Condition monitoring makes the Gaasperdammertunnel in Amsterdam fit for Industry 4.0

11 lanes distributed between 5 tunnel tubes. 73 meters wide with capacities for up to 150,000 vehicles per day. Lush park landscape above over a three-kilometer stretch: The Gaasperdammertunnel in Amsterdam is one of the largest and perhaps most spectacular tunnel in the Netherlands. To ensure its smooth operation, IXAS, the operator of the tunnel, and the Dutch Infrastructure Authority Rijkswaterstaat are relying on SICK Belgium as a service partner. Thanks to SICK's Condition Monitoring smart service, IXAS is always in the right place at the right time, and the concrete recommendations for action for the servicing personnel significantly reduces the maintenance costs for IXAS.

In the Gaasperdammer Tunnel in Amsterdam, SICK sensors ensure a clear view at all times.

Gaasperdammer tunnel in Amsterdam is the largest and perhaps the most spectacular tunnel in the Netherlands.

Clear view at all times

To ensure the highest level of safety in the tunnel pipes, in particular as the volume of traffic increases, accurate measurement of the visibility is essential. The VICOTEC450 from SICK draws air out of the tunnel space, heats it up above the dew point, and determines the visibility using the laser light scattering method. The tunnel sensors continuously monitor the contamination and measure the air flow. Using condition monitoring, it is possible to detect ahead of time when cleaning or a filter change is required.

Video: Condition monitoring from SICK brings Industry 4.0 to the Gaasperdammertunnel tunnel in Amsterdam

Video: Condition monitoring for tunnel devices

Video: Condition monitoring from SICK brings Industry 4.0 to the Gaasperdammertunnel tunnel in Amsterdam

Data transparency increases availability

To ensure the smooth operation of the tunnel, servicing and maintenance must be well structured. To optimize these and reduce faults to a minimum, IXAS decided to equip the SICK analyzers with the condition monitoring feature.

To optimize servicing and maintenance and reduce faults to a minimum, IXAS decided to equip the SICK analyzers with the condition monitoring feature.

With condition monitoring providing a stable foundation on the path to predictive maintenance, maintenance work can be detected early, reduced, and optimized. It shows, for example, what work is required on which analyzer, and how it should be carried out. Maintenance tasks such as replacing filters are performed cost-effectively by IXAS. SICK Belgium supports the operator as a reliable partner and takes care of the annual maintenance of the sensors. This collaboration brings several advantages to IXAS: Maintenance tasks can be planned in a more predictive manner and incidents resolved more quickly. Faults that would interrupt the tunnel operation are reduced to a minimum. Instead of assessing the systems on-site in the tunnel, there is a constant flow of data that allows them to be monitored in real time. This makes IXAS faster, better prepared, and saves time and money on materials, spare parts and labor costs.

A further advantage for IXAS is the ability to not only integrate the data from the SICK analyzers into the condition monitoring but also other devices from third party suppliers.

Instead of assessing the systems on-site in the tunnel, there is a constant flow of data that allows them to be monitored in real time.

Tailored cybersecurity concept

To comply with the specific data security requirements of the tunnel, the local authority RWS Niederlande, the software development department, the cybersecurity and IT team at SICK, and the IT department of the customer have been working closely together. The result is a cybersecurity concept that meets the most stringent standards: the smart service gateways are connected to the VICOTEC450 via a unidirectional data transfer and upload the acquired data into the cloud via a local Internet access in accordance with the industry standards for data transmission. To further protect the data transmission, the connection has been enhanced with a site-to-site VPN solution.

Visual range measuring devices

Extractive visibility measurement for increased safety in tunnels

VICOTEC450

Digital Services for Integration

Continuous condition
monitoring for sensors
and machines

Monitoring Box

An exemplary project

The condition monitoring project that SICK implemented in the Gaasperdammertunnel in Amsterdam is transferable to any kind of tunnel. Operating companies who decide for this solution can benefit from numerous advantages, such as lower costs and fewer service deployments as well as improved maintenance scheduling. The project in the Dutch metropolis was judged by all involved to have been a great success. Together they succeeded in implementing a concept that meets the high expectations of the road users, the tunnel operating company as well as the authorities.