In order to measure the exact loading volume of dump trucks LASE implemented the application LaseTVM on a road construction site for the customer EuroTransStroy in St. Petersburg, Russia. The laser-based measurement system determines the exact volume of purchased bulk materials like sand and crushed stones with highest accuracy to prevent load differences. Furthermore the recognition of the license plates and the load area for a fully comprehensive and transparent data handling are another features within this implementation.
EuroTransStroy is one of the biggest road construction companies in Russia and is involved in the road extension of the motorway M11 Moscow-Saint Petersburg, which should be finished until the beginning of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The total length of this alternative connection for the easing of traffic is about 684 km and here the last 38 km will be prepared. While the construction phase lots of bulk material like sand or crushed stones need to be used for the base course of the asphalt, which are purchased by EuroTransStroy. For the accurate account of the used bulk material a highly exact volume measurement system for the dump trucks was demanded for this task. By applying the laser-based application LaseTVM – Truck Volume Measurement the customer is now able to get precise volumes of the delivered materials.
The system is installed at a stationary checkpoint next to the motorway where a 3D laser scanner from the LASE 3000D-C2-11x Series is mounted on a metal framed truck gate. The laser measurement data are processed to the specific LaseTVM software and visualized to the operator. Two further IP-cameras are installed at the gate’s front and back side in order to recognize the license plates of the dump trucks. For the evaluation of those unique truck ID’s the Russian distribution partner from LASE, OOO Fest, has applied a special video analysis software called ScanMonitoring as a subsystem. An additional video camera on top of the gate monitors the trucks, with showing the level and the type of material to the operator. A cover hood protects the 3D laser scanner and the cameras from bad weather influences and an additional lightning device allows camera recognition also by night.
The standard operating procedure starts with the entry of a loaded truck approaching the gate with slow speed of approx. 5 km/h, where the license ID, the time and a topview image of each incoming truck is recorded. Then the truck has to reach a central position under the gate where the laser scanner starts the 3D measurement process. At the same time the operator can check against the loaded material type within the delivery documents and the camera images. After an average scan time of 10 seconds the initial measurement procedure is finished and the truck can drive to the storage yard for being unloaded.
Afterwards the truck needs to return to the measurement gate for a final emptiness control. The 3D laser scanner measures the empty load area of the truck and forwards the scan data to the LaseTVM software, which calculates the volume out of the difference from both measurement data (full vs. empty). Thus the truck ID, the exit time and a topview image are recorded again and stored in the data base.
For a comprehensive and transparent data handling the customer company EuroTransStroy is able to monitor all delivered material volumes by specific filter options within the software. By implementing this system the customer is protected against all possible weight or volume manipulations, for example faulty measurements by weight increase due to humidity. Or if the material is delivered with 10-15% less volume than stated in the purchase order, which cannot be revealed by normal visual inspection (especially sand). In this case a loss of money for the bought materials will be prevented.
