ICT-based tunnel operation
in the Blankenburgverbinding
December 2024 will see the opening of the Blankenburgverbinding. This brand-new highway will be known as the A24 and is 5 kilometers long. It will connect the A20 between Vlaardingen and Maassluis with the A15 near Rozenburg through a tunnel under land and a tunnel under water. Technolution developed the operation and control systems of the technical tunnel installations, as well as a ‘digital twin’ for training purposes. The Blankenburgverbinding will greatly enhance the accessibility of the wider Rotterdam region.
ICT-based SCADA platform
The two Blankenburg tunnels are equipped with a complex of connected technical installations, such as ventilators, fire extinguishing systems, cameras, sensors, emergency exits and systems to close the tunnels. The main purpose of these systems is to ensure safety, particularly fire safety, but detecting stationary vehicles is another important priority. The installations are operated from an ICT-based SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) platform. This is a further development of a platform we developed previously for the Gaasperdammertunnel near Amsterdam. The platform consists of three functional system parts: a graphical user interface, a coordinating operations level, and a data recorder. All applications were realized in Java.
Advantages of an ICT-based solution
Using ICT to operate and control the tunnel has various advantages over traditional PLC (circuit board)-based solutions. The ICT-solution is platform-independent. No specific hardware or operating system is required. Moreover, because it uses Java technology, controlled further development and long-term maintenance are possible. Developers are reaping the benefits here from the excellent Java development environments that are available, including version management, pipelines for automated testing, and continuous quality monitoring.
Digital twin for training purposes
A special feature of the Blankenburgverbinding is that it has two tunnels placed in sequence. Before tunnel operators are allowed on the job, they are trained in a digital environment. This digital twin is an exact copy of the real tunnel platform. It is equipped with simulators and tailor-made training scenarios. The digital twin can be connected to a virtual copy of the tunnel, permitting simulation of realistic incidents. For example, the video images that are generated are from the very same camera position as in the real tunnel. Because the digital twin looks and works exactly like the real system, tunnel operators can extensively train all aspects of the tunnel operating system without risking accidents.
Future-proof technology
The automation functions of the Blankenburgverbinding are guaranteed to work for twenty to thirty years. The architectural concept that was chosen makes it possible to renew specific functions individually without affecting the rest of the system. In addition, the fact that the system uses regular ICT technology means the technology required can be supplied by a wide range of companies. This makes the platform particularly future-proof.
