The asset viewing solution developed by Waldeck in collaboration with Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Birmingham City University (BCU) through the Panoptic Bridge Management project commissioned by Network Rail is a bridge digital examination solution which brings about a change in the undertaking of on the ground inspections, these being reduced or simplified, limiting the number of person hours on site and optimises bridge maintenance activities.
The system features a web-based Point Cloud viewer and a virtual tour environment (360-degree images and flat images) to enable an engineer to perform virtual examination and record comments on the condition of the asset. The virtual tour environment is supported by a proof-of-concept machine learning tool for masonry defect recognition / categorisation, and incorporating and tracking of previously recorded defects against the asset within the system improves the digital record and inspection of Network Rail’s bridge assets.
The system has been developed to automatically generate Network Rail’s Bridge Condition Marking Index (BCMI) score based upon the calculation developed by Network Rail as a high-level asset management tool to track a bridge asset condition over time.
Three Winning Facts:
- Reduces the occurrence of ‘boots on ballast’, improving worker safety
- Reduces delay to passenger services during planned inspections
- Network Rail estimates that use of the system will deliver benefits worth more than ten times the investment.
