Setting New Records - Rock Anchor Foundations
Need a ten meter bolt measuring? No problem.
Always looking to push the boundaries of our technology the EchoBolt team have successfully set a record for the use of Sonar ultrasonic bolt measurement equipment successfully measuring elongation in wind turbine rock anchor foundations.
Wind turbine rock anchor foundations are used onshore where turbines are built at locations with solid bedrock close to the surface. Rather than relying on large volumes of concrete the stability of the turbine is achieved through anchoring the foundation to the bedrock with a series of long studs up to 14m in length. Correct preload tension in the anchor studs is crucial for integrity of the structure and maximising life of the fasteners.
At EchoBolt we pride ourselves in supporting our customers to find practical solutions to improve the management of joint integrity and were only too keen to investigate if our ultrasonic measurement technology could successfully be applied to a rock anchor application. There was just one snag, our Sonar technology had never been applied to applications anywhere near the length of the rock foundation anchors requiring us to more than double the previous record.
“Once again the engineering team at EchoBolt have been able to push the boundaries of the technology and have implemented a solution that generates a good ultrasonic signal reflection through an anchor stud over 10 meters in length.
Accurately measuring the length of these fasteners could support installation teams and operators with confirming preload, quantifying effective clamp length and ultimately ensuring the asset is operating as design.”
Quentin Bahlmann - EchoBolt Operations Director
