nº 89, march 2014
TRANSCRIPT
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OHL carries out the second expansion of the NGL fractionation plant in Pisco, Peru
OHL completes the Cantabrian Highway on its way through Galicia, with the construction of the Lindín-Careira section
West Light Rail Lines strengthens its position as a safe, efficient, and sustainable transportation option
tecnoThe OHL Group Magazine
Nº 89, March 2014
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Published by: General Corporate Management.
Coordination: Communication and Image Service: Mar Santos ([email protected]), Marisa Gutiérrez Sánchez ([email protected]) and Lourdes Peiró ([email protected]).
Collaboration: José María Sánchez Moreno ([email protected]).
Edited by: Justo Yllán, Fernando Cossío Abella, José Antonio de Apraiz Casuso y Juan Ignacio Romero.
Design, layout, and production: Eventos y Sinergias, SL
Traslation: IBERTRAD
OHL does not necessarily share the views expressed in this magazine. Reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved/Tecno. Paseo de la Castellana, 259 - D. Torre Espacio - 28046 Madrid.
Legal deposit: M-31540-1991.
OHL carries out the second expansion of the NGL fractionation plant in Pisco, Peru
OHL completes the Cantabrian Highway on its way through Galicia, with the construction of the Lindín-Careira section
West Light Rail Lines strengthens its position as a safe, efficient, and sustainable transportation option
The OHL Group Magazine
tecno
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Staff
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Editorial
Internationalization is one of the OHL Group’s fundamental pillars of growth. As part of this commitment to the foreign market, in Peru, OHL Industrial has completed the first large international reference project awarded to the division. It covers the expansion of processing and storage units of the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) fractionation plant in Pisco. The project, which is the second expansion of the plant, includes a third liquefied natural gas fractionation unit and an additional primary distillation (topping) unit, increasing the plant’s processing capacity by 35,000 Standard Barrels per Day (SBPD), from 85,000 to 120,000 SBPD of NGL.
And in addition, OHL Construcción has completed the construction of the final part of the Galician section of the Cantabrian Highway (A-8), Lindín-Careira (10.41 km). This infrastructure will channel the significant amount of medium and long-distance traffic that travels through the northern part of the peninsula, in addition to improving national and international connections via European route E-70.
Lastly, in this issue, TECNO covers an important project in the railway sector, where the OHL Group is strongly positioned. Since 2006, OHL Concesiones has managed two light rail lines that connect and serve large population centers in the western part of Madrid by linking them to the Region’s Metro, Cercanías suburban trains, and bus networks. A total of 22 km of track and 29 stops, make this infrastructure a safe and efficient transportation alternative, recognized as the World’s Best Light Rail Initiative by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP).
Luis García-LinaresGeneral Corporate Manager
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General view of the NGL fractionation plant in Pisco, Peru.
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OHL carries out the second expansion of the NGL fractionation plant in Peru
The project, located in Pisco has increased the processing and storage of the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) by 35,000 barrels a day
The OHL Group, through its OHL Industrial division, which specializes in the development of turnkey industrial project (EPC-Engineering, Procurement and Construction), carried out the expansion of processing and storage units of the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) fractionation plant in Pisco, Peru. The project, which is the second expansion of the plant, included a third liquefied natural gas fractionation unit and another primary distillation (topping) unit. It has been carried out by OHL Industrial and as a result, the plant’s processing capacity has been increased by 35,000 Standard Barrels per Day (SBPD), from 85,000 to 120,000 SBPD of NGL.
The NGL fractionation plant is located in the south of the city of Pisco, in the Paracas district of the Ica region of Peru. It is included as part of the Camisea Project, which is aimed at exploiting one of the Latin America’s most important natural gas reserves: the San Martín and Cashiriari deposits, located in the southern area of the Ucayali River Basin. These deposits were discovered in 1987, after the completion of different excavation surveys, the installation of 3,000 kilometers of seismic lines, and the drilling of five exploratory wells.The project also includes the extraction of gas and subsequent processing in a liquids separation plant located in Malvinas, on the banks of the Urubamba River. These
General view of the NGL fractionation plant in Pisco, Peru.
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installations generate natural gas and natural gas liquids from the separation, and eliminate water and impurities. The natural gas that is generated is transported to the coast, and the surplus is reinjected into a well for storage.The extraction and transport of the gas is done through two pipelines whose construction and operation also falls within the scope of the Camisea Project. The natural gas pipeline starts at the Malvinas plant and extends to the City Gate, the largest supply point, in the Lurín district in Lima. The pipeline for natural gas liquids terminates at the natural gas liquids fractionation plant located near the port of Pisco, 200 km south of Lima.Both pipelines run parallel, from the Camisea fields, and pass through the districts of Cuzco, Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Ica, and
Main characteristics of the Camisea Project
The project covers the development of the infrastructure required to extract, process, and transport the gas.
Construction and operation of two pipelines and a distribution network
l One gas pipeline for natural gas and the corresponding compression stations, terminating at the Melchorita liquefaction plant, where the liquefied gas is stored for later export.Generation of electrical energy in the Chilca corridor, as well as distribution for household, residential, and industrial consumption in the Lima and Callao areas.l A multi-product pipeline for natural gas liquids connected to the Pisco NGL processing plant. Utilization of components heavier than methane and ethane, by fractionation and extraction of propane, butane, and other derivatives intended for national consumption and export. The liquids are also used to supply the local market for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).l Development of a natural gas distribution system to supply the cities of Lima and Callao.
Construction of the Malvinas plant
Designed to separate the natural gas liquids.
Construction of the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) fractionation plant
Located near Pisco, near the Buffer Zone of the Paracas Natural Reserve.
Lima, as well as Andean and jungle zones, at elevations of more than 4,500 meters, and later descend to terminate at the desert areas on the coast.
Camisea Project
The Camisea Project is one of the pillars of Peru’s new energy policy, which is aimed at replacing expensive and contaminating fuels –diesel, gasoline, and oil– with other cleaner and more economical fuels, like natural gas. In addition to this substitution of fuels with more environmentally-sustainable and affor-dable products, the electrical power industry is also being developed, creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
The Camisea Project is one of the pillars of Peru’s new energy policy, which is aimed at replacing expensive and contaminating fuels with other cleaner and more economical fuels, like natural gas
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EPC-22
INCREASE OF PLANT CAPACITY
TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROJECTIncreased
productionIncreased
storageUnit
LPG fractionation unit 35,000 N.A.Barrels per day
Topping unit 18,000 N.A.Barrels per day
1 Feed surge storage sphere N.A. 25,000 Barrels
1 Diesel storage tank N.A. 80,000 Barrels
1 Condensate storage tank N.A. 13,000 Barrels
2 Pressurized propane bullet tanks N.A. 10,000 Barrels
2 Turbogenerator units (aeroderivative gas turbine) 10 MW
Technical characteristics of the project for the expansion of the NGL fractionation plant
Objectives of the Camisea Project
Extraction and transport of natural gas from the San Martín and Cashiari deposits, which corresponds to Lot 88 of the Camisea Project, to the liquids separation plant located in Malvinas.
Separation of water and liquid hydrocarbons contained in the natural gas, and conditioning of the natural gas for later transport to the City Gate in Lima, where it is filtered, measured, and its pressure is reduced, and where it is supplied to the distribution system.
Transport of the NGLs obtained in the separation plant to the coast, through a liquids pipeline connected to the Pisco plant, where they are fractionated into commercial-grade products –LPG, gasoline, and condensates– distributed on the market using ships and tanker trucks.
General view of the plant, showing the battery of air-coolers for processing.
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Expansion of the NGL fractionation plant
The project for the Second Expansion of the Natural Gas Liquids Fractionation Plant in Pisco, executed by OHL Industrial and put into operation in 2013, was aimed at increasing the processing and storage capacity of NGL and other products, improving from 85,000 to 120,000 SBPD of natural gas liquids.
General description of the expansion project
The project for the expansion of the Pis-co NGL fractionation plant included the development of the detailed engineering, supply of equipment and materials, elec-tromechanical installation and construc-tion, commissioning, performance and cer-tification testing of the natural gas liquids fractionation plant.
List of the most significant auxiliary installations in the plant that were modified in the project
Power Generation, Electrical Distribution, and (Motor Control Center) MCC Systems. Two new turbogenerators and a PMS were added, and the switchboard room was expanded.
Lighting and UPS Systems.
Hot Oil Heating System.
Combustible Gas distribution and conditioning.
Communications Systems.
Drinking and Sanitary Water Systems.
Fire Detection and Foam Systems.
Drainage Systems.
Air Systems for Instrument installations.
N2 Generation System.
Control and Safety Systems.
It is important to note that the expansion of the installations took place while the plant was in operation, and included offshore work on the docking unit and maritime tanker loading platform.
Work to connect the new process lines to the lines that were in operation:l 233 Tie-ins. l 36 Hot-taps.
Expansion of existing racks and switchboard room, with the execution of Medium-Voltage Tie-ins.
Incorporation of the PMS (Power Management System) and migration of the system for controlling the electrical load of the entire plant (the new expansion included in the con-tract and the two existing plants) to the new system.
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Description of the plant’s processing and storage units
Natural Gas Liquid Fractionation Unit. The expansion of this system consisted of the design, construction, and commissioning of a new depropanizer tower and another debutanizer tower, with a total capacity of approximately 35,000 SBPD.The propane and butane are separated in these towers (in that order) and are then stored at atmospheric pressure in refrigerated tanks. The feed to these towers is pre-heated, fractioned in two columns arranged in series, and is then air-condensed in heat exchangers.
From left to right, view of the topping towers, debutanizer, and depropanizer.
This expansion of the installations increased the processing capacity by 35,000 barrels a day, and included the construction of a new LPG fractionation unit, a topping unit, a new pre-cooling and refrigeration system, new diesel and condensate storage tanks, a new
sphere storage tank for feedstock, the expansion of the vapor recovery unit, two new turbogenerators, and a PMS (Power Management System).The plant was supplemented with auxiliary nitrogen, combustible gas, instrument air, hot oil, drainage, and flare systems.
New satellite room.
Expansion of the electrical room.
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Primary Distillation Unit (Topping Unit). This consists of distillation towers, heat exchange units, and accumulators. The feed is pre-heated, distilled, and later cooled in heat exchangers that produce the condensation of the desired compound.The expansion project included the addition of a new primary distillation (topping) unit with a capacity of approximately 25,000
barrels, which will be able to operate in Diesel or MDBS Mode, as required, in addition to producing naphtha by topping.
Cooling Unit (Precooling and Refrigeration Unit). This system pre-cools the products from the fractioning towers (propane and butane), which are carried to their respective storage tanks, and also cools the condensate liquids from the vapor recovery unit.The expansion of the system required the addition of a new cooling unit that operates
in parallel with the two existing ones.
Metering Station and Feed Surge Unit. The purpose of this unit is to absorb fluctuations
in the flow of liquid (NGL) transported by the pipeline from the Malvinas Gas Separation Plant and measure the quantity of product that reaches the fractionation plant.Due to the increased flow of liquids from the Malvinas plant, from 85,000 to 120,000 SBPD, a new 25,000 barrels sphere storage tank was installed, and the NGL metering system was expanded and upgraded.
Atmospheric Storage. The atmospheric storage tanks are used to store the products from the primary distillation, which consist of naphtha and diesel/MDBS. These tanks operate at atmospheric pressure and at
The expansion project included the addition of a new primary distillation (topping) unit with a capacity of approximately 25,000 barrels
Topping unit and naphtha tower.
Hot oil heaters. Cooling unit.
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ambient temperature, because the products are liquid and do not require special storage conditions to keep them in that state. A new diesel tank with a capacity of 80,000 barrels and a 13,000 barrel naphtha tank were installed.
Pressurized Storage Bullets. After the fractioning process, the propane and butane intended for the Peruvian market are stored in pressurized tanks that operate at ambient temperature. Since these liquid products are stored at ambient temperature, they must
Sphere (Feed Surge), 25,000 barrels.
Regulation and metering station.
From left to right, naphtha tank with a capacity of 13,000 barrels and diesel tank, with a capacity for 80,000 barrels.
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be kept at a moderate storage pressure of approximately 17 Kg/cm2, in order to keep them in liquid state until they are loaded onto tanker trucks for transport. The expansion included the installation of two new bullet tanks with a capacity of 1,430 barrels each, and new propane pumps.
Vapor Recovery Unit (VRU). The purpose of this system is to recover the propane and butane vapor generated in the respective storage tanks, condense it, and return it to the corresponding storage tank.
Diesel tank with capacity for 80,000 barrels.
The expansion included a new propane vapor recovery unit, which, in combination with the existing system, will operate with all of the tanks.
Power Generation Unit. The project included the addition of two aeroderivative gas turbines with a capacity of 5 MW/unit, as well as the infrastructure associated with them, in order to cover the new energy needs of the plant.
Vapor Recovery Unit (VRU).
Bullet tanks with a capacity of 1,430 barrels each.
Installed turbogenerators, total power capacity, 10 MW.
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Author: Justo Yllán, project manager for the expansion of the Pisco NGL fractionation plant. OHL Industrial
Principal construction units in the expansion of the Pisco NGL fractionation plant
l 9,380 m3 of concrete.
l 1,200 t of metal structures.
l 2,200 t of process equipment.
l 100,000 diameter inches of pipe welding.
l 165,000 m of electrical cable.
l 184,000 m of instrumentation and control cable.
During the construction phase, 2,600,000 hours of direct labor were invested, with a safety result of 3,300,000 cumulative hours with no incapacitating accidents.
GLOSSARY
City Gate. Located in the Lurín district, province of Lima, this is the destination point of one of the gas pipelines that carries the natural gas. At these installations, the natural gas is filtered, its pressure is reduced, and it is odorized to allow leaks to be detected quickly and easily.
Topping. Unit whose purpose is to produce finished fuels and hy-drocarbons cuts that will be processed in other units, to convert them into more valuable fuels.
Bullets. Pressurized tanks designed to store propane and butane.
Naphtta. A product derived from petroleum that does not contain additives, is obtained during the atmospheric distillation process, or from the natural gas, whose distillation range is between 30° and 190°C.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Generated from the mixture of lique-fied gases present in natural gas or dissolved in petroleum. In practice, LPGs are a mixture of propane and butane. At the Pisco plant, diesel and naphtha are obtained to make commercial diesel and gasolines, after mixing with other heavier diesels and naphthas, respectively.
MDBS (Medium Distillate for Blending Stock). Petroleum distillate.
Tie-in. Connection to the existing lines (pipes) of the plant, after emptying and inerting the line to temporary suspend operation. Once the connection has been completed, service is restored.
Hot-Tap. Connection to an existing line (pipe) without interrupting processing and service on the line.
Vapor Recovery Unit (VRU).
Installed turbogenerators, total power capacity, 10 MW.
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Lindín Interchange. Lugo. Spain.
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OHL completes the Cantabrian Highway on its way through Galicia, with the construction of the Lindín-Careira section
Provides more than 300 km of uninterrupted highway driving between Galicia and Asturias
OHL has completed the construction of the final section corresponding to the Galician part of the Cantabrian Highway (A-8), Lindín-Careira. The infrastructure, with a total length of 10.41 km, connects the Cantabrian corridor to the radial Northwest Highway (A-6, Madrid-A Coruña), and links to the Atlantic Highway, providing an alternative to the N-634. The construction of the A-8 was aimed at channeling the large amount of medium and long-distance traffic that travels through the northern part of the peninsula, in addition to improving national and international connections via European route E-70.
The construction of the Lindín-Careira section completes the 87 km of the Cantabrian Highway (A-8) in Galicia. This section runs between the towns of Ribadeo –on the border between Lugo and Asturias– and Baamonde, in the province of Lugo. This operation will put an end to the saturation of the N-634, which was previously used by both long-distance traffic as well as the local traffic between the nearby population centers and will provide more than 310 km of uninterrupted highway driving in Galicia and Asturias, while at the same time reducing travel times and significantly improving road safety.
Lindín Interchange. Lugo. Spain.
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From left to right, aerial view of the highway’s
route, KM 541, details of drainage construction
and pass over the structure of the Camino
de Santiago.
The construction of the Cantabrian Highway (A-8) was aimed at channeling the large quantity of medium and long-distance traffic that travels along the northern part of the peninsula, from Galicia to the Basque Country, opening a new connection that will improve national and international connections via European route E-70.
Earthmoving
The construction works for the Lindín-Careira section, which has a cross-section consisting of a carriageway with two lanes, each 3.5 m wide, and 1.5 m shoulders, represented a significant challenge due to the adverse geotechnical conditions of the mountainous terrain through which it runs.
The project required large cuts up to 60 m high from the road to the top of the cut, and em-bankments measuring 65 m from their bases.Heavy-duty machinery –CAT 385 and Liebherr 984 backhoes, CAT 773E dumpers, VOLVO A80 articulated dumpers– was used for large-volume earthmoving works, with small and medium-sized machinery used for more delicate works, such as localized excavations of structure foundations and the execution of cross-drainage.
Types of drainage
Longitudinal drainage. Two different types of drainage were used in cuts for the road-surface sub-base: l Gravity drainage, when the bottom of the trench was below the layers of the road surface. The water collected by the roadway sub-base has a direct outlet to the ditch via an embankment. l Using a system of drains located under the road surface that collect the water that accumulates in the roadway sub-base. All of the projected ditches have concrete linings. The water collected by ditches and outlet drains in inspection boxes that connect to the system of collectors that carry the water away from the platform. Concrete channels were installed to protect the surfaces of cuts and embankments
Main volume of earthmoving in excavation
l 5.2 million m3 in grading.
l 0.6 million m3 in topsoil.
l 0.4 million m3 in embankment reconstruction.
l 3.9 million m3 in earthworks.
l 0.2 million m3 in platform formation.
l 0.2 million m3 in localized fill with granular material at the bottom
of the embankment.
l 1.7 million m3 of dump.
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Construction of the platform.
from rainfall. On embankments and cuts that could potentially be affected by ground runoff, intercepting ditches were installed one meter from the top, in order to collect the runoff water and protect the roadway platforms. The water collected this way is carried to natural waterways or by concrete channels installed on the embankments to the road’s drainage ditches. To collect the water flows along the longitudinal axis of the highway, when the longitudinal slope exceeded 3% and the upstream cut was longer than 150 m, drainage trenches have been installed transversal to the highway at the cut-embankment transitions.
Cross drainage. As part of the preliminary work, an inventory was taken of the existing drainage works near the highway in order to analyze possible impacts on them. The bound geometry of the smaller drainage works along the length of the projected infrastructure was then defined through a study of the drainage response to the design flows for a return period of 500 years.The small cross-drainage works are drainage works that are installed to prevent the infrastructure from blocking existing water flows or water flowing along river beds by cutting them off and creating low points with no outlets in them.
Roadway surfaces
The most modern equipment available, including equipment from OHL’s machinery fleet, has been used for the spreading and refining of graded aggregate, as well as to spread the hot-mix asphalt.
Spreading of artificial aggregate using 3D motorized grader. The spreading of the graded aggregate, which was included in the unit for the road surfaces of the highway’s main road, as well as for slip roads and interchanges, has been done using a motorized grader equipped with an automatic 3D leveling system and a GPS leveling system with millimeter precision. The motorized grader obtains its position through a fully-robotic station parked on a series of survey bases that belong to the project’s reference system, taking continuous measurements from a reflection prism on the blade of the machine.The automatic 3D leveling system was used in most of the project; however, when weather conditions, such as fog or wind affected part of the worksite and prevented the visual contact between the station and the reflector, a GPS navigation system was used. The levels of precision obtained with either method were less than one centimeter, which resolved one of the biggest problems for the
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Aerial view Lindín interchange. Lugo. Spain.
project, which was to keep the weather from affecting production and spreading.To spread the Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA), several tools have been used to guarantee the maximum quality and efficiency of the works, reducing future maintenance work and obtaining a result of 100% suitable in the IRI test (International Regularity Index). These tools are:
IRI-Scope (leveling beam). Equipped with ultrasonic digital sensors and telescoping beams. This achieves leveling with long-reference averages.
Transfer silo. ROADTEC SB-2500 mobile silo, with an exclusive re-homogenization system that eliminates thermal and granulometric segregation.This segregation reduces the durability of the road surfaces. The asphalt mix cools during transport, even in hot climates, during the transfer operation between the spreader-truck, and when it passes through the screw conveyor. By including an intermediate silo between the truck and the spreader, a totally uniform asphalt mix can be achieved.
Structures
The section executed by OHL included the construction of:
Five viaducts: Vedros, Curros, Fiouco, Muras, and Galgao. One of the specific construction details in the case of the Vedros Viaduct that was different from the others that were built as part of the project were the girders, which were installed simultaneously with cranes on the spans closest to the abutment, and with girder launchers in the center spans, due to the inaccessibility of the esplanades at the bottom of the river bed.The launcher or mobile crane installed at the worksite had a length of 100 m and two hoisting carriages with a lifting capacity of 100 t each, to move the load along the two lattice girders. Another smaller movable carriage was also installed for auxiliary operations.
Four overpasses. Located at KM 2+200, 5+000, 10+100, and 11+300. The overpasses at KM 2+200, 10+100, and 11+300 were constructed with a post-tensioned voided slab with a constant thickness of 1.10 m. For the overpass at KM 5+000, a post-tensioned solid slab was used. In all cases, a conventional construction process with falseworks from the ground was used.
Climbing formwork on pier of the Fiouco Viaduct.
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Five underpasses. Located at KM 1+400, 2+700, 6+000, 8+400, and 10+800. The construction method used for all of the underpasses was falsework from the ground, or if necessary, concrete bottom slab in the case of closed frames.
Three reinforced-earth walls. A total of 6,354 m2 of precast pieces were used in their construction. Of all of these, the construction of the MTA 9.6 was the most complex. For this MTA, a large drainage screen was built (made with quarry material 100/500 aggregate size, as well as the installation of a geotextile on all areas of contact) due to the presence of water.
Embankment treatment
Cut at KM 2+200 right side, in the direction of A Coruña, and slip road 4 of the Lindín interchange. The initial slope of this cut was 33.69º. After 15 m of excavation from the hillside, cracks were observed in the surface of the embankment that required excavation work to be halted and the implementation of series of measures aimed at supporting and stabilizing it, by installing triple-twisted mesh, gunite (shotcrete), passive bolts of varying lengths (anchor bars) and California drains (long, small-diameter holes drilled into the ground), as well as the installation of a static screen along the entire length of the cut.
Cuts at KM 4+700 and KM 6+680 right side, in the direction of A Coruña. The initial slope of these cuts was 33.69 º on the right side and 2H/3V on the left side. Due to the appearance of traction cracks at the top, a final, stable slope of 26.50º was adopted.
Abutment formwork on the Fiouco Viaduct.
Pouring pier in overpass 5.0.
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Environmental actions
Spreading of topsoil on embankments and project dump sites.
Installation of acoustic screens along a section of the Camino de Santiago. Due to the presence of the San Martiño Church –a stopping point on the Camino de Santiago as it passes through Alto de A Xesta–alongside the highway, the area had to be protected against noise by installing an AU.06 absorbent acoustic screen made up of modular metal panels.
Concealment screen. It was noted that animals become scared when they go over these overpasses if they are unprotected, generating hazardous situations in some cases. For this reason, a concealment screen was installed on the overpass at KM 11+300 because this is used by the livestock herders of Aldea de Quende to cross animals from one side of the highway to the other.
Hydroseeding on cuts and embankments, and installation of coconut blanket on cuts. The cocoanut blanket was used due to its capacity for controlling soil erosion by retaining particles in its internal spaces, facilitating the establishment of seeding, hydroseeding, and planting. Some of the other advantages include:
l Increased water retention capacity, slowing evaporation. l Regulation of soil temperature.l Absorbs the contrast between cold hot.l Creation of an organic horizon.l Promotes the formation of vegetation cover. l Once hydroseeding has germinated, impro-ved integration into the landscape.
Other actions
Due to the fact that this section is located in an area with highly adverse weather conditions, with the presence of very dense fog banks and constant wind, a series of installations and signs were used to improve traffic:
Lighted signs in fog situations. As a result of the adverse climate in the area –the highway passes through a wind farm– LED lighted signs have been installed along a 3 km section. This system is supplemented by two lighted gantry signs with variable messages, a weather station at the highest point of the highway, a telephone repeater, and SOS connection stations. This system covers two functions, information and prevention: it is managed and supervised from the Universal Remote Station (URS) that gathers all of the information from the
Lower roundabout at the Galgao interchange. Lugo. Spain.
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Authors: Fernando Cossío Abella, Civil Engineer, and José Antonio de Apraiz Casuso, Civil Engineer. OHL Construcción
peripherals (weather station, balises, SOS stations, variable message panels, and TV cameras, among others) and transmits it over optical fiber to the Northwest Control Center of the Directorate General for Traffic (DGT) in A Coruña, where the information is managed. The system is equipped with the following:l Information panel with variable pictogram on the gantry. Informs drivers of visibility conditions on the roadway. It has three lines of text and one pictogram in each direction of traffic; all of the signs are black-panel signs with different messages or pictograms formed by LEDs - approximately 3,000 units turned on per pictogram, with a brightness of more than 20,000 candela (Cd). l Preventive action. One thousand 24-LED yellow lights were installed so that drivers do not lose sight of the direction of the road even in conditions of extremely limited visibility.
Universal Remote Station (URS). The Universal Remote Station (URS) is a project promoted by the DGT in order to standardize the collection of traffic data and weather information, as well as the handling of variable message panels. The URS is mainly responsible for com-municating with its peripherals by serial port, which include Variable Message Panels (VMP), Variable Atmospheric Highway Sensors (SEVAC) –formerly called Weather Stations– and the Universal Data Collection Stations (UDC).It also communicates with the Control Cen-ter (CC) using video capture, recording, and transmission to the CC, if required. l Collection, storage, and transmission of tra-ffic data (provided by the UDC) and weather data (provided by the SEVAC) to the CC. This operation can be done in two ways: On demand. Information requests send pe-riodically to the URS.By instruction. The peripherals automatically send the information to the URS each integra-tion period. This information is stored in the URS on a magnetic support for later proces-sing. Just as the URS collects this information from its peripherals, the CC is responsible for obtaining it directly from the URS.
l Execution of positioning commands sent from the CC to the Variable Message Panels. If the URS loses communication with the CC, it can control the panels in two different ways, either turning the panels off after a period of time, or continually repositioning them.l Collection, storage, and transmission of data to the CC, always on demand. l Management of the status and alarms of all of the peripherals.
Negative texturing. To increase the road safety of the section, and especially to facilitate maintenance during the winter, negative texturing was done using a milling machine. This texturing has the advantage of eliminating the risk of removing extruded blocks with snow plows during winter snow removal.
3M adhesive tape. This prefabricated permanent reflective marking tape was applied to the diving lines between the lanes, in order to increase visibility of road markings in foggy or rainy conditions. It was installed using a hot application process, immediately after the spreading and compacting of the hot-mix asphalt of the wearing course.
Linear Delineation System (LDS). To increase safety at the most sensitive points on the section constructed by OHL, a Linear Delineation System (LDS) was installed on the concrete New Jersey barriers. The length of the aluminum panels after folding is 85 cm long by 20 cm wide.
Improvement of connections. For the 8,000 vehicles that travel on the N-634 every day –with that number increasing sharply in the summer– the completion of the Lindín-Careira section represents a significant improvement in terms of comfort, speed, and safety for the medium and long-distance traffic. It also converts the A-8 highway into one of the vital routes in the backbone of the Cantabrian coast and its connection to the area of Central Europe via European route E-70.
The Universal Remote Station (URS) is a project promoted by the DGT in order to standardize the collection of traffic data and weather information, as well as the handling of variable message panels
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West Light Rail Lines at the Infante Don Luis roundabout in Boadilla del Monte, Madrid. Spain.
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West Light Rail Lines strengthens its position as a safe, efficient, and sustainable transporta-tion option
Best European light rail operator
Since 2006, OHL Concesiones has managed two light rail lines in the Region of Madrid, lines ML2 and ML3, which connect and serve large population centers in the western part of Madrid by linking them to the region’s Metro, Cercanías suburban train lines, and bus networks. A total of 22 km of track and 29 stops make this infrastructure a safe and efficient transportation alternative, recognized as the World’s Best Light Rail Initiative by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and best European light rail operator at the European Rail Congress in 2013.
OHL Concesiones was established in November 2000, as part of the diversification strategy of the OHL Group. Its purpose is to promote, develop, and manage all types of transportation infrastructure, anywhere in the world. It generally works with long-term concessions, but applies other financing models as well. The company was already active in the highway, commercial port and airport sectors when, in the summer of 2006, it added railway infrastructure as a new line of business upon being awarded the contract to manage two light rail lines in the Region of Madrid. With a 51% stake in the shareholdings of Metro Ligero Oeste, S.A., OHL Concesiones administers, operates, and maintains lines ML2 and ML3. These lines connect and serve large population centers in the western part of Spain’s capital by linking them to the networks of the Madrid Region’s Metro, Cercanías suburban trains, and buses.
West Light Rail Lines at the Infante Don Luis roundabout in Boadilla del Monte, Madrid. Spain.
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The West Light Rail Lines network is made up of two lines: the ML2, which connects Line 10 of the Metro to Pozuelo de Alarcón, with 13 stops from Colonia Jardín to Aravaca Station and a length of 8.7 kilometers; and the ML3, which runs between Colonia Jardín and Boadilla del Monte, with 16 stations and a total length of 13.7 kilometers.These two lines managed by OHL Conce-siones provide service to a population of approximately 128,000 residents and com-muters in Pozuelo de Alarcón, Boadilla del Monte, Alcorcón, and Madrid.
MLO is a member of two of the world’s most prestigious associations in the area of public transportation:l International Association of Public Trans-port (UITP), which it joined in 2008. The UITP represents more than 14,000 entities involved in national, regional, and local mobility in more than 92 countries on five continents. l Latin American Association of Metros and Undergrounds (ALAMYS), of which it has been a member since 2007, and which inclu-des the leading public transport entities in Latin America, Spain, and Portugal.
Committed to the environment
The Light Rail’s low power consumption makes it an environmentally friendly transportation method:l Zero gas emissions and very low direct contamination.l During braking, it returns energy to the grid to be reused, with a savings of 30%.l Reduces pollution emissions, avoiding the emission of more than 7,300 tons of CO
2 per
year, the equivalent of the combustion of close to 3 million liters of gasoline.
West Light Rail Lines at the Siglo XXI stop in Boadilla del Monte, Madrid. Spain.
Contract information
Concessionaire Company: Metro Ligero Oeste, S.A.
Client: Regional Transportation Consortium of Madrid-CAM
Concession period: 2006-2036
Stake OHL Concesiones: 51%
Length: 22 km
Total investment managed: €594 million
Average passengers/day (2013): 15,200
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International awards
West Light Rail Lines was recognized as the World’s Best Light Rail Initiative by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) in October 2010, competing against fourteen other projects developed in the Americas, Asia, and Europe. In addition to this prestigious award, in 2013 Metro Ligero Oeste, S.A. (MLO) was selected as the Best Light Rail Operator in Europe at the European Rail Congress. Also, MLO received an award for its CSR educational project on sustainable mobility in early 2014, at the 2nd Awards for the Promotion of Public Transportation and Sustainable Mobility, organized by the Regional Transportation Consortium of Madrid.The initiative, which MLO has been running since 2007, is based on three lines of work: promotion of sustainable transportation, traffic and environmental education, and care of and respect for urban infrastructure and fixtures.
West Light Rail Lines at the Siglo XXI stop in Boadilla del Monte, Madrid. Spain. West Light Rail Lines on Calle de la Alberca, in Boadilla del Monte, Madrid. Spain.
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West Light Rail Lines, at the Glorieta Virgen de las Nieves roundabout, in Boadilla del Monte, Madrid. Spain.
The provision of safe and regular service throughout the entire transportation system is vitally important. To achieve this, point machines take on special importance because this system allows the vehicles to be shifted from one track to another.Juan Ignacio Romero Rodríguez, Director of Operations and Human Resources at Metro Ligero Oeste, S.A., and Óscar Díez Bayón, Manager of Post-Sale, Technical Assistance, and Maintenance at SEPSA, established a simple, practical methodology to manage and maintain the point machines in West Light Rail Lines operations, increasing operational efficiency by optimizing the
preventive maintenance plan in effect for the point machines. To do this, an RCM (Reliability Centered Maintenance) methodology was applied, as the methodology that was best suited to achieving the objectives. Its conceptual principles are adapted to the resolution of the difficulties presented by the system in question: a large number of identical devices in different operational environments.RCM’s main goal is to establish adequate maintenance to achieve maximum benefit in the operation of a particular device, focusing on conserving the system’s functionality and taking the specific aspects of the installation
Application of the RCM methodology to the maintenance of the point machines in the West Light Rail Lines
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West Light Rail Lines, at the Glorieta Virgen de las Nieves roundabout, in Boadilla del Monte, Madrid. Spain.
and its operating environment into account. It is a systematic, objective, and documented analysis methodology applicable to any type of industrial installation, very well suited to the implementation or optimization of a preventive maintenance plan that helps improve the installation’s reliability.The most difficult but also most creative part of the work done was the efficient application of the RCM methodology. Its principles were strictly applied but an analysis process that would allow its development within a viable period of time was suggested; a classic RCM analysis could not be carried out on each point machine due to the large number of these devices that are included in the installation. The proposed solution made it possible to identify failure mechanisms in the point machine devices, establish different categories of machines based on their functional impact on operations, and select appropriate maintenance tasks, adjusting the frequency and content to the critical
West Light Rail Lines passing through Boadilla del Monte, Madrid.
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level or importance of each specific point machine. The result was the formulation of an efficient preventive maintenance plan suitable for the operating environment and the preparation of a scorecard based on indicators that allows the plan to be evaluated and tracked, and also adapted to future needs and circumstances based on the results obtained.
Stages of RCM analysis.
Application of the RCM methodology
In the project Application of the RCM methodology to the maintenance of the point machines in the West Light Rail Lines system, the RCM methodology was applied to a generic, universal point machine. The failure modes, causes and effects of the failures were analyzed by applying an FMEA
(Failure Mode and Effects Analysis), in order to establish levels of critical im-portance and later to determine the causes and propo-se possible mainte-nance actions to be carried out.The general process of the RCM methodo-
logy involves a series of tasks: definition of the project’s target system, its interfaces with other systems in the installation and the components that make it up, in order to then analyze critical importance, which in turn makes it possible to select maintenan-ce tasks, implement recommendations, and track results. The general RCM methodolo-gy includes the identification of the types/categories of point machines. Therefore, by varying the frequency of the maintenance tasks proposed for a generic point machine, it is possible to adjust maintenance to the spe-cific conditions of each point machine, based on location and operating environment.The process for evaluating critical importance determines which components are critical for the system as a whole to be able to perform its functions. A series of common criteria were establis-hed that summarize the impact that the failure of each one of the components has on the point machines’ loss of functionality. The following aspects were taken into ac-count to calculate the components’ critical importance:
Point machine with the main cover removed.
The identification of point machines types, which makes it possible to adjust to the specific conditions of each point machine by varying the frequency of the maintenance tasks proposed for a generic point machine, based on location and operating environment
TYPOLOGIES
ANALYSIS APPROACH
1
■ Goal definition■ Familiarization with the installation■ Selection of the system to be analyzed■ Establishment of the physical limits■ Identification of system interfaces■ Identification of system components■ Project organization and planning
ANALYSIS OF LEVELS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE
2
■ System function and functional failure■ Failure modes of the components■ FMEA effects and consequences■ Failure probability■ Calculation of levels of critical importance
IMPLEMENTATION AND FOLLOW-UP
4
■ Implementation:✓ RCM proposal✓ Comparison of current tasks and regulatory
restrictions or guarantees■ Follow-up:
✓ Optimization >> Ongoing improvement✓ Returns from the operational experience
SELECTION OF MAINTENANCE TASKS
3
■ Logical decision tree■ Tasks:
✓ Predictive maintenance✓ Periodical preventive maintenance✓ Tests and inspections✓ Design changes✓ Corrective maintenance
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Operation impact. Loss of local or remote control, or lack of verification.
Safety impact. Effects on safety and detection capabilities.
Detectability. Time from the occurrence of the failure of the component until it is detected.
Corrective maintenance cost. Cost of the repair.
Repair time. Resolution time once the cause has been detected.
Once the five factors have been calculated, they are weighted based on their importance and a value is obtained for the critical importance of each failure mode of each component.
Selection of maintenance tasks. Once the limits of the system, components, failure modes, and causes of each failure mode have been determined, the FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) is carried out, using a Logical Decision Tree (LDT). This makes it possible to determine the maintenance tasks (preventive and corrective) that will be carried out on the generic point machine. The system analyzed, point machines, has a manageable number of components and failure modes, which makes it possible to carry out a cause analysis and task selection (following the LDT) for all of the components, not only the critical ones. Consequently, two proposed task solutions were suggested: a pure RCM with only critical components/failure modes (13 components/14 failure modes) and another complete and more conservative RCM that covers all of the components/failure modes (76 components/89 failure modes).
Types of point machines. Once the maintenance tasks that will be carried out for the generic point machine have been selected, the task frequencies are adjusted based on the specific conditions of each point machine in order to extrapolate the results, based on location and operating environment.To calculate the critical importance of each one of the 83 point machines and to classify or sort them into types, a series of parameters that are considered significant in terms of location and specific operation were established:l Number of annual operations on a particu-lar point machine.l Impact. Difficulty in establishing an alterna-te route.l Number of users affected.l Safety. Whether or not they are facing points.
When analyzing each point machine’s number of maneuvers a year, a striking difference was observed in their use. Some of them were practically unused (the ones located on route tracks that are used only in degraded mode) versus others that
Frequency of maintenance tasks based on the type of point machine.
Number of maneuvers per year with current service (includes West Light Rail Lines maintenance).
Number of maneuvers MA-A
A M B A M B A M B
M-B MB-CN
Critical importance (with no maneuvers)
Com Failu Cri Ta Current Prop PM TASKS
Visual inspection and measurement of the wear level and bolt clearance (substitution) – head of jointed bar
Retighten the control rod t-head bolt
Retighten and check the terminals in the engine fuse box
Engine gauging (normal and inverted) – Guide
Retighten the screws fastening the guide
Check the fastening pin drop (bolt)
Retighten the bolt device’s hexagonal M16 screws
Retighten the bolt device’s adjusting bolt
Retighten the adjusting spindle of the spring packs
Replace the condenser before the end of its useful life
Retighten the connection terminals of the interconnection cabinet, control and engine check
Visual inspection: of the wear of the drive unit rod’s t-head bolt
Visual inspection: of the lock heel of the interlocking device (core)
PREDICTIVE MAINTENANCE TASKS
SYSTEMATIC PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE TASKS
TESTS AND INSPECTIONS
FREQUENCIES
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were used much more frequently, with up to 80,000 maneuvers a year in some cases (point machines located in terminal stations). As shown in the following table, almost half of the point machines (39) had no operational maneuvers over the course of
the year, with the exception of programmed preventive maintenance maneuvers, while at the same time there were 4 points that exceeded 60,000 maneuvers per year.
Establishment of frequencies for preventive maintenance tasks. Once the maintenance tasks for a generic point machine and the different types of point machines have been established, the most suitable frequencies can be established. Since there are two
solutions, a pure RCM solution that applies only to critical components/failure modes and another, more conservative solution that covers all of the components/failure modes, two maintenance tables-templates with the proposed tasks and frequencies were also generated.When establishing the frequency of each of the proposed tasks, it was observed that there were two different types of tasks: those in response to the wear and tear on components, which are directly related to usage (and are therefore affected by the number of component maneuvers), and those that did not depend on usage. It therefore seemed appropriate to divide the overall critical importance of the point machines into two categories. On the one hand, the factor of the number of maneuvers, and on the other, the other three factors (difficulty of devising an alternate route, facing points in normal operation, and number of users affected).
Calculation of reliability and unreliability costs. The costs incurred during the period of operation being analyzed for a device’s maintenance or improvement of its reliabi-lity are called the reliability costs, while the costs generated by unavailability –corrective maintenance, lost production, and compen-sation– constitute the unreliability costs.The proposed maintenance plan reduces costs by 23% compared to the preventive maintenance that is currently carried out. It is important to note that despite the savings, the proposed maintenance plan is
This project has laid the foundations of a maintenance culture that is scienti-fic, systematic, technology-based, and aimed at maximizing efficiency. A culture grounded in prevention, that targets the ongoing improvement of West Light Rail
Execution time for necessary preventive maintenance tasks and travel.
Number of tasks and their execution time.
West Light Rail Lines in workshops and depots.
Current
Current
No. tasks / year
PM time (hours)
Minutes / year
Travel time (hours)
25,000
800
20,000
700
15,000
600
10,000
500
5,000
400
0
300
200
100
0
Pure RCM
Pure RCM
Proposed RCM
Proposed RCM
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West Light Rail Lines passing through a turnout
Graph comparing current preventive maintenance costs and costs of the proposed RCM.
Author: Juan Ignacio Romero, Director of Operations and Human Resources of Metro Ligero Oeste, S.A.
The project won the 2013 Reliabi-lity Award of the Spanish Quality Association (AEC) for the Final Pro-ject Application of the RCM methodo-logy to the mainte-nance of point ma-chines in the West Light Rail Lines.
conservative, since it was developed on all of the components and not just the critical ones.The project’s greatest achievement has been the preparation and application of an RCM analysis process to the West Light Rail Lines’s point machines, creating a new preventive maintenance program that adjusts the tasks and applicable frequencies according to the specific operating environment of each of the devices included.It is important to highlight the contribution that this project has made, over the last nine months of its implementation, toward the establishment of the foundations of a maintenance culture that is scientific, systematic, technology-based, and aimed at maximizing efficiency. A culture grounded in prevention that targets ongoing improvement in the organization of West Light Rail Lines operations.Although the results obtained would permit greater modification of the preventive maintenance plan in effect, less aggressive modifications were proposed in order to minimize potential resistance to the changes and achieve a cautious, gradual, and robust transition to the new engineering-maintenance culture that is to be implemented. In order to track the suitability of the recommended measures, a scorecard consisting of a set of indicators was prepared. It will facilitate this evaluation and the identification of possible aspects that can be improved.
One of the method’s greatest difficulties is to ensure availability of the in-depth knowledge of the system that is essential for identifying potential failure mechanisms, determining their impact on the installation’s operation, and evaluating their critical importance. Part of the success of the work done is due to the way the work was suggested to the personnel involved, overcoming any initial reservations through training, adequate explanation of the purpose of the analysis, highlighting the importance of their work and technical knowledge, and providing them with a tool to support decision-making. In addition to this, no new resources were required in order to apply the methodology; the existing resources were simply reoriented with a different focus.
Current
Cost ofPM Tasks
(€)
Travel Time
Cost (€)
Total Travel
Time Cost (€)
TotalCost
50,000 €
45,000 €
40,000 €
35,000 €
30,000 €
25,000 €
20,000 €
15,000 €
10,000 €
5,000 €
– €
Pure RCM Proposed RCM
Kralovo Pole Tunnels, Dobrovskeho B. Brno beltway. Czech Republic.
OBRASCÓN HUARTE LAIN, S.A.Paseo de la Castellana, 259 - D - Torre Espacio28046 - MADRIDTelephone 91 348 41 00 - Fax 91 348 44 63www.ohl.es
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