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Project: Motorway Bridge Monitoring System

Technical Data

Datascan Network

5 X 7010
10 X 7021
4 X 7020
  

CONFIGURATION    
Channel Input Output Total   Customer: Whitehurst Engineering
Analog 132   132   Signals Monitored:
Digital        
PT100 temperature sensors LVDT's
Total 132   132  
4-20mA atmospheric transducers for air moister and wind speed
Computer Platform
PC via RS232 modem
Standard PC
    
Software: Orchestrator

Overview of application

Customer : Whitehurst Engineering Supplier: Measurement Systems Ltd

The project consists in monitoring temperature and movement of a major road bridge that was alleged to be slipping and breaking only 20 years after construction.

Different types of inputs such as PT1 00, LVDT and various 4-20 mA are scattered over 5 different locations on the 887 ft long and 61 ft high bridge and measure temperature over the bridge, movement of each end and side to side as well as air moisture and wind speed.

The Datascan network is made up of 5 processors linked together with RS485 twisted pair and connected to the host with a modem line via a permanently open telephone wire. The software needs to be remotely (5 miles) located in the contractors office and the values have to be collected on a once every 5 minute basis.

The main advantages of this Datascan system are:

the different transducers are facilitated within the same system, with the active ones being energised and measured by the same unit giving excellent measurement integrity and repeatability,
others parameters can be added as and when required with minimal disruption to this busy major Motorway section,-
ease of installation as divers and boats were required for safety reasons making time very costly,
the measurements are passed via a telephone line to the host but a local display is also available from any point on the network through the " Global Data " concept, enabling engineers with laptops to commission and fault find.