DigitalBRIDGE Plus+ in Canada
A city in Canada is currently expanding a public transportation tunnel and adding new underground stations. The tunnel construction company sought assistance from Strata to incorporate a communication, monitoring and tracking system for the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) during construction. DigitalBRIDGE Plus+ was installed to provide push-to-talk radio communications and high-speed data transmission for Ethernet devices. The system’s head end unit was placed at the surface control center, and the Ethernet data was inserted into the leaky feeder cable. The cable was installed along the TBM and the network extends as the TBM advances.
In addition to VHF radio communication, the tunnel operators elected to include fixed Voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephones and Wi-Fi access points along the digitized leaky feeder. The access points create Wi-Fi hotspots on the TBM for the use of any standard IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi device. The high-speed, high-bandwidth capabilities of DigitalBRIDGE Plus+ also allow the system to serve as a backup network to the operation’s primary fiber data network.
For personnel location tracking, the company utilizes Strata’s wireless, battery-powered system, CommTrac. Battery-powered communication nodes were strategically placed along the TBM, with a gateway node bridging the connection to the surface. Mobile tracking tags attached to workers’ hard hats transmit location data to the surface interface by pinging the communication nodes. The company plans to expand this wireless system to include Trolex Sentro 8 environmental monitoring systems, which will be configured to continuously monitor four (4) select gas levels to manage the quality of the breathing air in the working environment.
DigitalBRIDGE Plus+ with Bluetooth® tracking in USA
For a tunnel renovation project in the United States, a tunnel construction company chose to use Strata’s DigitalBRIDGE Plus+ digitized leaky feeder network to ensure reliable communication, high-speed data, and tracking throughout the tunnel. This system provides radio voice communication, Wi-Fi access, and equipment tracking.
Strata installed the system’s head end unit at the surface and inserted Ethernet data into the leaky feeder cable. The cable runs the almost two-mile-long length of the tunnel, and DigitalBRIDGE Plus+ Quadports are installed for Power-over- Ethernet (PoE) connectivity of Wi-Fi access points. Wi-Fi access is crucial for communication and project data transmission for tunnel construction contractors.
DigitalBRIDGE Plus+ Bluetooth tracking is a quick and easy addition to the system and allows for accurate location tracking of personnel and equipment underground. By adding Bluetooth modules to the network line amps and Quadports, and by mounting Bluetooth tracking tags on equipment, the tunneling contractors in this project can effectively manage job tasks by tracking equipment during operations.