My job as Software-Engineer included the lifecycle development of TPC Segment Tracker, a cross-platform mobile tracking application for iOS and Android.Concrete segmental linings for large scale tunneling projects are being tracked via barcodes to record their lifecycle, quality and possible damage from production through actual installation in the tunnel.
When a segment delivery is arriving on site, all
segments are scanned and checked for certain quality criteria.
If a segment is damaged and cannot be repaired on site or in the production facility, they are rejected or dumped. Large cracks and spallings can be a possible reason.
Afterwards the segments are stored on yard, until they are needed for erection in the tunnel.
At the delivery to tunnel, segments are usually scanned and checked again. They are lifted down into the shaft by a crane and put onto a train which carries them to the end of the tunnel up to the tunnel boring machine (TBM).
If enough material in front of the TBM is excavated, segments are erected and built into a ring. To identify the built in segments and the exact position the shift engineer has to assign them to the ring using the application.
Later on, when a tunnel stretch is completed, the quality engineers perform inspections of every ring built.
They are recording damages like leakages, cracks and spallings including pictures and damage state changes. The construction company only gets paid by the owner if a ring is undamaged or repaired during the last workflow: the final acceptance.
All quality data is available in the TPC - Segment Tracker application, as well as in the main system (picture: Michelle Blaabjerg).
The application is being used by the following projects:
0. Gemeinschaftskraftwerk Inn, Vienna (Pending)
1. Metro Gold Line, Doha
16km of twin running tunnels, excavated by six Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) simultaneously . The tunnel will be lined with approximately 128,000 segments and the 13 underground stations
2. North West Rail Link, Sydney
Four double shield machines with an OD of 6.99 m used for the excavation of the 15km of twin running railway.
3. Northgate Link Extension, Seattle
5,2 km in length with outer diameter of 6,7 m. Two TBMs are being used.
4. Cityringen Twin Tunnel Project, Copenhagen
Two tubes with totally 32 km in length and an OD of 5.78 m. Four TBMs used.
5. Thames Tunnels, London (finished)
Two 2,6 km long single track tunnel for railway link crossing under the Thames river with two TBMs with an OD of 8,15 m.