Tunnelling with Atlas Copco's HPT

Atlas Copco claims that its high precision tunnelling (HPT) system will offer greater productivity and reduced costs in drill and blast tunnelling operations. The HPT system is a package with five options for use on drill rigs and other types of construction equipment. Advanced PC-based software allows a worksite office to provide operational support to Atlas Copco rigs equipped with the Rig Control System (RCS). The Tunnel Manager system can help plan, store and evaluate data for the drilling process. This
February 6, 2012 Read time: 3 mins
161 Atlas Copco claims that its high precision tunnelling (HPT) system will offer greater productivity and reduced costs in drill and blast tunnelling operations. The HPT system is a package with five options for use on drill rigs and other types of construction equipment.

Advanced PC-based software allows a worksite office to provide operational support to Atlas Copco rigs equipped with the Rig Control System (RCS). The Tunnel Manager system can help plan, store and evaluate data for the drilling process. This data can be transferred to the drill rig, allowing more precise and efficient navigation. The package is offered in three versions, Tunnel Manager, Tunnel Manager Pro and Tunnel Manager MWD. The most advanced version allows recovered data to be analysed and is based on Atlas Copco's upgraded measurement while drilling (MWD) technology. Data can be used to determine properties including rock hardness, crack zones, allowing the driller to adjust the tunnelling process accordingly.

The sophisticated Rig Remote Access (RRA) system allows fast data transfer to and from the drill rig and also storages necessary information. When the drill rig is online, the recovered data can be made available to the contractor and engineers, with the information also being analysed automatically. In addition, the machine provides access for fault diagnosis or maintenance, while new drill plans can be uploaded to the rig remotely.

Using a tripod-mounted Total Station Navigation (TSN) system allows the machine to be guided with high precision to an accuracy of 10mm and this is also faster than manual methods, requiring just 5 minutes. According to Atlas Copco this fast set-up brings particularly good cost savings to the contractor and this alone can reduce costs by up to €100,000 (US$143,500) on a 2km tunnel for example. The benefits of more precise guidance bring further cost savings by reducing the risk of over/underbreak when blasting.

Using the firm's latest Tunnel Profiler package further improves efficiency and this sophisticated 3D-scanning system is said to work quickly and effectively. Each section can be scanned quickly, before drilling the next round and the system informs the rig operator of over/underbreak, speeding drill plan correction. Fast updates to drill plans can save up to 50mm in overbreak and in a tunnel with a 40m² profile this can deliver savings of €125,000/km.

Bolt Angle Indication is an additional software package that provides accurate guidance of rock bolting operations, ensuring that the bolts are correctly spaced. Using the system eliminated the need to mark the tunnel walls. The Bolt Plan Navigation software is another system that allows planning, guidance and logging of rock bolting duties. Using this in combination with the Total Station Navigation function, a rig can be rapidly manoeuvred into the right position, while data is recorded on cement used, how many bolts have been installed and their exact position.

Connected Construction

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Improving tunneling method selection
    December 11, 2015
    The tunnelling sector remains one of the most active segments of the construction industry worldwide, fuelling demand for equipment However, there have been issues with the efficiency of the selection process for the most suitable tunnelling method for a project in the past. With this in mind, the Italian hydraulic breaker manufacturer Indeco has been working on a new algorithm that allows a contractor to optimise the tunnelling method selection. The firm said that this system has been developed becau
    Read More
  • Speed and precision make for perfect tunnelling combination
    May 21, 2014
    Speed and precision have been the hallmarks of a number of major road tunnelling projects across the globe over the last 12 months, as the latest sector equipment from leading manufacturers has found itself in high demand. Guy Woodford reports Herrenknecht tunnel boring machines (TBM) have been busy tunnelling under major Chinese rivers, demonstrating phenomenal speed, top safety levels and extreme precision while playing a key role in the construction of road tunnels in the Yangtze River Delta. The Yang
    Read More
  • Innovation in road design and management software
    February 17, 2012
    The emphasis on data processing and re-use, continues to grow in the development of design and management software. The interoperability of software, the need to handle and process larger amounts of data, and re-use and retention of data sets from one task to another have been a growing emphasis in the past few years. It allows infrastructure companies to get better value from expensively collected information and to focus more on the whole life cycle of projects.
    Read More
  • Atlas Copco introduces smart paving system
    October 3, 2014
    Atlas Copco says that its latest PaveManager control package offers new features including the sophisticated VarioSpeed system, which offers continuous load sensing, reduced fuel costs and automatic measurement and programming tools. The PaveManager 2.0 package is offered on the firm’s new SD pavers and helps optimise and control paving operations, while it is aided by a new ergonomic dashboard with advanced pav¬ing functions. It is available for the recently introduced SD range of pavers and is suited for
    Read More

Highlighted Content