Acciona has developed a digital tool, ‘Earth Moving Platform’ to enable systematic monitoring and control of the earthmoving machinery. The platform is compatible with equipment from any manufacturer, and therefore, can be implemented on projects carried out with Acciona’s own machinery or on projects that use subcontracted machinery.
The first step in operating the digital platform is to compile data from monitoring all of the machinery with a GPS system that can be installed simply and non-invasively on each piece of machinery. The operator of each machine has the option to enter different operational data using an app and can also record other parameters (consumption, etc.) by installing an additional device, as well as directly extracting data from the machine itself via the manufacturer’s API.
The next step is to process the data collected by the devices. Different events can then be defined using a variety of algorithms, such as the start or end of loading, allowing activities to be identified and performance data to be calculated.
Lastly, the production, time, distance, volume and performance data that has been processed can be analysed and displayed via a web interface. This makes it possible to measure progress and control the operations, as well as to generate regular customised macro reports according to the user’s needs.
José Luis Oliván, Acciona Middle East construction project director, said: “By using the Earth Moving Platform developed by Acciona, users can see all of the assets in real time, including their precise location using positioning maps, as well as the status of each machine. I am sure this innovative tool will be implemented very soon in our coming projects in the region, in order to optimised control of project costs and times, early detection of variations and optimising the machinery use.”
The tool also enables a comprehensive production calculation that shows the duration of different activities, the distances covered and routes used, the volumes excavated or the moved materials, as well as many other types of data. This information is represented by graphs and tables so that it can be easily studied.
Furthermore, its use allows users to analyse the efficiency of different subcontractors, vehicles or operating zones, as historical data can be processed and presented as performance indicators. Similarly, the platform allows the actual progress of each task to be compared to its initial planning, by displaying the volumes moved using a diagram showing masses.
Other major benefits of this tool include setting up alerts and sending notifications based on productivity thresholds or limits for other user-configured parameters.
The platform stores the historical data for use on future projects to improve a variety of aspects, such as time or cost estimates for certain tasks, or setting performance indicators for subcontractors.
Acciona is already using the Earth Moving Platform on one of its most iconic projects, namely construction of the Puhoi-Warkworth highway in New Zealand. The platform has also been used on other works such as construction of the Nokian Tyres Technology Centre in Spain and construction of a section of highway in Font La Figuera.
