-DP100 Leakage Probe detects when water reaches the installed monitoring point.
2. The iSN-101 Liquid Leak Detection Module receives the resistance-based detection signal and communicates the condition to the WISE-5231 through Modbus RTU over RS-485.
3. The WISE-5231 evaluates the configured warning condition and executes its IF-THEN-ELSE control logic locally.
4. When the warning condition is reached, the iKAN-224-IP65 displays a warning message at the underpass.
5. tM-PD3R3 relay outputs command the boom-barrier and pump control circuits according to the WISE-5231 logic.
6. The WISE-5231 sends alarm notifications and transmits on-site data to the control center through Modbus TCP.
7. IoTstar stores and visualizes the collected data for remote monitoring and management.
8. Optional ALM-Horn-BR and iCAM equipment can add audible/visual alarms and camera monitoring.

Key Benefits

• Automatic local response to flooding even if the background monitoring software is temporarily unavailable.
• Real-time underpass condition monitoring from the control center.
• Automatic boom-barrier and pump-control actions when the configured warning condition is reached.
• IP65-rated local LED warning display for drivers and pedestrians.
• Web-based WISE control-logic configuration using IF-THEN-ELSE rules without custom hard-code programming.
• WISE support for XV-board expansion, Modbus RTU/TCP devices, data logging, and data-file recovery functions.
• IoTstar dashboard visualization for current and historical sensor information.
• IoTstar Report Service support for statistical reports with PDF and Excel output.
• Optional audible/visual alarms and IP camera monitoring for additional on-site awareness.

Conclusion
This application combines point water detection, local edge control, automated safety equipment, and centralized IIoT monitoring to improve underpass flood response. The CA-LLD-DP100 and iSN-101 detect when water reaches the monitored point, while the WISE-5231 executes the IF-THEN-ELSE logic used to coordinate warnings, boom-barrier control, pumping, alarm notifications, and data transmission.

At the control center, IoTstar provides centralized access to field information through database storage and dashboard visualization. Optional sound/light alarms and IP cameras add another layer of on-site warning and remote visibility, helping management personnel respond more quickly when flooding occurs.