High tolerance requirements for track geometry on the HSL-South; successful geometry measurement on the HSL in Belgium: Two elements that made Strukton Railinfra decide to acquire the Leica GRP 3000 track geometry surveying system for use in the Netherlands. The sale was completed on 24 May 2005.
Strukton Railinfra is the first contractor to use the GRP 3000 in the Netherlands. Other parties are expected to follow. Strukton Railinfra will use the new surveying equipment on the HSL South to start with.
Minimum margins
The GRP 3000 is a handy and mobile trolley that measures the cant, width and lateral track displacement (co-ordinates) of the track. The margins are extremely low: +/- 0.3 mm for the track width and +/- 0.5 mm for the displacement at track widths of 1,435 mm.
The trolley uses radio contact to communicate with a total station, that is set up at calibrated positions along the track. The total station continuously follows and measures a prism fixed on the trolley. The position of the trolley is based on the distances and angles measured and communicated to the PC on the trolley in real time. The PC registers the track width and track displacement. Deviations are shown directly on the operator’s display.
The high accuracy is only one of the advantages of the new geometry survey system. Another advantage is the measuring speed. Measuring used to be done manually and several measurements were required for measuring different parameters. The measuring speed has now been increased by 40% and all parameters are measured at one go.
Packing machine
The GRP 3000 can well be combined with the packing machine measurement. Deviations are directly available as input for the packing machine. The packing machine thus ‘knows’ directly where and how high the track should be laid. This results in the gaining of time and preventing of failures.
The GRP 3000 directly follows the packing machine to check whether it has done its job correctly.
Demonstrable
Measurement outcomes get more precise, easily demonstrable and reliable. Output documents are generated with the press of the button. Which is important in a market where customers increasingly ask for demonstrable quality and performance.
The new Leica survey system integrates various measuring tools. The equipment, in addition to track geometry, also measures the position and distance to catenary, signals, platform edges, catenary supports, subways and cross sections. With, again, high accuracy and speed.
Two men instead of three
In the future, it will be possible to couple the GRP 3000 to the automatic working of routes. Two men will then suffice for plotting the measuring system instead of three.
Press release First GRP 3000 measuring trolley in the Netherlands