Rail Research UK - teamwork in action

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BIONICS Researchers Workshop 8/11/06
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Agenda
Introduction Aims and Objectives of the
day (SG) 100-110 Updates from each
workpackage (ALL) 110-240 Workpackage
coordination (ALL) 240-300 Tea/coffee
break 300-315 Progress measured against
Gantt Chart Targets (SG) 315-330 Dissemination

(SG then ALL) 330-400 Summing
up (SG) 400-420 Tea/coffee and final
discussions (optional)
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Introduction, aims and objectives

• Find out where we have all got to!
• Highlight and resolve any problems
• Establish inter-project information requirements
• and mechanisms for information sharing
• Establish a dissemination strategy

4
Engineering work package update

• Construction
• Embankment construction complete
• Site office and site storage in place
• Compound fenced off
• Drainage in place
• Power and water connected
• Datalink not yet installed

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Engineering work package update
Instrumentation Geotechnical Instruments Piezomet
ers and suction probes Inclinometers Magnetic
extensometers Environmental Sensors Soil
temperature Surface soil water profile
tubes Weather station Others GPS surface
movement system under development Accoustic
movement sensors Survey grid Infra red laser
scanner
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Engineering work package update
Progress and readings taken Piezometers
Flushable piezometers now in place, each
piezometer location will be monitored on a
bi-monthly basis. Suction probes Awaiting final
pieces of equipment, frequency of monitoring will
depend on available human resources Magnetic
extensometers Up and running, monitored once a
month (3 months readings so far). Inclinometers
In-place system installed, manually probed
locations monitored once per month.
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Engineering work package update
Environmental Sensors Soil temperature probes
These make up part of the climate system, this
will be installed within the next six
months. Surface water profile gauges Currently
being installed, will be fully installed by end
of November 2006, will be monitored once a
month. Weather Station Has been up and running
for 10 years, data downloaded from station once
per month.
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Engineering work package update
Other systems Embankment will be 3D laser
scanned twice per year Acoustic systems will be
continuously monitored Embankment will be
surveyed at least twice per year
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Climate work package

• A climate control system (CCS) will be
  constructed on the embankment at Nafferton Farm.
• The system will consist of
• retractable covers
• rainfall sprinklers
• control system
• monitoring system

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Climate work package

• Original CCS supplier, Vega (Denmark), no longer
  interested
• Consequently the work has now been split into 3
  units for tendering to UK based firms.
• Retractable cover system
• Rainfall sprinkler system
• Control and monitoring system
• Two new suppliers of main cover systems
• Orwin Automation
• Northern Welding Services (NWS)

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Climate work package
Outline specification, covers

• robust design, especially during high winds
• covers to be at least 1.0m in height, to allow
  for vegetation grow
• translucency properties of the material are not
  important
• Integrated with sprinkler system
• minimal effect of infrastructure on
• a) wind profile over vegetation,
• b) shadowing of rainfall,
• c) visual line of sight (for remote radar
  monitoring of embankment surface).
• pedestrian access is required to the embankment
  slope after installation of the CCS.

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Climate work package

• Outline specification, sprinklers
• rainfall inputs at low rate of 1 mm/hour and a
  high rate (as high as achievable with the
  available supply, estimated as 2.5 mm/hour)
• rainfall inputs to individual or pairs of panels
  at higher rainfall rates (estimated that supply
  is sufficient to give approx. 20 mm/hour to one
  panel)
• integrated with the retractable covers
• rainfall distributions should be as uniform as
  possible at all rainfall rates (droplet size is
  not critical)
• rainfall inputs should be restricted to each
  panel, with minimum rainfall input onto adjacent
  panels due to wind
• Resistant against frost damage
• pedestrian access is required to the panels after
  installation of the CCS

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Climate work package
Outline specification, control system

• timer mechanism to control times at which the
  sprinklers operate each day
• timer mechanism to control times at which the
  covers are rolled out each night
• control mechanism linked to raingauge to roll out
  covers during rainfall
• automatic over-ride to disallow covers being
  rolled out if windspeed is too high
• automatic over-ride to switch off sprinklers if
• covers are rolled out, or
• windspeed is too high
• system to be controllable with limited manual
  intervention, using telemetry if possible

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Climate work package

• After consultation Orwin Automation now expected
  to be selected for construction of the CCS.
• Orwin would construct the whole system with the
  exception of the met sensors.
• The proposed system will be considerably better
  than the one envisioned at the start of the
  project.
• CCS to be operational February 2007

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Progress against Gantt Chart, Climate and
Engineering
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Engineering and Climate

• OBJECTIVES
• Build an embankment representative of UK
  infrastructure
• Install monitoring equipment
• Quantify the condition of the embankment before,
  during and after construction using a set of key
  descriptors (mass movement, water content and
  pore water pressure and chemistry soil chemistry
  and mineralogy)
• Quantify the spatial and temporal variability of
  fill before during and after construction
• Quantify the effects of compaction on the key
  descriptors
• Quantify the effects of planting and plant growth
  over time on the key descriptors
• Quantify the effects of climate conditions on the
  key descriptors
• Establish database of embankment design and
  performance data
• Design future experiments

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Engineering and Climate
DELIVERABLES E1. Defined compaction-saturation,
stress-strain properties for fill material E2.
Fully instrumented embankment E3. Report on soil
chemistry and mineralogy E4. Database of
embankment performance E5. Quantification of the
effects of planting, rainfall, heating and
compaction levels on embankment condition E6.
Data on the variability of pre-and
post-construction fill material E7. Design of
future experiments to better quantify the effect
of climate change on embankment condition
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Progress against Gantt Chart, Computer Modelling
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Modelling

• OBJECTIVES
• Couple CHASM with FD geotechnical model (e.g.
  FLAC) to create extended model
• Set up extended model simulations of the
  embankment to provide design information
• Validate numerical model against embankment
  post-commissioning
• Validate numerical model with centrifuge model
  data
• Evaluate the impact of future climate change
  using stakeholder data on a set of typical
  embankments
• Evaluate existing modelling capability and set
  future model development strategy

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Modelling
DELIVERABLES M1. Design of embankment and
initial monitoring layout M2. Hybrid model
simulations of each embankment test plot, and
for a range of real embankment types, under
natural and future climates M3. Hybrid
computer model to provide information on
earthworks deformations validated against
short-term full-scale embankment data and
longer-term centrifuge model data M4. Prediction
of future embankment performance M5. Data from
centrifuge model simulations of embankment bays
under ambient and future climates with and
without roots M6. Report on modelling capability
and future strategy
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Progress against Gantt Chart, Biology
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Biology
OBJECTIVES Establish representative vegetation on
embankment Monitor vegetation/fauna/soil
conditions Test hypotheses about effects of
climate change on vegetation DELIVERABLES B1.
Realistic, appropriately maintained vegetation
cover B2. Quantified record of effects of
climate on vegetation and relationship with soil
properties B3. Quantification of climate change
on vegetation invasion and ecosystem function
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Work package coordination
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Dissemination
Intended Publications Targeted journals and
conferences Joint BIONICS/CLIFFS workshop SKCC
conference
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Summing up