Australian based geotechnical monitoring group Geomotion, has successfully come to a heads of agreement with SkyGeo for their cutting edge InSAR satellite monitoring technology to be used in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar and Indonesia.

Geomotion sees InSAR as complementary to existing instrumentation, not as a replacement, working so well together to offer their clients information that has previously been nearly impossible to obtain
 
InSAR stands for Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar and is a proven technique for measuring ground movements. Satellites record images of the Earth, and these images can be combined to measure movements of the ground surface.

InSAR is particularly useful for monitoring dynamic position changes. InSAR’s broad spectrum of impressive features allow for a new depth of insight for projects. A large number of measurements and weekly updates provide a detailed insight in the slope and speed of subsidence. A sudden drop of a small area might be a reason for local inspection. Wider gradual subsidence tells a different story.

​InSAR allows for possible millimetre accuracy, measurements of areas as small as 100m2 up to 10,000km2 and up to 100,000 measurements per km2. Additionally, the data archive goes back to 1992 and covers 70% of the Earth’s land, meaning in some cases it is possible to have data dating back up to 25 years.

​InSAR presents viable and important solutions across many industries, including Mining Stability, Tailings Dam Stability, Civil Engineering and Energy, including oil and gas projects both onshore and offshore.
 
Mining stability monitoring is a service to provide persistent geotechnical risk surveillance to identify areas of abnormal surface movement over time. Mines need to be up and running 24/7 and Geomotion helps achieve that goal by identifying instabilities early. By assessing time-dependent shape changes in InSAR data, geotechnical domain experts can identify patterns of instabilities.

This is a direct pathway to improve asset management in mining operations. Combined with strategically placed geotechnical or structural instrumentation a comprehensive monitoring plan is established.
 
Each mine has several areas of high geotechnical risk, that each require dedicated iterative assessment. Tailings dams pose a special category of risk. Because of environmental issues in the recent past, most mining experts are now looking for continuous monitoring systems to predict instability better. Solid tailings are often used as part of the structure itself and with the tailings being liquid or a slurry of fine particles within groundwater, significant instabilities arise in a variety of ways that are usually not completely understood. With InSAR, Geomotion can help with this understanding. We characterise and quantify these time-dependent degradation processes on a wide area scale and identify different dynamic patterns. Monitoring these patterns continuously is a proven permanent risk management method.

​Geomotion/SkyGeo JV configures InSAR monitoring solutions for their clients, each with a graph of deformation over time. Risk management practitioners use this for predictive maintenance. Geomotion/SkyGeo JV monitors subsidence for many civil engineering projects in this way including roads, railways, dams, bridges, tunnels, airports, pipelines, neighbourhoods, sewage systems, buildings and water defence.

InSAR technology is available from the Geomotion/Skygeo JV now. Enquiries regarding how InSAR can benefit your project can be made today by contacting Geomotion’s offices on 1300 884 542 or click here to send an email. Alternatively, use the form below and a Geomotion representative will ​get in touch with you soon.

The final piece of Sydney's WestConnex puzzle has been placed, after the New South Wales Government today announced stage three of the controversial project had been approved.

Key points:

• The $7 billion link runs underground for about 8 kilometres
• It will connect the M4 at Haberfield to the M5 at St Peters, via another interchange at Rozelle
• The NSW Government claims it will save "hours of travel time" each week

It means a tunnel will be built connecting the M4 at Haberfield to the M5 at St Peters — a development WestConnex Minister Stuart Ayres described as being "like the Sydney Harbour Bridge".

It will create a non-stop bypass of Sydney's CBD and inner-west, slashing travel times.

However, the proposal has also attracted significant opposition.

This time last year, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore briefed Premier Gladys Berejiklian on a set of alternatives at a meeting.

The $17 billion WestConnex development has been previously described by the NSW Government as the world's biggest road project.

Stage three will also include links to the Iron Cove Bridge and Rozelle Interchange.
Mr Ayres said the tunnel was crucial to the city's transport future.

"Like the Sydney Harbour Bridge did for the North Shore, the M4-M5 Link will bridge a major gap in the road network, creating a non-stop underground western bypass of Sydney's CBD, slashing travel times and delivering over 18 hectares of open space for local communities," he said.

In August 2017, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for WestConnex stage three said the project would slash travel times from Sydney's western suburbs to the CBD.

​It argued the 55-kilometre trip from Penrith to the CBD could cost drivers $22 today, but when WestConnex was finished, the tolls would be capped at $8.60 for the same journey.

Final stage 'hasn't even been designed', Labor says

Labor's roads spokeswoman Jodi McKay accused the Government of trying to avoid public scrutiny by announcing the approval on a Friday afternoon.

"This is the largest infrastructure project in the states history, the final stage of it, and no one is around to actually enlighten people about this project," she said.

Ms McKay said the Government rushed the approval process for the Rozelle interchange and ignored community concerns because it is seeking to sell the Sydney Motorway Corporation. 

"This is an extraordinary situation given the Government has approved something that hasn't even been designed," she said.

"There has been no community consolation, there has been no transparency yet suddenly today we find out it's been approved."

Project settled behind closed doors: Greens

Reacting to the approval of West Connex's final stage, Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said: "What we've just discovered is that West Connex stage three was secretly approved 10 days ago behind closed doors".

"No wonder the Government is ashamed of this wasteful project," Mr Byrne said.

"Throughout the Inner West we're now going to see more smoke stacks and the mother of all rat runs.

"With the demolition of homes, the secrecy behind the West Connex project, people know this Government has it in for us and...[stage three] will be worse than anything we've seen yet."

Mr Byrne said he wanted "to see the Government invest in a proper solution to modern congestion which is of course...public transport."

'We need to see transparency'

State Greens MP and member for Newtown, Jenny Leong, said "the arrogance of the Berejiklian Government knows no bounds".

"We have seen tens of thousands of submissions from the community and experts opposing this (project).

"The public appetite is there... to open up the books.

"The community have put their concerns front and centre in this planning process."

Ms Leong said the NSW Greens were pushing for more transparency.

"We are urging the NSW Labor Opposition and the crossbenchers of the upper house to support the Greens' call for the exposure of the papers. We need to see transparency and accountability."

SOURCE: ABC News

The Forrestfield-Airport Link (FAL) project will deliver an 8.5 km extension of the existing PTA urban rail network in Perth, Western Australia connecting the Midland Line, just past Bayswater Station, to Forrestfield, running underground in twin bored tunnels underneath the Swan River, Tonkin Highway and Perth Airport. The project will include three new stations, being: Redcliffe Station (located underground in Redcliffe), Airport Central Station (located underground at Perth Airport to service both domestic and international terminals) and Forrestfield Station.

The project will provide new rail services allowing a 20-minute rail journey from Forrestfield Station to the Perth CBD, improved bus networks for the eastern suburbs, foothills and surrounding communities as well as integration with the full Transperth bus and train network.

Redcliffe Station and Forrestfield Station will have rail-bus interchanges and up to 2,500 new car parking bays in total.

Description of Geomotion Works

Salini Impregilo S.p.A. - NRW Pty Ltd Joint Venture (SI- NRW JV) has entered into an agreement with Field Monitoring Services, Geomotion Australia, Land Surveys Joint Venture (FGLS JV) for the work of:

“SUPPLY, INSTALLATION, TESTING, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE OF GEOTECHNICAL AND SURVEY INSTRUMENTATION, INCLUSIVE OF MONITORING AND MIMS MANAGEMENT FOR FORRESTFIELD AIRPORT LINK PROJECT”.

​Geomotion is working as a part of Joint Venture partner and broadly responsible for the followings works:

• Drilling (through subcontractor) & Installations, maintenance and monitoring of Geotechnical Instruments as per Project Instrumentation and Monitoring Plan (IMP). The monitoring system incorporates installation of Inclinometer tubing with spider magnets/ magnetic ring for DEX system including in-place inclinometers, single and multipoint rod extensometers & displacement transducer, Heave Stake, Piezometers (Vibrating wire, vented pressure transducer with conventional sand filter), Strain Gauges (surface, tunnel segment & strut), Strut Load Cells, Biaxial Tilt meter, Electro level Beam, Vibrometer and Structure Monitoring Prism inside tunnel for convergence monitoring.
• Installation of Dataloggers (miniOmnialog, Omnialog, Loadsensing, Syscom) with telemetry for automation for instruments required near real time measurements.
• Set up & Maintenance of Web based Monitoring Information & Management System (MIMS) using Maxwell Geosystems Mission OS construction data management package. All sensors are either connected to data logging system and is linked to MIMS with telemetry or manual survey data processed & uploaded on MIMS. The software allows direct comparison between monitored and designed behavior including automated reporting.

​The $1.86 billion Forrestfield-Airport Link is jointly funded by the Australian and Western Australian governments and will deliver a new rail service to the eastern suburbs of Perth – with three new stations at Belmont, Airport Central and Forrestfield.

The rail link will connect with the existing Midland line near Bayswater Station and will run to Forrestfield through underground tunnels, to ensure minimal impact on the existing land and road network.

This landmark transport project will:
• Increase public transport options for the eastern suburbs and foothills area.
• Improve access between the city and Perth Airport.
• Drive development in the area to benefit current and future residents.

Early in 2016, the major contract for the Forrestfield-Airport Link project was awarded to Salini Impregilo - NRW Joint Venture (SI-NRW). This contract will see SI-NRW design and build 8km of rail tunnels and three new train stations, and maintain the infrastructure of some items for a 10-year period, once the project is complete in 2020.”

Source: www.forrestfieldairportlink.wa.gov.au 

The FGLS Joint Venture (Field Monitoring Services Australia – Geomotion Australia – Land Surveys) is providing a complete monitoring solution to the lead contractors SI-NRW JV.

SISGEO Group supply and supervise to the installation of all the geotechnical and structural instrumentation, including data loggers (OMNIAlog and miniOMNIAlog) to FGLS JV.

Geomotion Australia are pleased to have completed their first installations on the Forrestfield-Airport Link. The installations of combined inclinometers / extensometers / piezometers as part of the Forrestfield Dive site mark the beginning of an extensive monitoring program set to continue for the next three years.

​Geomotion Australia are part of the FGLS Joint Venture, bringing together Australia’s foremost surveying company, Land Surveys, and Italian monitoring specialists Field Monitoring Australia. The FGLS Joint Venture is providing a complete monitoring solution to the lead contractors SI-NRW JV, a joint venture between Salini Impregilio and Perth’s own NRW Civil & Mining. Geomotion Australia are responsible for the installation and monitoring of all geotechnical and structural instrumentation for the project. Instruments and data loggers will be supplied by Italian manufacturers SISGEO. As well as installation and monitoring, Geomotion are implementing and managing the MIMS (Monitoring Information Management System), Maxwell Geosystem’s Mission OS.

​The Forrestfield-Airport Link project will provide a rail link between Bayswater and Forrestfield, including the construction of three new train stations, Belmont, Airport Central and Forrestfield. The twin tunnels travel beneath critical pieces of infrastructure; including airport runways and existing rail networks. To ensure the highest quality of construction and safety, SI-NRW has put in place the most extensive monitoring program in WA history, and Geomotion Australia is proud to be involved.

Geomotion Australia has recently completed the installation of 70 In-place Inclinometers, 30 Piezometers, ten Vibrating Wire Crackmeters and two Vibration Monitors as part of the Perth City Link Project.

The equipment is used to monitor the construction of the new underground bus station and monitors diaphragm wall deflection during excavation, the piezometric head of ground water during dewatering, movement across surface cracks on existing tunnels and heritage structures and tunnel vibration.

All instrumentation is linked to the Loadsensing wireless mesh network which relays data to our web-based data presentation package, ARGUS. Through this system, the client has the capacity to receive the data in real time and be warned via SMS / Email should the instrumentation exceed the set alarm thresholds.