and the IoT

Civil engineering and the Internet of Things

Ignasi Vilajosana, CEO of operational intelligence specialist Worldsensing, explains how civil engineering can tap into the power of connected devices to turn data into actionable insights on challenging projects.

By 2020 there will be 20 billion Internet-connected devices in the world, according to a report by market research company Gartner. As the Internet of Things (IoT) era develops, and devices become smaller, more accurate and more relevant to a wider range of sectors, there is an opportunity for civil engineering to drive greater operational efficiencies as a result of increased access to real-time data.

In fact, we’re already witnessing a new age of geotechnical and construction monitoring that allows engineers to analyse projects and existing structures remotely and gather information from a range of assets digitally and in real time.

In this article we will consider how, through the use of field-proven sensor technologies and wireless networks, civil engineering organisations are able to benefit from automated monitoring, from the construction phase to the ongoing maintenance and management of critical assets. We will then explore how the data generated can be used to deliver operational insights that improve productivity, quality management and project performance.

A shot in the arm Data collection plays a vital and extensive role in construction. From monitoring water pressure changes during soil consolidation, and settlement during soil reclamation works, to assessing terrain deformation during tunnel construction, being able to accurately record measurements over vast working areas is essential to project success.

Data collection, up until now, has primarily been performed manually, with engineers taking key measurements while out in the field – a method that often impedes productivity. Manual data collection can be inaccurate, complex and timeintensive. Engineers not only have to con- tem, comprising 55 load anchors and 5 tend with harsh environments and diffi- extensometers, controlled from outside cult-to-access sites, but there is also the the tunnel to gather readings from the risk that, due to a lack of processing geotechnical instruments that are being speed, site conditions can change between used during construction. readings, rendering data unreliable. The low-consumption wireless sensor

However, the emergence of the system delivers a highly efficient moniIndustrial Internet of Things (IIoT) repre- toring solution and sensors can be fully sents a significant shot in the integrated with the various arm for the civil engineering types of geotechnical sector. The deployment of instruments present. low-energy sensors to moni- Crucially, it is the automattor an infrastructure’s condi- ed supervision of construction and environment allows tion which means that the for a vast range of data to be need for manual readings gathered remotely, before and control is virtually being aggregated and visual- eliminated, greatly reducised via a secure online ing the time and costs dashboard. By effectively streamlining operations and enabling real-time access to ‘‘ The deployment which might have previously been dedicated to supervisory tasks. information, the key advan- of low-energy This ability to gather data tages are clear to see: speed, accuracy and efficiency. sensors to quickly is also equally important when it comes to monitor an monitoring existing strucEppenburg Tunnel infrastructure’s tures. Last year, a report by The construction of the Eppenberg Tunnel in Switzerland is a great examcondition and environment the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) found ple of the way IoT technolo- allows for a vast that almost one in ten bridggies are currently being used range of data to es in the US are structurally to enhance geotechnical monitoring processes. Designed to reduce congesbe gathered remotely deficient. This equates to 58,495 bridges out of the 609,539 bridges in the tion on one of the most transited railway routes in the country, the tunnel will have a length United States. Measuring multiple factors such as vibration, inclination and ’’ of 3.1km on completion. tilt, and recording this information digi-

Building this kind of infrastructure tally can offer engineers significant assisrequires frequent and reliable geotech- tance when it comes to improving the nical monitoring to detect any occur- safety and maintenance of critical strucrences which may affect construction tures. Sensors can be deployed on a perwork. In order to ensure maximum effi- manent basis, or moved on and off site ciency and accuracy, the project team each time a fresh set of data is required. has deployed a wireless monitoring sys- New technology now offers ultra-long

range solutions to facilitate remote readings in structural and geotechnical monitoring, some up to 15km (9 miles). This is particularly effective for civil engineering projects working on large geographical areas, such as pipelines, railways and tunnels, among others.

Operational intelligence While automated processes that allow information to be gathered digitally can greatly reduce manual tasks and associated costs, conversely, the deployment of sensor technology across multiple aspects of a civil engineering project can sometimes result in ‘data overload’ from an abundance of unconnected data sets.

As a result, it is not the collation of data alone that delivers significant increases in productivity. Instead, it comes down to how that data is analysed and used.

Implementing an operational intelligence solution centralises the data; but instead of limiting analysis to merely the visualisation of this aggregated information through dashboards, operational intelligence looks to take this one a step further. In other words, organisations that successfully exploit operational intelligence capabilities feed real-time insight into the decision-making process, not only for immediate effect, but also to help develop predictive and preventative maintenance approaches that will ultimately IoT technologies are Vecchio. Sensors located along enhance productivity. being used to enhance the 32 metre length of the

Going back to our earlier geotechnical monitoring during the construction of medieval structure provide example of tunnel construc- the Eppenberg Tunnel in real-time information on the tion, the pairing of wireless Switzerland stability of the bridge and sensing technology with oper- nearby land. Should any unuational intelligence within such an envi- sual movement be detected, officials ronment demonstrates how data can be would be alerted and could act immediateturned into actionable insight. The ability ly to prevent any threat to public safety in to leverage real-time data means engi- a city that attracts some 16 million visitors neers are better placed to establish so- each year. called trigger levels for movement throughout the construction process. Manual readings eliminated

Indeed, operational intelligence net- For civil engineering organisations, the works are even capable of providing digitisation of assets undoubtedly prowarnings automatically through analysis motes operational efficiency with autoof previous and existing data sets and mated supervision, all but eliminating machine learning capabilities. the need for manual data readings.

In the example of tunnel construction, However, the true return on investment if sufficient movement is detected, project lies in having the platforms and processteams can be alerted in ample time to es in place to then manage this data. make any necessary changes to the tun- The implementation of a relevant operanelling procedure in order to counter tional intelligence strategy to analyse and such movement and ensure that con- subsequently influence decisions has the struction continues as planned. potential to improve project performance

Similarly, operational intelligence can and productivity. By using data to better play a key role in helping civil infrastruc- control workforces, supplies and structurture operators to form strategies for public al analysis, civil engineering organisasafety and cultural heritage preservation. tions not only reduce the time and costs Authorities in the Italian city of Florence, associated with projects, they also place for example, are using a network of geo- themselves in a better position to evaluate technical sensors connected to a software risk and pre-plan responses. suite in order to monitor the famous Ponte ■ worldsensing.com