www.ijecs.in
International Journal Of Engineering And Computer Science ISSN:2319-7242
Volume 2 Issue 8 August, 2013 Page No. 2332-2336
Flood Detector Emergency Warning System
N. M. Z. Hashim1, N. B. Hamdan2, Z. Zakaria3, R. A. Hamzah4, A. Salleh5
1, 2, 3, 5
Faculty of Electronics & Computer Engineering, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka,
Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka Malaysia.
4
Faculty of Engineering Technology, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka,
Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka Malaysia.
nikzarifie@utem.edu.my1
basyirah_86@yahoo.com2
zahriladha@utem.edu.my3
rostamaffendi@utem.edu.my4
azahari@utem.edu.my5
Abstract: Floods occur most commonly when water from heavy rainfall, from melting ice and snow in the country that having cold
weather, or from a combination of these exceeds the carrying capacity of the river system, lake, or ocean into which it runs. Due to the
effect, many study been conducted as to get ready with a system to alarm people from this disaster. The objective of this project is to match
the software (Visual Basic.6) with the system, design the circuit and create a programming code using the Peripheral Interface Controller
(PIC) 16F877A microcontroller and apply the GSM Mobile in transmitting the data from one place to another place. Result showed, data
was finally sent via Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) mobile, where it was act as a modem for the system. All three level
sensors were also detected the water level. The data from sensor and PIC also were appeared at the control centre. This project can be
improved with upgrading the component in Graphical User Interface (GUI) with more function button to make sure it will be more friendly
user and interesting. The system is proposed to have the GSM modem will be as a transmission modem in order to have larger coverage,
thus it also easily connected to the computer.
Keywords: Flood, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), PIC 16F877A, Water Level Sensor
1. Introduction
Floods commonly occur when water from heavy rainfall,
from melting ice and snow, or from a combination of these
exceeds the carrying capacity of the river system, lake, or
ocean into which it runs. Combination flow of several waterswollen tributaries causes flooding along a river bank or
shoreline. The geographical location also one of the factors that
caused flood occur, where the cyclical monsoons during the
local tropical wet season. Due to the floods, many lives and the
property are found destroyed. The flood make a traffic jam, an
accident and any dangerous to road user. For this reason, the
project has been proposed; to help the road user from this
problems happened. It was invented based on the problem
faced by road user when flood is occurred. This project will
avoid the traffic jam because the users have a time to find an
alternative road before they are going to be stuck at the flood
area. This system is function when the water along the road is
passing over the water level sensor. This water level sensor
then will sent a signal to the control centre via the GSM
Mobile. The GSM Mobile will be put in the two different
places, one at the place that sensor has been located and the
other one at the control centre. When the flood occurs, this
sensor will sent a signal to the microcontroller circuit and
activate the Visual basic interface at control centre and
project‟s Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) display.
Several literature study been conducted for gaining the
understanding and the knowledge. L. Siew Khuan et al
invented a system to detect the depth of water when it is over
the standard level of sensor. This project was placed in the
lowland or the place that always occur a flood. The system is
completed with the warning light, to tell the user road about the
flood and also will tell the control centre the information via
the microcontroller Atmel 89S51. The water level sensor for
this system will be divided into three levels. This system used
Radio Frequency (RF) as Transmitter and Receiver to send the
signal to microcontroller (Atmel 89S51). The Microcontroller
than activated the Light Emitting Diode (LED) at the road and
told the control centres the information of flood‟s level. This
project will be used the LED Display as output signal to the
user road. The other components that been used in the system is
encoder, decoder and opto-coupler. As a result, the user will
know the flood is occurred when they saw the warning light
that been placed at the road side. This warning light acted as a
sign of the flood, where it is divided into three colours, every
colour is represented the each level. In the same time, the
information of the flood will be sent to the control centre to
make sure the further action will be taken by the authorities.
There are many lacks that been seen in this system, where the
user have to be neared to the flood area to get the information,
so the information will late to be known by the user. Another
problem that occurred, not all user maybe alert with the
warning light sign that been placed in the flood area. Finally,
N. M. Z. Hashim, IJECS Volume 2 Issue 8 August, 2013 Page No.2332-2336
Page 2332
the time will be wasted and also caused a trouble to user, where
they have to find an alternative road for the last minutes.
B. Banksa et al described an autonomous wireless system
that generates road safety alerts, in the form of SMS and email
messages, and sends them to motorists subscribed to the service
[2]. Drivers who regularly traverse a particular route are the
main beneficiaries of the proposed system, which is intended
for sparsely populated rural areas, where information available
to drivers about road safety, especially bridge conditions, is
very limited. At the heart of this system is the SmartBrick, a
wireless system for remote structural health monitoring that has
been presented in the previous work. Sensors on the
SmartBrick network regularly collect data on water level,
temperature, strain, and other parameters important to safety of
a bridge. There are several different that been reviewed from
this system firstly, the uses of the system; where this system is
been used more widely not specific at one place. Secondly, the
cost of this system is more costly than the current system
because it is use the special gadget (SmartBrick) for a long
distance communication. Even though this gadget has a great
function, but it is not available in this country. There a lot of
money will be spent to buy this gadget to put in the system.
D. Hughes et al described a wireless sensor network [3] for
flood warning which is not only capable of integrating with
remote fixed-network grids for computationally-intensive flood
modelling purposes, but is also capable of performing on-site
flood modelling by organizing itself as a „local grid‟[4]. The
combination of these two modes of grid computation to local
and remote to yields significant benefits. For example, local
computation can be used to provide timely warnings to local
stakeholders, and a combination of local and remote
computation can inform adaptation of the sensor network to
maintain optimal performance in changing environmental
conditions.
From the information of the three projects, there are a lots
differences that been recognized. Even though the flow of the
current project is similar with first literature review [1], but the
component that been used for the “Flood Detector Emergency
Warning” are not same. This is because the current project will
use PIC 16F977A as a controller, the LCD display to show the
output and GSM Mobile will be used to transmit the data.
Which means for transceiver process the range will be widely
instead using the Radio Frequency (RF) as transmitter and
receiver. While for the rest of two cases, the uses for the two
case is more widely and the cost for both is more expensive
because the component or device not available in this country.
Instead, the current project is more specific at one place only
and the cost for the project is cheaper than other two projects.
The objective of this project is to design a circuit and create
a programming code using the microcontroller PIC16F877A
using GSM Mobile in transmitting the data from one place to
another place. Level of the flood where the system sensor is
located also will be reviewed as the aim of this project.
2. Methodology
The project design includes the hardware and software
system. The detail of the workflow of the project will be
discussed which include the device design and program
development.
2.1. First Phase
The system will begin reviewed on circuits and methods
such as, the water level sensor circuit, microcontroller circuit,
GSM Mobile and LCD display that will be search to develop
the system. All the materials have to be reviewed in the way to
know the function of each circuit. The initial construction is
done by using the Proteus Software, for easier testing and
modification. All the components will be connected similar to
the schematic circuit. In this stage, the circuit has been
simulated for many times to make sure it finally work. The
circuit will be divided into two circuits, first water level
detector and the PIC circuit. After circuit is completely
functioned, it will be transferred to the Printed Circuit Board
(PCB). Before that, the circuit will be created using tool in the
Proteus which is called ARES. The next stage for the hardware
design was to build the circuit on the PCB board. All the
components will be inserted on the board and then it will be
tested to make sure it is function or not. If the circuit does not
function, the connection will be checked and the circuit will be
the tested until it works. After that, the two circuits will be
combined and the functionality will also be tested [5].
Figure 1: Overall Project Flow chart
2.2. Second Phase
Programming will divided into two parts, first is the
programming for the PIC circuit and the second is the
programming for connection between computer and the PIC
circuit [6], [7], [8], [9]. For the first programming, the MPLAB
software is used for testing the program. The assembly
language is used in to design coding for the system. The AT
Command is also been used in the system to control the
message at the GSM mobile which is act as modem to the
system. The workflows of the programming are shown as
below, Figure 2. The flow of the programming is started with
the water level sensor. Then, it will send the signal to the PIC
circuit. The signal will be received by the PIC circuit, it will
N. M. Z. Hashim, IJECS Volume 2 Issue 8 August, 2013 Page No.2332-2336
Page 2333
response based on coding that been programmed. The second
part of programming used the Visual Basic.6 software. This
software will work as to interface the control centre and PIC
circuit to show the condition of the road. This program is been
designed with the capability to show the level of flood e.g.
Level 1 , Level 2 or Level 3. The result of the flood level
condition is depending on the signal of PIC circuit.
Figure 3: The water level system
Table 1: Flood Level Display Result
Control
Centre
GSM
Mobile
Normal
Normal
-
Level 1
Level 1
Level 1
Level 2
Level 2
Level 2
Level 3
Level 3
Level 3
Level
LCD Display
Figure 2: The flowchart Flood Detector Emergency Warning
2.3. Project Flow
The water level sensor will be set into several part standard.
The process is begin when the sensor detect the water level is
over the standard level which same level as the road. The
sensor then will send a signal to the microcontroller via GSM
Mobile to the control centre. The microcontroller is placed at
the receiver place, where it is control the output of LCD
display. If the signal from the water level sensor is telling that
there is flood occurred, it will activate the GSM Mobile system
and LCD display. The GSM Mobile system is located in the
two different places, which is known as control centre and
microcontroller, this system will send the data wirelessly to the
control centre if the microcontroller is activated. In the control
centre we will know what will happen in that area and also the
level of the flood. The control centre will act as informer for
the facilitate authorities to take the further action.
3.2 Software Result
All the condition of flood‟s level had been successful
displayed at the GUI [9], [10], [11]. One of the results of this
system will be shown as figure below (level 1).
3. Results/ Findings and Discussion
At the end of the project, this system is complete and
function same as the planning. This project was designed to
reduce traffic congestion in a particular area, include making
road user to find alternative road before the stuck in a flooded
area. This project is effective in decreasing the traffic jam in
the road area that affected by flood.
3.1 Hardware Result
The water sensor circuit is working were it finally had
detected all the levels of flood. The circuit also had sent a
signal to the PIC circuit by showing result at the LCD display.
At the same time it also sends the signal to the GSM mobile
and to the computer.
Figure 4: GUI of normal condition for the road
N. M. Z. Hashim, IJECS Volume 2 Issue 8 August, 2013 Page No.2332-2336
Page 2334
During this research, there are some problems occurred
when simulation process has been run with designed the
circuits. The circuit does not function properly.
Troubleshooting had been done to the circuit in order to
determine the cause of failure. The circuit was checked by
using the power supply at every each of the components. The
purpose of checking the components are to determine whether
the power supply has reached or not at the component. If there
is no power supply at the component, there must be a problem
occur in the circuit. The possible reason that the circuit cannot
function are, the wrong design of the circuit or the wrong
connection of the component. These problems can be checked
if the connection of the circuit will be in red line by using the
software. The short circuit is also one of the reasons that makes
circuit cannot function properly, where there is a smash ball at
circuit‟s track, it might occur while the process of soldering the
PCB board. Finally the hardware is successfully functioning as
the aim of the project.
For the software part, the problems that occur at the system
are happened when the data does not display well at the GUI.
The result at the GUI will be shown level 3 after the sensor
detect water, it does not return to normal if the sensor is taken
from the water. This problem occurs because there is an error
in the programming, where code of colour at the result box was
not same with colour code level of the flood. After a few
corrections done during the design process, the programming
for the GUI was displayed the result of the water level and
successfully functioned.
4. Conclusions
From the research and finding that been made, the objectives
of the project is successfully achieved, where the circuit finally
completely functioned. The data is finally been sent via GSM
mobile, where it were act as a modem for the system. All three
level sensors were also detecting all the water level. Finally,
data from sensor and PIC reached at the control centre. The
project has been successfully developed and implemented.
However, it can be improved to target more advanced and the
better application in the next stage of research. For future
improvement, the system can be upgraded e.g. the component
in GUI with more button functions may be added to make sure
it will become interesting. The GSM modem for transmitting
the data to the control center can be used as it is easily
connected to the computer.
5. Acknowledgement
We are grateful to Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
(UTeM) for their kind help for supplying the electronic
components and giving their laboratory facility to complete this
study.
References
[1] L. Siew Khuan, Nor Basyirah Hamdan, Nur Farahiyah.
Flood Sensor. Final year project. Politeknik Ungku Omar,
2006.
[2] B. Banksa, T. Harmsa, S. Sedigh Sarvestania, & F.
Bastianinib. A Low-Cost Wireless System for Autonomous
Generation of Road Safety Alerts. Missouri University of
Science and Technology, USA, 2007.
[3] Sohraby, K., Mindi, D., & Znati, T. Wireless sensor
network technology, protocols, and application. London:
John Wiley & Sons Inc. Publication, 2007.
[4] Danny Hughes, Phil Greenwood, Gordon Blair, Geoff
Coulson, Florian Pappenberger, Paul Smith and Keith
Beven. An Intelligent and Adaptable Grid-based Flood
Monitoring and Warning System. Lancaster University,
UK, 2005.
[5] Wolf, S., & Smith, R. Student manual for electronic
instrumentation laboratory (2nd ed.). London: Pearson
Education, Inc, 2004.
[6] N. M. Z. Hashim, S. H. Husin, A. S. Ja‟afar, N. A. A.
Hamid, “Smart Wiper Control System”, International
Journal of Application or Innovation in Engineering &
Management (IJAIEM) Volume 2 Issue 7, pp. 409-415,
2013.
[7] N. M. Z. Hashim, A. S. Jaafar, N. A. Ali, L. Salahuddin,
N. R. Mohamad, “Traffic Light Control System for
Emergency Vehicles Using Radio Frequency”, IOSR
Journal of Engineering (IOSRJEN) Volume 3 Issue 7, pp.
43-52, 2013.
[8] N. M. Z. Hashim, M. S. Sizali, “Wireless Patient
Monitoring System”, International Journal of Science and
Research (IJSR) Volume 2 Issue 8, pp. 250-255, 2013.
[9] N. M. Z. Hashim, N. A. Ali, A. S. Jaafar , N. R. Mohamad,
L. Salahuddin, N. A. Ishak, “Smart Ordering System via
Bluetooth”, International Journal of Computer Trends and
Technology (IJCTT) Volume 4 Issue 7, pp. 2253-2256,
2013.
[10] N. M. Z. Hashim, S. N. K. S. Mohamed, “Development of
Student Information System”, International Journal of
Science and Research (IJSR) Volume 2 Issue 8, pp. 256260, 2013.
[11] N. M. Z. Hashim, N. A. M. M. Arifin, “Laboratory
Inventory System”, International Journal of Science and
Research (IJSR) Volume 2 Issue 8, pp. 261-264, 2013.
Author Author Profile
N.M.Z Hashim received the B.Eng. and
M.Eng. degree in Electrical and Electronics
Engineering from University of Fukui, Japan in
2006 and 2008, respectively. From 2008, he
worked as Lecturer in Faculty of Electronics
and Computer Engineering, Universiti
Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Malaysia.
He is acting the Head of Department of
Computer Engineering. His works are in Signal
and Image Processing, Wavelet Transformation, Communication and
Electronic Engineering. He joined Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineers (IEEE), Board of Engineering Malaysia (BEM),
Institute of Engineering Malaysia (IEM), Society of Photo-Optical
Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE), International Association of
Computer Science and Information Technology (IACSIT) and
International Association of Engineers (IAENG) as member. (Email:
nikzarifie@utem.edu.my).
N. B. Hamdan received his B. Eng in Electronic Engineering
(Computer Engineering) from Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka,
Malaysia. (Email: basyirah_86@yahoo.com).
N. M. Z. Hashim, IJECS Volume 2 Issue 8 August, 2013 Page No.2332-2336
Page 2335
Z. Zakaria, PhD, MIEEE, BEM, Grad IEM was born in Malaysia in 1975. He received
the B. Eng. and M. Eng. in Electrical and
Electronic Engineering from the Universiti
Teknologi Malaysia in 1998 and 2004
respectively. He obtained his Doctorate from
The University of Leeds in 2010 in the field
of Microwave Engineering. From 1998 to
2002, he was with STMicroelectronics, based
in Malaysia where he worked as Product Engineer. He is currently a
Senior Lecturer and also the Deputy Dean (Academic) at the Faculty
of Electronic and Computer Engineering, University Teknikal
Malaysia Melaka, where he teaches Electronics, Microwave
Engineering and Signal Processing. His research interests include a
variety of microwave device developments such as planar and nonplanar microwave filters, amplifiers and antennas. He also investigates
radiowave propagation as well as energy harvesting for wireless
sensor
networks
and
signal
processing.
(Email:
zahriladha@utem.edu.my)
R. A. Hamzah was graduated from
University Technology of Malaysia (UTM) in
B.Eng Electrical & Electronics and M.Sc
Electronic System Design from University
Science of Malaysia (USM). Currently he
works as a lecturer at Department of
Electronic
&
Computer
Engineering
Technology, UTeM. His research interests
are signal & image processing, stereo vision
and embedded system. Before joining an
academician, he worked as an engineer at
Electronic Department, Naval Shipping Dockyard for almost 5 years.
He also member of Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineer
(IEEE), Board of Engineer Malaysia (BEM) and International
Association of Computer Science and Information Technology
(IACSIT). (Email: rostamaffendi@utem.edu.my).
A. Salleh graduated from Universiti Teknologi
Malaysia, Malaysia with Bachelor of Electrical
Engineering (Telecommunication) in 2003 and
Master of Electrical Engineering (Electronics
& Telecommunications) in 2008. He is acting
the
Head
of
Department
of
Telecommunication Engineering Department.
Currently he works as Lecturer in Faculty of
Electronics and Computer Engineering,
Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM). He is the member of
Board of Engineering Malaysia (B.E.M) and Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). (Email: azahari@utem.edu.my).
N. M. Z. Hashim, IJECS Volume 2 Issue 8 August, 2013 Page No.2332-2336
Page 2336