A real time digital assurance system has been created by Constain
To be more cost efficient, a new real time digital assurance system has been created by British construction and engineering company Costain for tunnel projects and to expedite project completion timelines. Together with i3D robotics,Tunnel Engineering Services (TES), and Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), Costain has ran successful trials of its new system, which is known as Digitally Assured Tunnel Assets – Information System (DATA-IS).
Digitally Assured Tunnel Assets offers real time quality and safety verification of tunnelling fit-out services, including cable wall brackets. According to research by PlanRadar, it has been developed to help minimize the time and expense of rework, which is expected to account for between 9% and 38% of total project costs in the UK construction industry.
The new real time digital assurance system has successfully been trialed alongside ATRIS, an AI-enabled, robotic tunnel installation system launched by the consortium earlier this year. ATRIS automates the process of bracket installation and reduces the health and safety risks associated with tunnel fit-outs.
The collaboration earlier this year introduced ATRIS, a robotic tunnel installation system with AI capabilities, and the new real time digital assurance system has been successfully trialed in tandem with it. By automating the bracket installation procedure, ATRIS lowers the hazards to health and risks relating to tunnel fit-outs.
To technically verify that each bracket has been installed correctly, a digital assurance form is filled out using real time data and information from the ATRIS-installed services. In order to give a remote, real time visual depiction of a successful installation, this data is simultaneously sent to a digital twin simulation.
Together, ATRIS and DATA-IS provide a completely automated tunnel installation and assurance solution that can be included into standard construction procedures utilized in a variety of infrastructure projects that are related to transportation, energy, water, and rail.
In addition to managing the integration of the new real time digital assurance systems with i3D, Costain created the digital twin technology. Additionally, i3D created the ATRIS visualization software and optimized its use for Digitally Assured Tunnel Assets. Trials were carried out at TES’s test tunnel facility in Heywood, Greater Manchester, under the project’s supervision. MTC was in charge of the robot’s programming as well as the ATRIS.
“Real-time assurance for capital infrastructure projects has the potential to transform efficiency across a project’s lifecycle, providing greater value-for-money and mitigating risk,” said Tony Mallichan, digital growth lead for road and rail at Costain. “With the DATA-IS concept, it’s now a reality. Working closely with our like-minded partners, we have made a real breakthrough, a system that provides technical and quality assurance at the point of installation.”
“Seeing our technology play a central role in meeting this ambition is hugely rewarding,” said Dr Richard French, senior systems engineer at i3D. “We look forward to seeing its application across a range of industries and robotics and AI become an integral part of the construction process.”