What sounds like a science fiction movie is in fact a groundbreaking innovation for projects with small and even non-accessible diameters.
The pain point: precise navigation surveying of TBMs excavating longer or curved small-diameter drives.
So far, it has been necessary to calibrate the gyro navigation system through time-consuming manual measurements at frequent intervals. The most significant issue: very small diameters in direct pipe projects where an access of the pipe is impossible.
The solution: Camera-based next-level control survey automation.
For the first time, our recent development called TUnIS.pipelight makes it possible to carry out control surveys in non-accessible curved drives. The system’s mode of operation is based on a completely innovative technology using compact camera sensors to monitor LED light points – with impressing benefits:
- Significant reduction in costs and construction time: The number of intermediate shafts can be significantly reduced
- Considerable decrease in downtime for accessible direct pipe jobs: Automated control measurements take a maximum of 30 minutes instead of several hours.
- Increased daily output and maximum occupational safety
We are looking forward to a new era in microtunnelling, and you?
Due to the special drainage requirement of the Ibbenbühren Mine Dewatering Tunnel (OD 4.7m) in the North of Germany, pea gravel instead of the usual cementitious grout is used to fill the annulus gap between the ring structure and the natural ground.
However, as pea gravel blinding is not as defined as filling under pressure with cementitious grout, it is all the more important to control the clean bedding of the ring indirectly through the minimal or non-existent convergences.
In this case, our Ring Convergence Measurement System is the perfect solution. The sensors are very helpful, especially as in the small and very compact TBM there is rarely a line of sight between the individual points.
Why is this project with our customer Wayss & Freytag and Züblin so important for us at VMT?
- Validation:
Counting among one of the largest uses of our ring convergence measuring system RCMS so far, it demonstrates the performance of the system, even under severe tunnelling conditions. - Optimisation:
Including 10 measuring cross-sections at a distance apart of 10 m and a span of at least 100 m, the project gave us the opportunity to optimise the sensor transmission rate. - Success:
Providing an automated system that eliminates the need for separate evaluation and documentation of the measurements, we are happy to contribute to the overall success of the project!
Learn more about our automated Ring Convergence Measurement System.