Stories

Spending time inside a wastewater system  isn’t the most pleasant experience. Especially in small tunnels which don’t even have standing room.. They’re challenging environments, often unpleasant and considered dangerous due to confined spaces, exposure to toxic gases and other physical and biological risks.

So why would anyone go inside one? Because wastewater systems  are critical assets that require regular inspection. In Australia, KBR works with local governments and utilities to help maintain vital infrastructure, such as water and sewer systems, by providing condition assessments and advice about necessary maintenance and repairs.

However, during a recent project performing a number of tunnel condition assessments for the Central Coast Council, located in Australia’s east coast, one tunnel was deemed too risky to enter. The council wanted to find out if there was a way to accurately inspect the condition of the pipe without people entering. It was a request that sent the KBR team on a mission to develop a digital solution – a first-of-its kind vehicle that could undertake the  inspection remotely. 

Hayden Robinson, National Digital Engineering Technology Manager, KBR, said, “We partnered with Emesent to design a custom-built, remote-controlled vehicle (ROV) fitted with their Hovermap ST-X Mobile Laser Scanner (LiDAR) and HD 360 deg CCTV technology. This allowed us to not only capture images of the pipe, but to also to capture high-quality spatial data which would allow our engineering teams to create a digital replica of the sewer.”

Achieving a world-first remote sewer inspection

On its first official mission, the ROV successfully scanned over 640m of pipe, 1.2m in diameter – the longest stretch a vehicle of this type has ever completed. The successful remote data capture of the pipe marks a pivotal moment in the digitisation of wastewater  maintenance, as it eliminates the need for unnecessary manual inspections in confined and potentially dangerous spaces. 

Not only did the team develop a way to remotely control the vehicle from above the ground, they are now transforming the data captured into a 3D digital replica for future maintenance works. 

Hayden said, “The Emesent Hovermap ST-X scanner provides a high-definition Point Cloud model and associated imaging for a virtual assessment of sewer pipe condition, helping to identify major cracks, blockages, and structural wear with unprecedented precision. The data is uploaded to Cintoo’s cloud-based application, transforming the data into high-fidelity 3D meshes used to create a digital replica of the system . 

“This workflow brings the site to the office and allows our team to inspect the internals of the sewer pipe remotely. By capturing a snapshot in time, the process can be repeated in future to identify and monitor changes within the sewer. Plus, georeferencing and coordinating the data means we can precisely locate any areas along the length of the pipe that need to be repaired.”

Harnessing the power of digital to improve safety outcomes

 Wastewater pipes aren’t the only infrastructure assets with confined space entry requirements. Anywhere that is difficult to access or deemed too dangerous – such as stormwater drains, pump stations, air vents, mine shafts, and fuel tanks. These could all benefit from this remote inspection technology. 

Margaret Riley, Senior Director, Water, said, “The rapid advancements in digital engineering are completely transforming the way we work. By harnessing existing technologies, such as laser scanning and point cloud software, we are not only delivering higher quality 3D models for our customers, we are keeping our people safe.

“We’ve already had a number of enquiries from customers who are keen to try the ROV on their projects, so we’re excited to see where it goes next!”

By deploying advanced robotics for challenging tasks, we're reducing risks and protecting our people while getting the job done efficiently.