Metro Santiago de Chile

Project Introduction

Metro de Santiago is the metropolitan railroad whose network covers part of Chile's capital city. This metro is one of the most modern systems in Latin America and is the seventh most frequent worldwide.

Recently, the Santiago de Chile Metro faced a major challenge in monitoring the structural integrity of a tunnel section between two stations. They needed to find an advanced platform to monitor real-time readings from instruments placed along the tracks. This will allow them to receive any potential alerts and take preventative measures on the spot to ensure the safety and functionality of the tracks. After reviewing and finding that other monitoring methods were limited for the criticality of their project, the company assigned to the Instrumentation and Monitoring (I&M) of the tracks turned to the Proqio platform.

This case study highlights how our platform addressed critical issues and supported the mission of maintaining infrastructure integrity.

The Story of the Wireless Deformation Monitoring Project

The Monitoring & Instrumentation team had one main challenge: a continuous flow of water in that area of the tunnel was causing erosion and threatening the structural stability of the track slabs. They initiated the Wireless Deformation Monitoring project to address this critical problem. However, they encountered difficulties in processing in real-time the data collected by the sensors and managing the alert system appropriately.

The challenge involved complex data processing to measure track deformation in multiple planes (horizontal, vertical and oblique), monitoring of longitudinal profiles of the tracks and a specific focus on preventing CANT and TWIST track failures. This was further complicated because the tiltmeter sensors were not collecting data simultaneously, which meant that time buffers had to be set during the calculations of the parameters needed to monitor track integrity.

It was clear to the team that they needed a software system that would allow them to:

• Continuously monitor potential deformations in the track slabs.

• Exhaustive process and analyze instrumentation data.

• Have real-time auto calculations and formulas that would allow them to have the required information at the key moment to take quick actions in case of potential emerging problems.

  
  

The Challenge of Ensuring Track Stability

The key challenges faced by the contractor included the erosion of supporting materials, loss of load-bearing capacity, and potential risks to the structural integrity of the track slabs. Other monitoring software fell short in providing real-time data in a flexible and simple manner. Therefore, the team were to seek a solution that would process the necessary information to maintain track safety and functionality.    

Why Proqio was chosen

They found the Proqio platform to be the optimal solution, offering advanced visualization and data management features tailored to their specific needs, providing continuous real-time data with high accuracy and minimal maintenance.

They chose the Proqio platform for its features:

Continuous Data Acquisition

• Data is collected every 30 minutes and available on the platform. 

• A comprehensive database was established to verify railway tracks stability. 

• Ensures support elements meet design criteria. 

• Aids in decisions regarding additional support elements. 

Real-Time Data Access

• Instant access to data visualization and management through the online Proqio platform. 

Remote Monitoring and Alerts

• Enables real-time notifications of alerts for any anomalies and ability to communicate with project team members and stakeholders to resolve the alerts.   

• Allows for immediate action when issues are detected. 

Automatic, Uninterrupted Data Collection

• Reduces manual intervention and error. 

• In the Interstation tunnel: Measurements taken every 30 minutes (48 per day) and; deformation calculations performed every 1.5 hours (16 accumulated longitudinal deformation chains per day for each track). 

How The I&M specialized contractor Used Our Proqio Platform

The I&M specialized contractor implemented our monitoring system to manage the measures of both tracks in the Interstation Tunnel. They installed instruments every 20 meters along both tracks. Additionally, two monitoring stations were installed as reference points outside the requested zone. 

Our real-time data collection, processing capabilities and automated reporting were instrumental in assessing the stability of the track and ensuring that the supporting elements met the design criteria. The Proqio platform allowed them to visualize and manage the data efficiently, leading to better informed decisions.

The Results

Since the implementation of our Proqio platform, the I&M specialist contractor has achieved:

• Greater certainty about the condition of the tracks: Continuous monitoring and auto-reporting ensure early detection of anomalies in the structure to the track slabs.

• Proactive maintenance: Real-time alerts have enabled timely interventions and maintenance tasks, minimizing disruptions and risks.

• Efficient data management: The Proqio platform has streamlined data analysis and reporting, improving overall team’s efficiency.

These results demonstrate the significant impact our system has had on the project.

Results achieved

The Proqio platform has solved the Instrumentation & Monitoring team's problems in managing the complex challenges of the Metro tunnel. Thanks to Proqio's advanced real-time monitoring, efficient data management and proactive warning system, the team has significantly improved the safety management, efficiency and longevity of this critical infrastructure.

Ready to elevate your project’s safety and efficiency? Discover how Proqio can transform your monitoring today. Claim a demo today!