Instrumentation & Monitoring
Continuous real-time monitoring to assure ongoing use of the lock during construction
Scroll Down
The Challenge
- Creating a wider and longer lock adjacent to the existing one
- Longer tows necessitate a time-consuming double lockage, taking about three hours
- High traffic and frequent double lockage’s at Kentucky Lock lead to costly delays for commercial vessels
The Kentucky Lock Addition project was a 110 x 1,200 ft long navigation lock that is located landward and adjacent to the existing 110 x 600 ft lock. Most of the tows using the 600 ft long existing lock are longer than 600 ft. Therefore, they have to perform a time-consuming double lockage, a procedure that takes about three hours. These double lockage’s, along with the high traffic volumes experienced at Kentucky Lock, result in significant and costly delay for commercial vessels.
The Solution
Thalle Construction, the contractor for the project, retained the services of Geocomp to design and maintain a reliable sensor array to provide continuous real-time information to assure ongoing use of the lock and safety during construction. The various sensors were hard wired to remotely powered and remotely accessed data loggers that continuously monitor sensor response and post data onto Geocomp’s iSiteCentral® server. Data is reviewed in real-time through simple password-protected internet access.
Each sensor has limit values assigned that when exceeded, trip email messages to staff that allow for remote access and review of data for decisions related to changes in construction sequencing or implementation of contingency plans. This type of monitoring system not only provides a measure of risk mitigation for construction activity and assurance of continued operation of an essential part of the waterway transportation system, but can be left in place for long-term maintenance of the new and improved structure.
Related Projects
