Periodic Reporting for period 2 - OMICRON (Towards a more automated and optimised maintenance, renewal and upgrade of roads by means of robotised technologies and intelligent decision support tools)
Période du rapport: 2022-11-01 au 2023-10-31
The overall goal of the OMICRON project is to enhance the management, construction, maintenance, renewal and upgrade of road infrastructures through the development and application of technologies and tools that will enable a transition from current road asset management procedures towards digitalised, automated and robotised ones. The net effect will be the industrialisation and increase in the performance of roads, including the improvement of workers safety. The final output will be an Intelligent Platform based on digital inspection technologies, smart construction and intervention solutions implemented and integrated into a digital twin and a decision support tool to fully manage the roads assets, processes and infrastructures in an enhanced and optimised way.
According to Eurostat, around 26,000 road fatalities occur every year. This is highly influenced by the aging process of European road infrastructures. One of the main goals of OMICRON is the reduction of fatal accidents due to maintenance works and this is pursued by inspection and maintenance technologies which avoid putting workers on risk and improved maintenance plans in which reducing the number of road workers on hazardous situations is a key factor.
OMICRON developments will also have an important impact on the road capacity, reducing the traffic disruptions due to maintenance works, which will improve the service provided to road users, increasing their comfort and safety. From an economic point of view, this project also aims to reduce maintenance costs, which will have an overall positive impact on the road by rearranging resources due to the enhanced efficiency on the road management.
The environmental objectives are key and transversal throughout the whole project. Aligned with European Green Deal, this project technologies seek a positive impact on environmental problems and climate change through sustainable construction, recycled materials and reduction of emissions.
According to Eurostat, around 26,000 road fatalities occur every year. This is highly influenced by the aging process of European road infrastructures. One of the main goals of OMICRON is the reduction of fatal accidents due to maintenance works and this is pursued by inspection and maintenance technologies which avoid putting workers on risk and improved maintenance plans in which reducing the number of road workers on hazardous situations is a key factor.
OMICRON developments will also have an important impact on the road capacity, reducing the traffic disruptions due to maintenance works, which will improve the service provided to road users, increasing their comfort and safety. From an economic point of view, this project also aims to reduce maintenance costs, which will have an overall positive impact on the road by rearranging resources due to the enhanced efficiency on the road management.
The environmental objectives are key and transversal throughout the whole project. Aligned with European Green Deal, this project technologies seek a positive impact on environmental problems and climate change through sustainable construction, recycled materials and reduction of emissions.
The technical progress performed during the first periodic report can be described per technology as follows.
- Progress was made on the UAV management tool, including long-range and multi-UAV technologies. The first preliminary tests were performed.
- For the vehicle inspection technologies, calibration works were performed for the innovative sensor combination.
- The modular robotic platform for maintenance interventions hardware and software architectures was designed.
- For the enhanced modular solutions for pre-manufactured bridges, tests on existing similar solutions were performed as well as in-lab test on scaled prototypes.
- For the Digital Twin, the architecture and the data management layer were defined, creating models and defining processes for the final integration.
During Reporting Period 2, the project has progressed towards the final implementation and demonstration phase. The following technical and scientific goals have been achieved.
- OMICRON’s V2X C-ITS system has been successfully deployed for tests in the A2 in Spain.
- The multi-UAV and the long-range UAV inspection systems have been integrated in the UAS systems. They have been tested at low TRL levels and they are ready for higher TRL testing.
- A sensitivity analysis has been carried out, relating the PointPix terrestrial inspection system accuracy with its auscultation speed. The minimum detected crack sizes have been determined while further improvements are being implemented.
- A modular methodology for hybrid bridge overpasses has been created.
- The end applications of OMICRON’s Robotic Modular Platform are being integrated into the system.
- OMICRON’s enhanced paving system for AUTLs (Asphalt for Ultra-Thin Layers) has been tested and it is currently being integrated into a real paver and compactor.
- The AR and VR technologies in OMICRON to support intervention execution have been developed and they are being integrated with the rest of OMICRON systems.
- OMICRON’s Digital Twin integration phase has been finalised and the first prototype of the Platform is available. This has been presented to the External Advisory Board.
- OMICRON’s Decision Support System algorithms for asset state prediction and planning optimisation have been connected to OMICRON’s Digital Twin via an Azure API.
- Two successful External Advisory Board events have been held, hosting 47 and 60 EAB External Members respectively.
- Progress was made on the UAV management tool, including long-range and multi-UAV technologies. The first preliminary tests were performed.
- For the vehicle inspection technologies, calibration works were performed for the innovative sensor combination.
- The modular robotic platform for maintenance interventions hardware and software architectures was designed.
- For the enhanced modular solutions for pre-manufactured bridges, tests on existing similar solutions were performed as well as in-lab test on scaled prototypes.
- For the Digital Twin, the architecture and the data management layer were defined, creating models and defining processes for the final integration.
During Reporting Period 2, the project has progressed towards the final implementation and demonstration phase. The following technical and scientific goals have been achieved.
- OMICRON’s V2X C-ITS system has been successfully deployed for tests in the A2 in Spain.
- The multi-UAV and the long-range UAV inspection systems have been integrated in the UAS systems. They have been tested at low TRL levels and they are ready for higher TRL testing.
- A sensitivity analysis has been carried out, relating the PointPix terrestrial inspection system accuracy with its auscultation speed. The minimum detected crack sizes have been determined while further improvements are being implemented.
- A modular methodology for hybrid bridge overpasses has been created.
- The end applications of OMICRON’s Robotic Modular Platform are being integrated into the system.
- OMICRON’s enhanced paving system for AUTLs (Asphalt for Ultra-Thin Layers) has been tested and it is currently being integrated into a real paver and compactor.
- The AR and VR technologies in OMICRON to support intervention execution have been developed and they are being integrated with the rest of OMICRON systems.
- OMICRON’s Digital Twin integration phase has been finalised and the first prototype of the Platform is available. This has been presented to the External Advisory Board.
- OMICRON’s Decision Support System algorithms for asset state prediction and planning optimisation have been connected to OMICRON’s Digital Twin via an Azure API.
- Two successful External Advisory Board events have been held, hosting 47 and 60 EAB External Members respectively.
The project will end with the implementation of the Road Intelligent Platform, which will integrate a wide portfolio of state-of-the-art technologies:
1. Advanced technologies for road inspection and user support: A series of technologies are developed for the road infrastructures inspection. On one hand, UAV inspection technologies are developed focusing on the infrastructure assets such as bridges and tunnels, developing coordinated flights of multiple UAVs and flights covering long ranges. On the other hand, vehicle inspection technologies are developed to inspect road pavement developing an inspection vehicle with new sensor combination and automating the road auscultation review process. The information from both inspection sources can be used for road maintenance and user support through the V2I and I2V communication developments and it is as well integrated in the digital twin.
2. Core technologies for robot-assisted road interventions: A modular robotic platform consisting of an autonomously robotic system mounted on a mobile vehicle is developed to assist on the maintenance intervention processes. The platform will be able to act on emergency, ordinary and extraordinary actions for the following tasks: installation and replacement of safety barriers, installation of signalling by safety cones, cleaning of lighting and vertical signals, installation of signalling during construction works, removal of horizontal marks and sealing of pavement cracks. On addition to the platform, virtual reality and augment reality tools are developed for the platform teleoperation and road workers assistance and training.
3. Smart technologies for road design construction: The project develops enhanced modular solutions for pre-manufactured bridges by analysing similar technologies, performing experimental campaigns and the application of numerical models and tools.
4. Road digital twin and decision support system: The information provided by the OMICRON technologies and legacy systems is to be integrated in the digital twin creating a customised virtual representation of the real-world assets providing access to real-time data. The decision support tool will integrate with the digital twin, achieving predictive maintenance through infrastructure condition analysis and asset management plan optimisation.
Once this project is implemented, it will impact the road management by improving safety, comfort, and road capacity, reducing costs, traffic disruptions and accidents. The project also has a series of environmental objectives, improving efficiency, using sustainable techniques and materials and reducing emissions. All these socioeconomic and environmental impacts will derive from the project results implementation. At this stage of the project progress, the most relevant impact is the technical and scientific developments made beyond the state of the art for the different technologies previously described.
1. Advanced technologies for road inspection and user support: A series of technologies are developed for the road infrastructures inspection. On one hand, UAV inspection technologies are developed focusing on the infrastructure assets such as bridges and tunnels, developing coordinated flights of multiple UAVs and flights covering long ranges. On the other hand, vehicle inspection technologies are developed to inspect road pavement developing an inspection vehicle with new sensor combination and automating the road auscultation review process. The information from both inspection sources can be used for road maintenance and user support through the V2I and I2V communication developments and it is as well integrated in the digital twin.
2. Core technologies for robot-assisted road interventions: A modular robotic platform consisting of an autonomously robotic system mounted on a mobile vehicle is developed to assist on the maintenance intervention processes. The platform will be able to act on emergency, ordinary and extraordinary actions for the following tasks: installation and replacement of safety barriers, installation of signalling by safety cones, cleaning of lighting and vertical signals, installation of signalling during construction works, removal of horizontal marks and sealing of pavement cracks. On addition to the platform, virtual reality and augment reality tools are developed for the platform teleoperation and road workers assistance and training.
3. Smart technologies for road design construction: The project develops enhanced modular solutions for pre-manufactured bridges by analysing similar technologies, performing experimental campaigns and the application of numerical models and tools.
4. Road digital twin and decision support system: The information provided by the OMICRON technologies and legacy systems is to be integrated in the digital twin creating a customised virtual representation of the real-world assets providing access to real-time data. The decision support tool will integrate with the digital twin, achieving predictive maintenance through infrastructure condition analysis and asset management plan optimisation.
Once this project is implemented, it will impact the road management by improving safety, comfort, and road capacity, reducing costs, traffic disruptions and accidents. The project also has a series of environmental objectives, improving efficiency, using sustainable techniques and materials and reducing emissions. All these socioeconomic and environmental impacts will derive from the project results implementation. At this stage of the project progress, the most relevant impact is the technical and scientific developments made beyond the state of the art for the different technologies previously described.