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Roadscanners’ Percostation for spring thaw services
The Percostation measurement system is designed for continuous monitoring of the electrical properties of soils. Seasonal changes and the freeze-thaw process are key players in the dynamics of road deterioration. The effects of freeze-thaw processes are most pronounced during the transition from winter to spring when temperature fluctuations cause damage to road structures. The vulnerability of roads during this period is magnified. That leads to distresses that can compromise traffic safety and efficiency.
Damages caused by seasonal changes and freeze-thaw process are the most significant factor affecting the road condition of northern cold climate road networks in Europe, Asia, and North America. A staggering 60-80% of road distresses emerge during this delicate spring phase when the road is at its weakest. This underscores the urgent need for targeted solutions that enable road authorities to anticipate, manage, and mitigate the harmfull effects of spring thaw weakening.
For over two decades, Roadscanners has taken the lead in offering innovative solutions to address the challenges of spring thaw weakening in cold climate road networks. Operating across the demanding conditions of Finland, Sweden, and Scotland, Roadscanners has harnessed cutting-edge technologies and expertise to provide a comprehensive spring thaw weakening service.
Monitoring seasonal changes with Percostation
Roadscanners, in collaboration with Adek Ltd, has developed an advanced monitoring solution known as Percostation. This system is designed to assess critical bearing capacity, aiding load restriction planning for road authorities. A Percostation system comprises strategically placed sensors within problematic road sections. The Percostation includes data collection units on the roadside, efficient data transfer and analysis mechanisms. This streamlined approach facilitates the collection of crucial measurements and supports informed decision-making.
Percostation can simultaneously measure dielectric value, electrical conductivity, and temperature using up to seven short tube dielectric probes. The system provides flexibility in the measurement interval, with options as frequent as 60 seconds for four channels. Measurement results are securely stored in the data-collection unit that has a substantial capacity of up to 360 measurements at once. This comprehensive storage ensures that vital data is readily accessible.
Percostation with efficient energy source and operation
Percostation operates on a 12 V power supply. Solar panels ensure consistent recharging, granting the system autonomy.
Percostation software interfaces with measurement stations, extracting and transmitting latest measurements to a central database. In central database the data is stored in distinct files for each station. These files contain structural details, materials, critical tensions, dielectric values, and electrical conductivity values. Leveraging this data, the software alerts operators when approaching critical conditions in road layers and subgrade. This insight guides load restriction decisions, axle weight determinations, and axle number calculations.
Roadscanners’ Percostation system is an innovative leap in critical bearing capacity monitoring. We offer seamlessly integrated advanced sensors, data collection units, and efficient data transfer mechanisms. This solution equips road authorities with the essential insights needed for effective load restriction planning.
Roadscanners spring thaw seasonal report
Roadscanners provides spring thaw seasonal reports monthly or weekly, depending on the season. A report has information about the measurement results of the station. It makes an assessment on the progression of frost depth in winter and frost melting in spring. It also assesses the severity level of frost heave, and predictions are made on the development of frost heave in the coming days. In addition, the report may contain recommendations regarding weight restrictions. The report can also provide comparisons with results from other Percostations and measurements from previous years.
The following example pictures from the report are demonstrating when frost heave will begin to melt.