GPS Excavation Monitoring Solution. Design Session

Transcription

1 GPS Excavation Monitoring Solution Design Session

2 Overview Problem Statement Performance Requirements Workflow Excavation Monitoring Hardware Software Platform Analytics Notification and Viewing

3 Problem Statement What are we trying to prevent? Let s look at CGA s DIRT report and PHMSA data...

4 Root Cause of Damages for NG Distribution

5 Professional excavators should be the target user

6 Backhoe/trenchers should be the target equipment

7 Work associated with sewer, roadwork, and telcom should be targeted

8 Monitoring should focus on excavation in city streets

9 PHMSA NG Transmission Incidents Contractors with no one-call ticket were the majority Vertical drilling (augers, piles, post hole) was common Performing work for telcom, water, and highway was common Several farm/agriculture related incidents Minimal homeowner related incidents Some ancillary equipment hits

10 Performance Requirements Focus on professional excavators using backhoes/trenchers performing work associated with public improvement projects in city streets Include monitoring vertical drilling/boring Address no notification made encroachments

11 Performance Requirements Provide real-time warning of potential encroachment Utility operator Equipment operator Monitor ancillary equipment Minimize false alarms GPS accuracy Determine when digging is actually occurring Minimize burden, both cost and complexity, for excavators

12 Focus Transmission pipe Distribution pipe in non-congested areas As higher accuracy GPS decreases in cost the technology can be adopted in more urban areas

13 Workflow GPS and sensor data from excavator Encroachment warnings sent via text or smartphone viewing Operator s GIS GIS data from operator Excavator location data and encroachment warnings viewable in GIS Cloud-hosted web service built on ESRI s ArcServer that collects GPS and sensor data from excavators using GeoEvent Processor and pipe location data from operator s GIS. Analytics that use movement and sensor data to predict digging and compare excavator location to pipeline locations. Website to provide (potential) excavation activity and encroachment viewing.

14 Open Discussion Do you have any thoughts on the proposed workflow?

15 Excavation Monitoring Hardware GPS Location Sensors Digging indicator

16 Excavation Monitoring Hardware - GPS Smart Phones Advantages Very Low Cost ($100 - $500) Prolific, Easy to Acquire Built-in Sensors Cellular, BT, and WF Communication Mapping Interface Sophisticated Messaging Disadvantages 3 Meter Accuracy Unusable in Areas Without Cellular Battery Life

17 Excavation Monitoring Hardware - GPS Construction Fleet Management Devices Advantages Disadvantages Two-way Messaging 3 Meter Accuracy Built-in Sensor Ports Text or Flashing Light Messaging Built-in Cellular Communication No Integrated Sensors Hardened, Designed for Construction Unusable in Areas Without Cellular Web-based Viewing Tied to Specific Vendors Equipment Diagnostic Monitoring Higher Cost ($700 - $1200) No Battery

18 Excavation Monitoring Hardware - GPS Asset and Personnel Tracking Devices Advantages Low Cost ($150) Ability to Pair with a Smartphone Disadvantages 5 Meter Accuracy No Messaging No Integrated Sensors Tied to Specific Vendors Battery Life Unusable in Areas Without Cellular

19 Excavation Monitoring Hardware - GPS Satellite Asset and Personnel Tracking Devices Advantages Low Cost ($250) Complete Coverage via Satellite Ability to Pair with a Smartphone Disadvantages 5 Meter Accuracy Limited Messaging No Ability to Integrate External Sensors Tied to Specific Vendors Battery Life

20 Considerations Smartphone Lowest cost, easiest to implement Excavators will be encouraged or required to download a smartphone application that must be turned on when they are operating a piece of excavation equipment Smartphone application will automatically send location and sensor data to web service Warning notifications can be sent directly to the device Can be utilized with vertical drilling and agricultural activities Practical considerations Say, 70% of excavator personnel already have a smart phone, but these may be personal devices not issued by the employer Alternative would be a company device that is mounted in the excavation equipment, but... Theft (could be in a locked case) Battery life (could be wired into excavation equipment) Safety, worker distraction Requires the user to actively do something everyday, easy to forget or ignore Enforcement is difficult, how can we ensure that the app is turned on every day, every time?

21 Considerations Construction Fleet Management Devices Most expensive, requires installation Not feasible for some digging equipment (jack hammer, vertical boring) Warning to excavator is limited to a flashing light on a black box Every vendor product must be individually integrated No battery needed, wired to power from equipment Wired to equipment diagnostics, provides indicator of digging Does not require the user to do anything Minimizes the burden of enforcement, the device is automatically turned on when the equipment is turned on Provides other benefits to excavators Law could require every piece of excavation equipment to have a registered device that sends periodic GPS positions to a monitoring service provider

22 Excavation Monitoring Hardware - Sensors Sensors to determine when digging is occurring Vibration Inclination Accelerometer Proximity Some sensors are inside smartphones Some sensors are external and connected via BT or port GTI will perform testing to evaluate the need for and value of external sensors

23 Open Discussion Which GPS hardware option do you think will be most successful?

24 Software Platform ESRI s ArcServer ESRI s GeoEvent Processor Connects sensors to GIS in real-time Allows filters and analytics Sends automated alerts based on pre-defined criteria

25 Analytics Algorithm to use inputs (movement patterns, vibration, sound, inclination) to predict when digging is occurring Sensitivity to critical assets and map accuracy Output is a determination that digging is occurring in close proximity to an asset and a warning should be issued

26 Notification and Viewing Utility and/or Equipment Operator Viewing options Website via smartphone Website via desktop GIS Notification options Text, phone, Flashing lights (operator directed on machine)

27 Open Discussion Any concerns with the proposed approach for software, analytics, and notifications?

28 Commercialization Options Delivery of Digging Activity Data Service company will collect and filter GPS and sensor data from excavators Service company will send digging locations to utility operators Utility operators will import digging location data into GIS and make decisions Advantages Does not require utility operators to share data with a service provider Disadvantages Requires utility operators to perform their own monitoring

29 Commercialization Options Delivery of Encroachment Warnings Services company will collect GIS data from utility operators Service company will collect and filter GPS and sensor data from excavators Service company will predict encroachment and send warning to equipment and utility operators Advantages Does not requires utility operators to perform their own monitoring Disadvantages Requires utility operators to share data with a service provider

30 Open Discussion Which commercialization option do you think will be most successful?

31 Other thoughts?

32 Performance Requirements Address professional excavators using backhoes/trenchers performing work associated with public improvement projects in city streets Address vertical drilling and agriculture Address no one-call ticket situations Provide real-time warning Monitor ancillary equipment Minimize false alarms

33 Does our solution address the targets and meet the performance requirements? Professional excavators yes Backhoe/trenchers yes Public improvement projects yes City streets sometimes Vertical drilling sometimes Agriculture sometimes Real-time warning yes Ancillary equipment yes Minimal false alarms hopefully!

34 Does our solution address root causes? Excavation practices insufficient (41%) Clearances not maintained yes No hand digging no Notifications not made (29%) Occupant/farmer maybe Professional excavators - yes Locating practices insufficient (20%) Poor maps - no Poor locating practices - yes