Presented by George Holder (Costain) at the COMIT 2015 winter Community Day. This describes a drilling machine developed for creating bold fitting holes in the concrete linings used in the Crossrail tunnels.

1. George Holder. C610 Systemwide. ATC (Costain).
SEMI-AUTOMATED DRILLING
MACHINE
3rd Dec 2015

2. 2
#TunnelDayUK

3. 3
Tunnels – What Are They Made of?
Key
Counter Key
Standard
SegmentFeatures
Bolt Pocket
Grout Hole
Circumferential
Dowels

4. 4
Tunnels – How to Build a Ring
Crown
Axis
Right AxisLeft AxisInvert Axis Invert
Axis
Invert Axis
Right AxisLeft Axis
Crown
Axis
Key Segment
Counter Key Segment
Standard Segment
Question?
Why are the keys so random?

5. 5
Tunnels – Why so random?
Key Segment
Counter Key Segment
Standard Segment
Straight Tunnel
Keys on opposite
sides
Curved Tunnel
Keys on same sides
Examples in 2D
Space
Answer
Because Tunnels Aren’t Straight!
Rings are tapered

6. 6
Tunnels – 3D Space
3D Space becomes much more
complex
Tunnels no longer curve only left or
right they also change level vertically
There is 22 different positions a key
can be relative to the previous
segment
Key could be anywhere at any
given point
Question?
WHAT HAS ALL THIS GOT TO DO WITH
DRILLING?

7. 7
No-Drill Zones
Key Counter Standard

8. 8
No-Drill Zones
Right Axis
Crown
Axis
Invert Axis
Invert Axis
Right AxisLeft Axis
Crown
Axis
So what do we need to install and
where?

9. 9
What do we Install?
Overhead Line Equipment (OHLE)
(3 Holes every 9.6m plus additional supports on curves)
Walkway and Fire Main Bracket
(4 Holes every 3.2m)
Cable Management System
(3 Holes every 3.2m)
Earth Return Wire
(1 Hole every 600mm)
Cable Management System
(3 Holes every 3.2m)

10. 10
Relationship to the Trains
Straight
Track
Left Curve Right Curve
Location of brackets is fixed by Track Cant at any given

11. 11
Walkway Bracket Example
Top of
Bracket
Bottom of Bracket
3.2m from previous bracket
 Fixing requirements established
 4 holes required
 Preferred hole positions identified
 Hole positions tested against
segment arrangements
 Alternative hole positions required?
 Designer continues until satisfied
that optimal solution is found
 For the walkway:
 8 Holes Positions
 4 fixings required
 Gives ~20 suitable fixing
combinations

12. 12
Summary so far…….
 Tunnels
 Construction method
 Key segment location
 No-drill zones
 Services
 Which services required
 Fixed relationship to track
 Fixed position relative to
previous bracket
 Alternative hole positionsSo how do we undertaking Drilling
Activities?

13. 13
3 Stages for Drilling
 3D Scan
 Processing of Data
 Machine Operations

14. 14
3D Laser Scan
 3D Laser Scanner takes
measurements
 Processed to provide key
locations (i.e. Segment
Corners)
 Data is provided in
coordinate form
x
y
z (chainage)

15. 15
Data Processing
 Computer Programme developed to set out holes
 Interprets data from scan to identify no-drill zones
 Drilling Rule Books (Spacing / Relationship to Track / Allowable Variations)
 Basically:
 Tests coordinates of each hole position against no drill zones
 Identifies most preferred hole combination
 Allows for clashes to be resolved before arriving on site

16. 16
Where are we now?...
 Tunnels
 Precise details of geometry
known
 No-drill zones identified
 Mis-alignment accounted for
 Brackets
 Required bracket positions
known
 Hole combinations and
positions known
 All works now complete off-site “virtually”
 All that’s left to do is input to machine to do physical work
Finally…. How the machine works

17. 17
Semi-Automated Drilling Machine
Machine 1 – M&E (Walkway & CMS) Machine 2 – OHLE (OHLE & Earth
Return)
Drilling Arms
Guide Rollers
Generators
Safe Access
Routes
Dust Extraction

18. 18
Operation - Moving To and From Site
On Rail Off Rail

19. 19
Operation –Working Configuration
 Machine lifts onto upper
wagon
 All walkways and working
platforms erected
 Machine ready for drilling
operations

20. 20
Guidance – Z-Axis - Chainage
x
y
z (chainage)
 Laser Measurement
 Required distance to
target known
 Operator moves machine
 Machine positioned to
drill

21. 21
Guidance – X-Axis & Y-Axis
x
y
z (chainage)
 Guide Rollers ensure roughly
central
 Laser measurement to check
central
 Fine adjustment of position
through hydraulic system

22. 22
Machine Construction - Drilling Arms
Drills
Rotation
al Drive
Extendabl
e Arm
Guide Rollers

23. 23
Arrival at Plumstead 27/11/2015

24. 24
Safety, Health, Environmental & Quality Benefits
Safety Health Environmental
 Elimination of Hand Arm Vibration
 Minimisation of Working at Height
 Elimination of 99% of Dust
Quality
 Pre-planning of hole positions and clash elimination
 Reduction of On-Site technical decision making required
Operations
 Surpasses tender production rates
 Reduction in Man Hours

25. 25
Summary
 Identified significant challenge in drilling for brackets
 Holistic approach by team towards solution
 Early adaption to change, factory thinking approach
 De-risking
 Enables manufacturing approach to delivering the construction work
 Innovative approach, commercially viable

26. Semi-Automated Drilling Machine George Holder3rd Dec 2015