Technology at full throttle

United E&P is using a full range of design, mapping-variable milling, survey and paving machine control technology to transform city streets into a Formula 1 race track.

Unlike many cities that use existing race circuits, Singapore transforms some of the city streets into race car-worthy surfaces in a matter of days for its annual Formula 1 race.

This involves shutting down roads for the shortest periods possible to minimise impact to residents, visitors and traffic.

For the second year running, Singapore contractor United E&P has been tasked with preparing the racetrack for the country’s upcoming Formula 1 race in September.

To meet the tight deadlines and deliver a track that will pass muster with the racing-car elite, United E&P has partnered with Topcon Positioning Systems’ largest distributor in the Oceania region, Position Partners. Using a full suite of design software, mapping and profiling technology, survey instruments and paving machine control systems, United E&P can scan and model the planned track surfaces before optimising a design and paving the tarmac.

Position Partners Manager for South East Asia Mathew Connolly says the company worked closely with United E&P at Singapore’s Changi airport expansion project.

He says the companies developed a trusted partnership to utilise technology to its full potential on cornerstone projects.

The proof of its success, Mr. Connelly says, is in the driver’s performance. Last year’s track saw Lewis Hamilton, five-time world champion, complete an all-time lap record in a qualifying round.

Kevin Magnussen, a Formula Ford Champion, achieved the official lap record on the track, taking just under eight seconds off the previous record. Mr. Connelly says he wants to make resurfacing and new road construction as efficient as possible.

“To optimise and enable the best outcome Position Partners offer a complete portfolio of hardware, software and services,” he says.

“Our solutions increase productivity and safety, save time and reduce material use. Our scanning solutions collect a constant stream of valuable data. These insights are used to plan and strategise the best design.”

The racetrack has a specification governed by global motor sport safety association, Federation Internationale de l’Automobile.

Construction Manager at United E&P Graham Castle says the tolerances on the project are very tight.

“We have to meet a riding index of a plus or minus three-millimetre tolerance on our levels and also three-millimetre tolerance under a four-metre straight edge for the paved surface.”

The biggest challenge the team faces on site is traffic, Mr. Castle explains.

“90 per cent of the work needs to be done at night and involves road or lane closures,” he says.

“Normally we don’t get road closure until 1am and the road must be open at 5am, so completing the work in four hours is extremely stressful.”

United E&P uses Topcon’s resurfacing solution to map the existing surface of the circuit. Laser scanning technology is used to model the track, enabling an optimised design to be loaded onto the machines, to help the company save time.

MAGNET software by Topcon is used to create a computer-aided design model for the racetrack, which is then loaded onto paving machines using machine-control technology and survey rovers to accurately build to the design.

“Using Topcon’s RD-M3 software we can have variable depth milling for our machines so we’re milling to the design,” Mr. Castle says. “Previously on jobs like these, you’d take 50 millimetres out and put 50 millimetres back in, wasting material and not optimising the surface.”

Topcon offers a unique machine control system for fine tolerance work including grading and paving applications. Millimetre GPS uses a combination of a high-performance laser transmitter and GNSS positioning technology to create a large working zone that Mr. Castle says delivers up to 300 per cent greater accuracy than a standard GPS solution alone.

“Topcon’s Millimetre GPS solution is by far the quickest and most flexible platform when it comes to paving as it can control multiple machines, is fast to setup at the start of a shift and delivers incredible accuracy,” he adds.

However, in a city such as Singapore with many high-rise buildings, getting a clear view of the sky for GPS technology is not always possible.

Mr. Castle says when a reliable GPS fix is not available, the team can switch to a total station technology which gives positioning information to the machines allowing a consistent level of accuracy across the project.

“Only Topcon has the ability to utilise GPS, lasers and total stations and switch between them easily, which makes a huge difference when it comes to projects like these that need precision, at speed,” he says.

With the proven results seen from the Changi airport project and last year’s Formula 1 track, Mr. Castle is confident of a good result this year.

“We’re achieving our tolerances, we’re achieving our ROI the first time,” he says.

“Rework doesn’t exist with the workflow we’re using.”